First knife sketch please critique

[brodbeckrt]

All I have started a sketch and made a cutout of a knife. Please feel free to critique.

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[Drew Riley]

Given the profile of the handle, i.e., the deeper curves, it seems like it would be a little short to fit large hands comfortably. How does the cardboard cut out feel?

 

[brodbeckrt]

Given the profile of the handle, i.e., the deeper curves, it seems like it would be a little short to fit large hands comfortably. How does the cardboard cut out feel?

It fits nicely with my index, middle, and ring fingers in the curves of the handle. My pinky wraps the bottom. I am thinking about making a larger version that will fit all 4 fingers between the deeper curves.


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[Del Raso Knives]

According to your ruler you have a 2 1/2" handle between the forward and rear peaks. I don't see how you would comfortably accommodate an adult size hand on such a handle. Your choice would be to stretch it out or redesign the rear of your handle without the deep radius.

 

[irona]

I would probably elongate the handle or thin the bulge on the pommel to allow larger hands to get a comfy grip, but looks good!


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[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Take out most of that palm swell belly in the handle bottom ( at least half of it) and make the handle 3/4" to 1" longer. 4-4.5" works well. The butt doesn't need such a big round end either. Just let it trail off from the bottom and top into a very simple bird's head style.

Your knife has a piercing shape and function, so the handle needs to be large enough for a full grip. The last thing you want is a weak grip on something you are stabbing/poking with ( even if you never stab at anything, it should be capable of doing it safely).

Your blade size and shape is basically OK, but the grind lines will be very difficult to nearly impossible to form. The slanted plunge line is fine, but the yokote ( line separating the main bevel from the tip bevel) and the shinogi ( ridge line between the main bevel and the upper part of the side) along the kissaki ( tip end) will be hard to do with the angle drawn. I would change the yokote to a vertical line at 90° to the main shinogi. Even then, getting a crisp kissaki on a first knife is going to be hard. Another problem with your kissaki is that the thin and pointed tip formed by the angle drawn from the mune (spine) to the tip will be very weak and prone to snapping off. The whole point ( pun intended) of a tanto tip is a strong and tick tip for piercing.

If you are set on trying a tanto blade, then:
1) Change the mune (spine) to a straight line to the tip
2) Make the kissaki-shinogi (the grind line along the tip edge) parallel to the angle of the tip
3) Don't make the kissaki ( tip bevel) as wide as drawn. It should be a bit narrower than the main bevel for strength. The less wide, the thicker ( and stronger) the tip. The kissaki has a piercing function, not a cutting function.
4) Make the yokote ( the line where the main bevel and the tip bevel meet) a vertical line


Suggestion - Possibly consider just having a normal drop point style blade and grind line on this knife and try the more complex tanto tip on a future blade.

 

[brodbeckrt]

Take out most of that palm swell belly in the handle bottom ( at least half of it) and make the handle 3/4" to 1" longer. 4-4.5" works well. The butt doesn't need such a big round end either. Just let it trail off from the bottom and top into a very simple bird's head style.

Your knife has a piercing shape and function, so the handle needs to be large enough for a full grip. The last thing you want is a weak grip on something you are stabbing/poking with ( even if you never stab at anything, it should be capable of doing it safely).

Your blade size and shape is basically OK, but the grind lines will be very difficult to nearly impossible to form. The slanted plunge line is fine, but the yokote ( line separating the main bevel from the tip bevel) and the shinogi ( ridge line between the main bevel and the upper part of the side) along the kissaki ( tip end) will be hard to do with the angle drawn. I would change the yokote to a vertical line at 90° to the main shinogi. Even then, getting a crisp kissaki on a first knife is going to be hard. Another problem with your kissaki is that the thin and pointed tip formed by the angle drawn from the mune (spine) to the tip will be very weak and prone to snapping off. The whole point ( pun intended) of a tanto tip is a strong and tick tip for piercing.

If you are set on trying a tanto blade, then:
1) Change the mune (spine) to a straight line to the tip
2) Make the kissaki-shinogi (the grind line along the tip edge) parallel to the angle of the tip
3) Don't make the kissaki ( tip bevel) as wide as drawn. It should be a bit narrower than the main bevel for strength. The less wide, the thicker ( and stronger) the tip. The kissaki has a piercing function, not a cutting function.
4) Make the yokote ( the line where the main bevel and the tip bevel meet) a vertical line


Suggestion - Possibly consider just having a normal drop point style blade and grind line on this knife and try the more complex tanto tip on a future blade.

Is this any better:

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[irona]

That's a big improvement. You want to keep your first knife simple, and I'd recommend you keep in mind that human hands are meant to hold sticks, so a lot of time the simple round grips are the most comfortable for more people.


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[Drew Riley]

I like the bottom one a lot better, but personally, I'd lengthen the blade just a bit more to make the look a little more proportional. As it sits, the blade looks a little short.

 

[Jrmysell]

I like the bottom one a lot better, but personally, I'd lengthen the blade just a bit more to make the look a little more proportional. As it sits, the blade looks a little short.

I agree with this. The handle looks much more comfortable also. Keep us updated on the progress.

 

[brodbeckrt]

Ok round 3 paper and cardboard feels a lot better in hand:

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[irona]

Starting to really look nice! Is it me or do I see a hint of a recurve? I would add a sharpening notch, and maybe round out the choil a bit to make it more circular like your first model.


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[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Getting a lot better. As said, round out the finger notch to make it smooth, but the basic profile of the larger cardboard prototype looks good.


One thing that is a regular first knife issue is you drew the handle scales going down the finger guard part of the blade heel. Just have the handle go straight forward to the ricasso. That little tit of wood will snap right off in use ( sometimes even while sanding) so avoid it. When using laminates like Micarta and G-10, you can leave the drop piece there, but never with wood or other solid things. Even with Micarta they can get snapped off in heavy use.

After the blade is shaped and the bevels are formed. adding a small choil where the plunge line meets the edge is a good feature. The plunge should end at the center of this small semicircle indent. About 1/8" is all the coil a knife needs. Don't put in the choil until the bevels are finished and the blade is ready for HT.

 

[brodbeckrt]

Ok so I misplaced my cutouts so I had to start over. I'm in the middle of selling my house and buying another so my time has been limited. Since I last posted I was able to build a filing jig. I also sketched up another design and started grinding. Below is a picture of my progress. It feels like a good size in hand. The finger groove still needs some cleaning up and rounding for sure. Just need to get some more wheels for my dremel. The way I have been shaping is roughing with my grinder and cleaning up with files. Please feel free to critique.

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