"Double" custom knife

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
5,340
I made this knife a year and a half ago, and just wasn't happy with the handle on it. See the pictures and you'll know what I mean. I offered to put another handle on it, and a few months ago the owner finally took me up on it. Let me know what y'all think.

Original (goncalo alves, copper and nickel silver):

1125-1.JPG


1125-2.JPG



New (african blackwood, 416 ss guard):

71608-1.JPG


71608-2.JPG


71608-3.JPG



Phillip
 
Mm, I like then both!
I don't see anything wrong with the first handle. But then again, the new one looks good as well!
 
Very nice, looks like it fits great in the hand.

I like darker woods, so the second looks a little better for me. :cool:
 
Second handle is nicer than first one. First one was already nice.

Beautiful damascus!

Kind regards,

Jos
 
I like both. the only thing the first one had against it was that the grain was in exact opposite of the pattern in the steel. not that anything could really be done about it, as i figure that would just weaken the handle with the grain opposite what is was originaly.

the second one is simply amazing looking :D
 
that's a huge improvement. The way the back of the handle is in line with the spine and the exclusion of the finger groove makes a much bigger difference than the materials. Now that that design issue is taken care of, you have a winner on your hands, regardless of what it's made from:thumbup:
Very nice curves on the new and improved handle, in my opinion.
 
By the way, great thread Phillip. I like seeing the process of rectifying design and manufacturing issues. It shows a lot of humility and is extremely useful for the rest of us to play with the mental puzzle presented.
Get them synapses firing!
 
Phillip -- one of the main things to consider when doing knives is to decide where you wnat the viewers eye to go. IN the case of the hunter, you want the eye to go to the fine damascus pattern created. The human eye will always go to the brightest/lightest object first and thus the eye goes to the handle of the first effort.
Now, comes the conflict. The strong horizontal lines conflict with the vertical lines as someone else has mentioned of the blade. The larger guard is also a conflict.

In the second effort, which is far superior, the eye always goes first to the blade. Secondly, the reduction in the size of the guard and the addition of the spacers which pick up the design of the ricasso ties the blade to the handle.
The shaping of the handle also adds some motion to the knife and increase the sense of action when viewing the knife.
Of course the feel etc of the knife can only be determined when actually handling the knife.
This was a terrific thread and is one to hang onto as it shows how simple adjustments of design can take a knife from the ordinary to extraordinary.
 
Great post Murray. I agree with you and would not be able to put it in any better way.

Phillip,

I always liked your blades but never quite enjoyed your handles, they always looked kind of thin to my taste. But from some time now (I would guess an years or so) your handle designs have improved a lot to my eyes. It´s just a matter of personal taste really, but I would like to give my :thumbup: for the change.

Jeff Velasco
 
I basically agree with Murray, except with regard to the shape of the handle. No surprise here, but I like the finger groove and the thinner handle. I just received my Phillip Patton knife this week with a similar handle (Phillip posted pictures several weeks ago).

Is it my monitor or is this African Blackwood really dark brown with black accents? Still the darker wood and accents in the African Blackwood handle do not detract from the striking damascus pattern the way the lighter wood in the first handle did.

Paul
 
African blackwood can be anywhere from almost pitch black to dark brown with black lines.

I don't find the straight lines of the spacers to be a problem at all. To me, they kind of match up with the lines of the pattern welded steel on the ricasso, and offer an attractive contrast to the pattern on the main part of the blade.
 
Sorry fellows, I don't see it. I readily prefer the first.

The handle is just too thin for the broad blade in my opinion.

And I don't care the straight lines of the spacers as they conflict with the beautiful damascus pattern.

By the way Phillip, your damascus patterns are outstanding. Let me know if you get tired of me telling you that. ;) :)
 
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