GAH... is it possible to be original????

nope.
yer screwed.
you want a face? Look in the mirror:D
That is all.
 
I am sorry Will but I am very glad for this post. Makes me feel normal now. I thought I was the only one who this happened to. :D

Pad
 
Excellent topic, and one we may never get to the bottom of. Someone mentioned playing bass; remember in western music there are only twelve notes (disregarding different octaves, microtones and whatnot) so there's only so many ways to arrange them. However, even a casual listener could tell the difference between Tony Iommi playing "Symptom of the Universe" and me playing it, even if I play it "exactly" the same.

I'm trying to concentrate on just a handful of designs right now... very basic stuff that I hope will appeal to outdoorsy/W&SS types of folks, 'cuz that's what I like. I'm certainly not reinventing the wheel but hopefully I can come up with knives that are functional and comfortable to use. For instance, I often find that a "standard" 4" DP hunter is too dang small for my hand; I'm not that huge so I guess lots of guys like a handle that fits totally inside their hand? Anyway I make mine a little bigger, it's just a subtle thing that makes a difference to me.
 
James_Terrio said:
Excellent topic, and one we may never get to the bottom of. Someone mentioned playing bass; remember in western music there are only twelve notes (disregarding different octaves, microtones and whatnot) so there's only so many ways to arrange them. However, even a casual listener could tell the difference between Tony Iommi playing "Symptom of the Universe" and me playing it, even if I play it "exactly" the same.
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Just a side note :)
In classical Turkish music (Ottoman music) there are 8 notes :eek: between for example A and B.
 
galadduin said:
Just a side note :)
In classical Turkish music (Ottoman music) there are 8 notes :eek: between for example A and B.
Click to expand...

Yup, that's why I specified Western music :) I saw a custom guitar in a magazine once, it had about 100 frets on a standard size board for all the microtones.
 
"We stand on the shoulders of giants." In almost every human endeavor, we build on what has come before; caves before tents before houses before orbiting habitats. I think our originality comes more in the form of execution than design. I believe this is true for all craft, since by definition we are making "daily use" type objects that have, in fact, been in daily use for 498754353 (or 498754354) years. Hard to improve such timeless designs!

For originality, look at folks like John Lewis Jensen; that cat has an original eye for sure, but the work is certainly not for everybody... ;) Whoever said above that original knife designs become wallhangers had it pretty close in my book.
 
steelshaper said:
Inside your brain is a collection of all the things you have seen. You may not realize it but these thoughts are what define any given thing you may try to think of. :thumbup:
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Boy oh boy, you said a mouthful Will !!

Here's another good trick.

Try coming up with something original to call that new fangled idea :confused: :confused:



;)
 
Don Hanson III said:
Drawing on paper is part of the problem, I rarely draw knives, just make em.....
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If it weren't for paper and cardboard I would have thrown away a lot more steel. That's just the way my noggin works, I prefer to have things pretty well mapped-out before I start to grindin'.
 
I am a non drawing smith also. The creative process is in full swing, as the hammer makes contact with the steel. :o A poor pun, I know. But its true.

Most knives are built using points along a reverse or a continuous spiral. The tip of the knife, along with the ricasso and the butt are points along this line. If you can get these points in correct relation to each other, the knife will have good proportions and the human eye will approve.

One invaluable tool in a knife shop is a french curve in the form of a long tapered hand held crosscut or rip saw. I watch for these at yard sales. They are cheap and along their spine is the very best french curve on the market.
I grind the teeth off, for obvious reasons, remove the handle and hang them on the wall behind the bench.
When you are trying to lay out the long slow spiral down the spine of your bowie or big fighter, try laying it out with one of these old saws.
Besides, they won't break like the cheap plastic ones.:thumbup:

Fred
 
I should back up here a bit. Since half the knives I make are folders I do draw them out before I start.
Now for all my fixed blades, I start with a slice of W2 round stock and start forging.
Just hammer until it looks about right, then build fittings and handle to match :D
 
Don Hanson III said:
Drawing on paper is part of the problem, I rarely draw knives, just make em.....
Click to expand...

Don, I understand what you're saying but I draw and sketch knives for design concepts and to get relations/curves in what I consider "right" ratios or whatever. I forge what I have in my mind based on the sketches, unless I have a specific request from a customer. I think that the long time makers have these ratios/curve relations ingrained and don't require the concious design planning that a neophyte like myself :D
 
I don't draw knives becasue that would just add to my frustration. They would never turn out like the drawings:D
 
personally I really enjoy the sketching process.

and it helps me to rationalize all of the proportions and curves
 
*whew* stephan, I was beginning to think I was way out in left field again.
Paper is just plain cheaper than steel and as you say, I enjoy drawing. I'm no draftsman but the mech. drawing class I took a couple decades ago in HS has stuck with me all these years.

Woo-Hoo my hundreth post! Shoot me an email and I'll give away a drawing of a knife LOL :D
 
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Will Leavitt said:
Don, I understand what you're saying but I draw and sketch knives for design concepts and to get relations/curves in what I consider "right" ratios or whatever. I forge what I have in my mind based on the sketches, unless I have a specific request from a customer. I think that the long time makers have these ratios/curve relations ingrained and don't require the concious design planning that a neophyte like myself :D
Click to expand...

I'm still learning how to shape the basic components of the knife; ricasso, tang, bevels, tapers and plunges, etc... and watching and learning how the knife takes shape around those elements as they are formed and what I can do to influence the final shape.

I don't draw anything but I do look at a lot of pictures and take mental notes of elements that I like and I think are lacking in my knives so I have an idea of how to improve that particular element on my next knife.
 
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