Fresh off the bench

T

The_cutting_edge

Joined
May 25, 2009
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Hey all I posted this in the gallery but over 160 veiws and only 1 reply. Just looking for some feedback.
This is my 10th knife so far. Design is the clients, I tried to talk him out of the tanto tip but he insisted and he was the one paying for the knife so ....
9"OAL with a 5" blade 1/8" 440C
honduran rosewood burl scales with 1/8"G10 liners
s/s pins
Leather sheath is in the works so blade is as yet unsharpened
Tanto.jpg


DSCN1092.jpg


DSCN1094.jpg


DSCN1096.jpg


Please let me know what you guys think. All input helps me make better knives
 
Nicely done. Like you, I'm not a fan of tantos... but for a tanto, it's nice.
 
Looks very well made and especially if its only your 10th knife. Very nice wood, stylish makers mark, good photos. If I understand you correctly, you are not too thrilled about the design yourself and I think that might be the issue here.

If it was mine, and I was planning on doing more, I wood try tweeking the lines a little.

I dont like giving anything but positive feedback, but since you specifically asked for it, I hope you dont mind.

All the best

Brian
 
No I dont mind, actually I appreciate it. Cant learn if no one tells me what I'm doing wrong. starting out I absolutely hated the design but by the time I got it compleated it kinda grew on me. not saying that I would make one for myself but I dont hate it anymore lol. Somthing about the straight spine and no belly to the blade just dont do it for me but like I said I'm not the one who will be carrying it.
 
The knife is well executed,and you clearly thought it out and have great fit and finish. I know this is the customers design, but there are some areas where the next one could improve.
The handle is somewhat blocky, try more taper toward the bottom, and a smoother transition at the ricasso. The cross section should be egg shaped.
The liners are too tick, which partly caused the blocky handle. Half that thickness would have served better.
The blade is a bit too wide and stubby. It sort of looks like you just never decided the tip shape, and went with the bevels at the bar width. About 1/8" less wide at the plunge, and 1/4" less at the beginning of the kissaki would make a big change in the look. Adding some distal taper to the blade, and a more pronounced tip (Kissaki) will make a visual change,too. Take a look as some Kissaki shapes and you will see what I mean.
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/kissaki.html
 
Since I'm no father along than a 3rd knife I'm not in a position to be an authoritative critiquer but I can just mention what caught my eye. On the pinning of the grip and it may be strictly the angles that your pictures were taken, they do not appear symmetrical or centered from top to bottom they seem to be high one more so than the other and in one pic it looks like the pin is somewhat below the wood and that may be again only on illusion (its only an illusion/shadow after I looked again) Other than that I think its a great choice of wood and when sharpened it should cut nicely.

Tantos well they are tempting and I will try one at some time, not yet.

Its all fun when a plan comes together and I think yours did.
 
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Something about the straight spine and no belly to the blade just dont do it for me but like I said I'm not the one who will be carrying it.
Click to expand...

I agree, I was going to mention that a little belly in the blade, with the tip a bit more narrow than the heel, would be more graceful. Another thing about it that bends my eye a little is the front of the scales- IMO they generally flow better if forward a little at the top. Not sure if it's me or the pic or what but it appears that there is a glue gap or burn on one side of both pins. It may not be, but in photos of a knife for sale even the appearance of a flaw can be a deal breaker. The mark could be centered a bit better between the top of the grind and the spine. Your grind line looks a bit washed out, a real hard backing and adhesive glued, not merely held on, can help with this. I'm not personally a fan of knives featuring a plunge which leaves an unsharpened heel behind the edge. The heel will begin to stand proud of the edge with repeated sharpening. I'm not saying I've never done it, or that it's intrinsically bad.

Now for the positive: I like the overall knife, and the workmanship does look good. The wood is nice. You got a good dark maker's mark and the blade sanding looks good. The overall proportions are pleasing and the pins are placed well. The photograph, while maybe a bit dark, is clear and a good composition.

You asked for feedback. Nice knife.

ETA: finally loaded all the pics. I'd add two things about finishing. Your sanding strokes look a little muddled toward the tip on the obverse side- using a rubber or hard leather backer faced sanding block/bar with water and pressure, just dragging can help blend well. You can use this block in conjunction with a harder block for the grind line with care. And, I see that the sanded spine of your knife appears to contrast with the buffed over look of the spine in the handle. The buffed area kind of runs up into the sanded area and peters out. Either go back and sand the tang in the handle with a thin backer and masking tape, or buff the whole spine, or masking tape the spine at the front of the handle and drag sanding lines toward the tip of the spine. Then you will have a clear visual demarcation.
 
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