first knife

J

Jonathon Belt

Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
40
ok so im posting this because im about to make my first knife.. about as in still in the design faze.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

now tell me what im doing wrong. dont want to hear if it looks good or what looks right. rip it apart and tell me what you DONT like. and dont worry about offending me i have skin like a rhino

EDIT: sorry if the picture is small i had to take it with my web cam
 
hard to tell much from the picture as it is dark and small. do you have a smart phone, or a phone that takes decent pictures? You can take a picture of it, under better light, and email it to yourself from your phone.
 
OK, I agree with the above, you need a better pic. however, I did follow the link and get the pic to a reasonable size, and i like everything about it except for the guard. IIRC, guards are not for beginners and trying to do one on your first knife would probably be a source of frustration. other than that, looks like a fine little bushcrafter. I am sure the count will pop in soon and give you the link overload.
 
Hmm...what I don't like. The low grind height. Lack of a false edge/swedge. Thin ricasso. Guard can be smaller and slimmer. (or omitted)The notch.

I'll say nice things even if you didn't request it. The lines of this knife flow really well and it looks like a useful design. Love the handle and the pin placement. I'd try some sort of integral guard maybe.
 
Last edited:
ok quick question on this. has anybody ever worked with a wood called chechem? if so how well does it turn out?

the blade is only 4'' long so i didnt think a false edge would look right


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
Last edited:
I think you are talking about Chechen, this wood has great color IMO. I would rather have the middle pin centered between the two sets of pins, its not off by much. It looks comfortable.
 
the pin has been corrected on my drawing pad. What size pins should i go with.. i was thinking 1/8 but i dont know for sure
 
It looks like a usabe bushcraft knive.
High grind vs low grind = sharpness vs toughness ; mostly a matter of what use the knife will see and personal prefrence.

A guard like the one in your first picture can be made and can be usefull, however it looks like the kind you see on hidden tang knives. Your handle looks like a full tang knive. (with a frame handle it can be done but that is like taking your first driving lesson in a Ferrari)
If you decide on a full tang you can have a guard by having it as a part of the blank you cut out of your steel. (like a woodlore ... google)
You could then decide to add a bolster of leave it.
An other option is making a U-shaped guard that slides on from the bottom and gets pinned. That is how Bob Loveless did it.

Personaly I'd drop the point a bit. Say dropped 1/3 from the spine.

When you come to a design that you like, cut it out of some cardboard (or mdf, plywood, whatever) and play with it. You might find small things you want to tweek.
Also make some mock up handle slaps on your card bord blank. The thickness gives a different feel then just the contour of the knive.
 
I agree with the above comments about the gaurd (which you appear to have removed anyhow). Not only that, but it looked like it would have gotten in the way of your index finger anyhow.

I might suggest going with a mosaic pin for the center pin too... just to add a little flare.
 
sdc10463l.jpg


Lined in red is what I would change to the tang area of the knife. I would bring out a small "guard" as part of the tang to keep your hands from slipping down to the blade. You can round the top of the scales to flow into this as I have done.
 
I'm pretty much in agreement with everything said. I too like drop points, but the clip point you gave it can serve much the same purpose, but I'm thinking it might look a bit better if it were moved forward 1/2"-3/4" before starting it.

The back top of the handle could be rounded over just a wee bit.

I put a "Spanish notch" in many of the blades I make. As long as it's made so it isn't a possible stress riser It's a personal preference in my opinion.

- Paul Meske
 
ahh ok that makes it look a little bit better on the pad now im thinking of adding thumb serrations on the back of the blade. yes. no. honest opinions only
 
I think Grizzly's sugestion is a good one for a 'guard'
And as Lonepine sugested you might want to round the top back end of your handle a little bit. I think it will be a bit more comfortable.
Jimping can easely be done with a checkering file, but they aren't cheap and you have to ask yourself if it is worth it.
Without the jimping it will also be a very good knive (if made properly)
 
Jimping is extremely easy with a triangular file or a Dremel with a cut off disc. I use the Dremel on the premade blanks because they come HT'd and I don't have diamond files. Before HT, a good triangular file will be perfect for adding some lines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top