Getting better!

K

KFU

Part Time Knifemaker, Moderator
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
4,255
So here is my fourth knife and I thinky I finally found a profile I am happy with. I am going to change the blade shape but overall am very pleased with it. I jacked up the pin placement and didn't notice it until after I put on the scales so its yet another learning experience! This one is going out as a gift to a fellow forum member whos insight I really respect. He is going to beat it up and tell me how bad it sucks. It is my first try at an antique finish and when I get better at it I think it will be on a large percentage of knives I make. Its easy to do, looks good IMO, and offers a little protection to boot. Anyway, thanks Tony for accepting this ugly thing and for giving it a good run through. PLEASE CRITIQUE, I need all the help I can get!
100_0381.jpg


100_0383.jpg


100_0374.jpg


100_0373.jpg
 
Last edited:
Is that what what i taught you when you were here? Damn id stick that in the garden to keep the crows out!:D IM JOKING,IF IT FEELS GOOD TO YOU IN THE HAND AND YOU LIKE IT THATS ALL THE SATISFACTION YOU NEED BRO! KEEP ON IT YOU WILL GET BETTER EVERY KNIFE U MAKE WE ALL LEARN BY ARE MISTAKES:thumbup:
 
You already know about pin placement. I'd say you worked the wood to hot, the scorch rings around the pins tell on ya. Light passes or using hand tools will help with that.

Chamfer and clean out the thong tube, a q-tip or gun cleaning bore brush works well. For chamfering either get a chamfering bit or use a large drill bit to put a bevel on the inside of the tubing.

There looks to be some small metal bits around the tubing where it was sanded down on a sander. You can clean that up with some sand paper with a hard backing like a small piece of steel.

There's what looks like epoxy squeeze out on the bottom left ricasso at the front of the scale. I use an alcohol soaked q-tip when assembling scales to clean excess eposy off and then a brass "chisel" to pop it off after the epoxy sets.

For your next one I'd work on the handle/blade ratio, it almost looks like you reworked a larger blade that broke off. I like to use about a 45% blade to 55% handle ratio on smaller blades. Google "golden ratio" to get an idea of the math behind art.

The overall shape of the handle should work better if you move the palm swell back towards the middle, make the pinky/butt area wider with a bit of hook in it to secure your pinky.

Overall it's wayy better than my 10th blade. You asked for a critique, I'm just saying what I see, I'm probably wrong though.
 
No, I want the help Will. You are almost spot on! I didn't clean out the tube before the pic and I will look into chamfering it. It would give a cleaner look. There is no glue runout, I learned that with my first two! As for the handle shape, you may be right. It feels awesome when holding normally buy when in reverse it does ride a little high up the hand. I leave the hook off the butt more as a personal choice because I don't like them, I guess I need to think what others would like better. You are also correct on the blade being larger at first. I got a little thin at the edge when grinding and had to rework it a bit. It started out as more of a willow pattern 4" long with a 4 3/4" handle. Im impressed you could pick it all out just by a couple of pics. Bill, I thought you would like it!LMAO
 
Well Chris , Will covered most of what I was going to point out except this. It looks to me as the blade is trying to point upwards , meaning that dip you have in the top of the handle , then the spine goes back up and then into a drop point to the tip . You need a nice slight sweeping curve from butt to tip . On the ricasso and just in front of the plunge , there looks like bad scratches , could be the pic or my bad eyes though . Take Wills advice on handle length , it looks to long for the blade .
 
I see what you are saying Jack, I probably should just flatten out the spine instead of having a dip in it. I will probably widen the butt end too.
 
oneill said:
well chris , will covered most of what i was going to point out except this. It looks to me as the blade is trying to point upwards , meaning that dip you have in the top of the handle , then the spine goes back up and then into a drop point to the tip . You need a nice slight sweeping curve from butt to tip . On the ricasso and just in front of the plunge , there looks like bad scratches , could be the pic or my bad eyes though . Take wills advice on handle length , it looks to long for the blade .
Click to expand...

get him jack! I stay on his a$$ but chris is the type of person that has his own prefrence to the knives he wants to make,bet your last dollar there not gonna be a copy of someone elses pattern,i told him to do what he wants its always better that way,there is always some one in the same frame of mind as all of us,some like it , some dont! Thats just how it is,he really suprised me on the forced patina, i actually like it!
 
TAKE THIS PATTERN AND DO IT, I WANT TO SEE THE OUTCOME,THIS IS A NASTY SKETCH BUT YOU CAN GET A PATTERN OFF IT,THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT LINES AND CURVES AFTER YOU PROFILE IT YOU CAN GRIND OFF WHAT DOESNT APPEAL TO YOU TRY IT MAN! IT HAS A FLOW TO IT
BMODEL001.jpg
 
bacustomknives said:
get him jack! I stay on his a$$ but chris is the type of person that has his own prefrence to the knives he wants to make,bet your last dollar there not gonna be a copy of someone elses pattern,i told him to do what he wants its always better that way,there is always some one in the same frame of mind as all of us,some like it , some dont! Thats just how it is,he really suprised me on the forced patina, i actually like it!
Click to expand...

HeeHee , I asked his permission to criticise , he said go for it . But Will beat me to some of it . It is good he wants to do his own style , he may become famous .
 
bacustomknives said:
TAKE THIS PATTERN AND DO IT, I WANT TO SEE THE OUTCOME,THIS IS A NASTY SKETCH BUT YOU CAN GET A PATTERN OFF IT,THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT LINES AND CURVES AFTER YOU PROFILE IT YOU CAN GRIND OFF WHAT DOESNT APPEAL TO YOU TRY IT MAN! IT HAS A FLOW TO IT
BMODEL001.jpg
Click to expand...

We are on you now Chris . Take Bills drawing and then draw this and see what you think . Starting at Bill's 1"mark and raise it 1/16" until the height is 1/8" at the 4" mark and then drop down to the point . A slight sweeping curve .

Now you have 2 more to do :D keep busy .
 
You guys suck! better start grinding
 
Lmao, ask you shall receive brotha, AND WORK YOUR WAY UP THE BLADE WITH FINER GRITS,ONCE YOU GET A GOOD PLUNGE STARTED THE BELTS WILL FALL RIGHT IN THAT LINE THAT WAY YOU DONT HAVE A PLUNGE THAT EXCEEDS THE TOP EDGE OF THE BLADE,EASY AND SLOW, AND I SHOWED YA HOW TO FIX IT IF YOU DID , I THINK???LOL
 
Any better on the top one? Also a small edc.
100_0404.jpg

made the choils deeper

100_0409.jpg
 
Last edited:
I kept the forward palm swell! I just think it feels better.
 
Top one looks like the pinky choil needs to be a bit deeper/defined.

Bottom one I'd deepen/define the front finger choil.

I know you're grinding but is the stock wide enough for you to move the pattern down more and have a large (and I mean huge, gentle curve, almost straight) radius curve from the tip to the butt? I don't like straight lines, just me though.

Palm swells look like they're in the right spot.
 
Will, Its 1 1/4 stock so I wouldn't have room. I am going to order some 1 1/2 though so I will give it a try.
 
Hell Will, Im having a hard enough time with stock removal! Just think what mine might look like if smithed.
 
No worse than any of our early attempts ;) I love smithing most of the time, when it gets July/August I merely like it ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top