First knife design critique / WIP (Almost Finished)

Had a few hours to go out in the shop tonight, I made a new template out of 1/8 x 1.5 A36 flat stock so it'll be closer to the actual knives. I extended the handle by a half inch, I also drilled out pin locations and roughed and mocked up a handle. I didn't have time to radius contour the handle I'll do that later I don't intend on fully epoxying the handle to this template. I have temporary spray adhesive I'll use to attach them so I can see how I like the feel of the contours and shape. After that I'll remove them for using the template to scribe and transfer punch future knives.

The top one is the previous template, and the bottom the new one.

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It looks as if your pin locations are off center, I would correct that for a template otherwise every knife you use it for will be off, the handle looks slimmer which is nice. In my opinion the lanyard hole is too close to the edge, it may be fine for g10 or Micarta but wood handles might be prone to breaking when it’s that close to the edge.
 
I noticed the pins where slightly off center after drilling them. I punched and drilled them before grinding the handle using a paper template. I plan on adjusting them slightly higher on the next one. As for the lanyard hole I only intend to use Micarta on this model for now, but I’ll give some thought to it’s location and I may move it down some as well. I’ll continue grinding the handle just to get an idea of what I like. Thanks for the feedback everyone, I appreciate it.
 
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Made a new design template tonight, and once I finished that and got everything the way I wanted it I progressed and moved onto the real thing. Bottom right is my first 440C version, it's completely profiled and drilled. I verified that the holes are centered, they're within .01 of the handle center line and I'm satisfied with that. I'm going to take it to a surface grinder, and grind the decarb monday most likely. I want to get it precision flat before I start grinding the primary bevels.

I just want to mention too that I got all of the steel and handle materials from Pop's Knife Supply and I am very pleased. They shipped everything extremely fast, and they even refunded me a few dollars on shipping! The price was the best I could find as well!

Thanks for looking and all the feedback everyone!

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Teppojutsu said:
I was thinking the same with cost of power and heat treating supplies.

Plus the learning curve...I agree with this part alot
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When I started making knives, I was lucky enough to spend a few Saturdays hanging out with the Late, Mr, Bob Loveless. I asked him about learning to HT, Buying a oven etc.. He said, “Focus on your designs and your grinding Skills! I’ve sent all of my blades to Paul Bos HT at Buck Knives, For a number of years now, you could mess around for years and not get the consistency that I’ve found them to have!” I’ve done so for a long time!
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
When I started making knives, I was lucky enough to spend a few Saturdays hanging out with the Late, Mr, Bob Loveless. I asked him about learning to HT, Buying a oven etc.. He said, “Focus on your designs and your grinding Skills! I’ve sent all of my blades to Paul Bos HT at Buck Knives, For a number of years now, you could mess around for years and not get the consistency that I’ve found them to have!” I’ve done so for a long time!
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That's awesome Rhino, I would have loved to meet him. I bought the book "How to make knives" by Bob Loveless and Richard W. Barney, I saw the sense in his logic when he said that in the book. There are so many different skills in knife making to learn that I need to focus on first before I can think about starting to experiment with heat treating. Plus I can start using steels that I might not otherwise be able to if I where trying to do it myself right now.
 
Ocelot85 said:
That's awesome Rhino, I would have loved to meet him. I bought the book "How to make knives" by Bob Loveless and Richard W. Barney, I saw the sense in his logic when he said that in the book. There are so many different skills in knife making to learn that I need to focus on first before I can think about starting to experiment with heat treating. Plus I can start using steels that I might not otherwise be able to if I where trying to do it myself right now.
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Bob was the most cantankerous, Opinionated man I’ve met in my life! LOL , as long as we were taking knives & what he thought about them he was great man to be around! And I’m not trashing the dead! If he was on BFs I can only imagine the fireworks around here and he’d be the first one to tell you! LOL ... I hold listening to Loveless in my early Knife Making days as a wonderful introduction!:)... Keep rereading his book! You’ll look at his comments differently as you get a few knives under your belt! :thumbsup:
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Bob was the most cantankerous, Opinionated man I’ve met in my life! LOL , as long as we were taking knives & what he thought about them he was great man to be around! And I’m not trashing the dead! If he was on BFs I can only imagine the fireworks around here and he’d be the first one to tell you! LOL ... I hold listening to Loveless in my early Knife Making days as a wonderful introduction!:)... Keep rereading his book! You’ll look at his comments differently as you get a few knives under your belt! :thumbsup:
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Judging by some of the variations of his makers mark and some of the things people have said, I'm sure he was a colorful person heh.
 
Your design shows promise. The only thing that I’d change is the little notch on the cutting edge. They do look neat , but will snag every time when gutting an animal. My mentor put that on all his knives and I naturally did the same. Initial feedback from folks that had purchased my knives was the same in each case....it snags guts, making for more work when gutting. I saw it too when I was gutting deer. The notches left the picture quickly after that.
 
godogs57 said:
Your design shows promise. The only thing that I’d change is the little notch on the cutting edge. They do look neat , but will snag every time when gutting an animal. My mentor put that on all his knives and I naturally did the same. Initial feedback from folks that had purchased my knives was the same in each case....it snags guts, making for more work when gutting. I saw it too when I was gutting deer. The notches left the picture quickly after that.
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I can see where you're coming from, it's been awhile since I personally dressed a deer but thinking back now I can see how that could happen. I really just put it there for sharpening purposes, I sharpen a lot of knives and it always bothers me when makers don't run the edge all the way back to where the bevel terminates. Thanks for the feedback though, didn't think of that.
 
I have some friends who are farmers, maybe if they get a few deer that wander in to eat their crops this summer I'll have to test it. Maybe get some coyote's and skin them too.
 
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Stayed a little late at work and my generous boss let me use the surface grinder, I need to find a good deal for one on craigslist. I was in a hurry but I got it within .001 on flatness and thickness. I was honestly surprised at how straight and flat the stock was it only took .005 total to clean it up. I'll start rough grinding the primary bevels and swedge tomorrow if I can, if not then it'll be this week.


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Rhinoknives1 said:
When I started making knives, I was lucky enough to spend a few Saturdays hanging out with the Late, Mr, Bob Loveless. I asked him about learning to HT, Buying a oven etc.. He said, “Focus on your designs and your grinding Skills! I’ve sent all of my blades to Paul Bos HT at Buck Knives, For a number of years now, you could mess around for years and not get the consistency that I’ve found them to have!” I’ve done so for a long time!
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I will take the advice!
Was thinking a surface grinder would be money better spent as i want to make some loveless style knives.......I so wish I could have known him....
I would have loved some templates of a few designs .
I've drawn several from his book against graph paper and a few look funny to me even though i matched the graph pretty well.

You and the other full time makers are my inspiration.
Paul
 
Just finished rough grinding this to .05 at the edge, ground the swedge as well. I'm really happy with how it came out, thinking of drilling another hole for balance purposes and sending it out for heat treat.



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wayneblocker5369 said:
Have you decided on what scales you are going to use yet? Just love the droppoint!!! Great job!!!
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This one I'm leaning toward either black canvas micarta with red / white back spacer or olive green canvas micarta with black / white back spacer. I may have a source for a good deal on cocobolo wood as well, so I have to check that option out too. I'm keeping this first one for myself as a prototype to test and use myself to see how I like the design long term, while this one is out for heat treat I'm going to be cutting out some more.

Thanks for the feed back, glad you like the design!
 
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