Flared tips? Opinions Wanted

[John Cahoon]

Hello everyone, I saw a BF member with one of these on a kitchen knife IIRC a while back and thought it was very cool. He said it made him more comfortable having a bit stronger, thicker tip. So I thought I'd flatter him via imitation. If there's an official or common name for this feature I'd like to know that too. Just wanted to get some thoughts on any merits or demerits on this... strength, looks, utility or anything else. In this case it's 440c at about .19" thick, 1 7/8" tall on a 5.5" blade with hidden tang. The flared part starts about 5/8" from the tip. I just used blue tape as a stopper for the swedge then cleaned them up with files, they are at P400 grit presently.

 

[Randy3000]

I am curious what the side view looks like.

 

[John Cahoon]

Hi R Randy3000 , here's the side view.

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Kind of defeats the purpose doesn’t it? I always thought a good swedge was meant to make a more acute/stabby tip...

 

[kuraki]

Ive done it. Matthew Gregory made a beast of an acoochie...ah choochie? I dunno sounds like a sneeze, with one.

There are other ways to stiffen up a tip. Like variable bevel angle. But I like the way this looks in some knives, especially if the swedge is swooping.

 

[skillgannon]

Benchmade Osbourne 940 and contego have that tip. It gives it some sculpting and at least on a smaller knife makes a robust tip in a better than it should be cutting blade. Not to say it's a great cutting blade but kinda a modern classic for a reason.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I don't know about the purpose but it looks good

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Just a kwaiken.

The 'armor piercing tip' idea on this one was from @keithf

This was the collaboration project we worked on after Blade Show last year. His steel, too. Guy does positively fabulous work, and was a ton of fun to have around.

Ive done it. Matthew Gregory made a beast of an acoochie...ah choochie? I dunno sounds like a sneeze, with one.

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Just a kwaiken.

The 'armor piercing tip' idea on this one was from @keithf

This was the collaboration project we worked on after Blade Show last year. His steel, too. Guy does positively fabulous work, and was a ton of fun to have around.

Side/profile pic? Very cool looking knife.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

It looks cool for sure, but I'm not convinced it adds much in terms of strength. I think the amount of distal taper would determine how thin and therefore how strong the tip is. Unless you flare out that distal taper at the tip (and I'm thinking that would NOT look good). On the knife Matt posted, it is even less of an issue, since the tip is already on a different plane, making it thicker over all. Again, looks sweet though.

 

[John Cahoon]

Thanks for the replies fellows, Matthew that is special. Here's one from last year with a similar concept of "armor piercing". A primitive example by comparison of course. I usually do smooth transitions rather than plunge like features on swedges but might have to re-think that! Related to that, I assume it's not frowned upon to incorporate somewhat unique features from others into my work?

 

[Maelstrom78]

Just a kwaiken.

The 'armor piercing tip' idea on this one was from @keithf

This was the collaboration project we worked on after Blade Show last year. His steel, too. Guy does positively fabulous work, and was a ton of fun to have around.

Armor piercing tip. Pretty cool thanks for sharing.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Aicuchi - without a guard.
It is usually a guardless tanto, but even katana are made aiuchi.

I did a flared armor piercing tip on the renaissance main gauche that I forged in a demo at Ashokan a few years ago. I'll look for photos on the home computer.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I checked the photos and there were lots of the dagger, but no close-up of the tip. The tip flared from the diamond cross section of the blade into a square four sided piercing tip.