First knife. Critiques wanted

T

Tanner2297

Joined
Jun 7, 2015
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Learning so much information from the site. Made my first and second knife. Top one is o1, bottom is 1080. Bought the O1 not realizing the soak time required for heat treat, so will send that one out. Bottom one I will try and heat treat myself. Still have a little more shaping to do on the second one before heat treat and temper. I forgot the plunge line on the first one so I decided to try one on the second. Let me know what y'all think. Critiques and comments welcome. Thanks!



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Honestly, those look similar to the turds I clenched out last week...

Not really, they are pretty sweet! Throw some handles on them and they would be pretty sweet utility knives! They only things I worry about are those tips. They look mighty fine and, consequently, extremely fragile. Also, on the smaller one, it looks like, if you were to ride up on that choil area with your index finger, you might slice the dorsal side of your finger.

I really dig how, when the edge is parallel with a flat cutting task (chopping veggies?), the hand pokes up at a very comfortable looking angle.
 
Sure is an interesting shape. Never seen anything quite like that before. Though I have to agree with footballplayerchris on fragility of the tip and the choil. Other than that looks nice.
 
These are a take on a Kiridashi. The top one is 4-1/2 OAL, the bottom is 5-1/2 OAL. The are both made from 3/16" stock. The choil area on both will need to be re shaped some. Do you think the stock thickness will help the point strength any?
 
The design is a matter of choice, but from a technical point of view if they are grinded only on one side, as it appears from the pic, be prepared they will bend on one side when hardening.
 
As far as the design i prefer the top one. It's gonna be as usable as a japanese kiridashi, while the bottom one has possible ricasso interfearing with the cut since the blade has no belly.
 
I was asked to comment, so I will.

I am not a fan of what is getting called a kiridashi by most folks. Seems any bar of steel with a triangular shape is a "Kiridashi". A kiridashi is a small narrow inlay, carving, and woodworking knife .... and often a simple utility knife. It has a small tip and is basically the Japanese version of an X-acto knife with a #11 blade. Normally they are made from a two layer bar with the bulk being soft steel and only the edge being high carbon. It is designed to cut corners and trim sockets in joinery, as well as cut and clean the profile of inlay pockets. Most traditionally are fairly thick, with a starter bar of 1/2" by 1/4" not being uncommon. 1" total billet width is about the max that is really practical. If I make one, I use 3/4" by 1/4" stock.
Everyone seems to want the grind a long wide single bevel at 10-15°, but the ones that are correct are properly 20-40°, as they are trimming tools, more akin to a chisel than a knife.
Other uses besides woodworking might be to cut string, paper, and sharpen pencils. The name means ,"To cut out".
They get called "self defense" knives, but really, a sharp pencil would be just as useful in defense.

This isn't what every kiridashi looks like, but it is the traditional and basic form/shape:
http://www.fine-tools.com/tasai-kiridashi.html



About your knives:
The tips on your knives will snap off easily in use unless they are used for the most delicate tasks. HT will have to be done carefully to avoid overheating the tip ( nearly impossible on a knife like that without an oven).

About the only advice on fine tuning them would be to grind the tip back ( from the spine ) about 3/8" to 1/2" and make the tip end up at about a 70° angle. Current the tips look about 20-30°.

Make a mark on the spine at 1/2". Make a mark on the edge at 1/4". Grind/file the tip back to make a straight facet between the two likes. This will thicken and strengthen the tip.

This photo is just an example of how a pointed tip can be cut back and retain a sharp edge but have a stronger tip ( yours would be different, but this should give you the idea I am implying) :
http://zknives.com/knives/knimgtmpl...ves.com/knives/jpnkktype/banokobunkabocho.jpg
 
Stacy, Thanks for the education on Kiridashi blades. Thanks for a possible remedy for the weakened tip, i will try that
 
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