Well my name isn't Simon (90's SNL skit), it is Brad but I do like to make drawings. In light of the poll currently going, I would like to hear some opinions, criticisms, and suggestions concerning my take on the theme.
These were drawn considering the ideas presented in the poll thread and with my limited skills in mind. In other words I was aiming for designs that I can handle with my level of ability and tools available, with the exception of the slight recurve in #8. For the most part I tried for simple handles and blade shapes but still pleasing to the eye and hand. All are flat or convex grinds because that is what I can do.
Don't laugh at #6 but it is my latest try on a design suggested to me by a good friend with something specific in mind. He does a lot of squirrel hunting, most mornings in fact, and this is my idea of what he told me he wants, a "squirrel scalpel". Not sure about it yet and I'm going to have to make a wooden mock up first. I have not skinned a squirrel as of yet but in the name of research and to harken back to my own ancestry where they were stables of ones diet, I will probably give it a try in the next couple weeks.
#1 I am making two very similar knives to this one now. One in 1/8" 1080 and the other in 1/8" 52100.
#1 #2 and #5 I designed as Bird & Trout type although #2 is pretty big for such a task. It is for more remote trips where one might have need of a larger knife then a traditional B & T.
#8 was designed with the use of gloves in mind, hence the long handle.
#4 and #7 are my idea of a direct comparison of the ideas from the poll being applied to a basic hunter/skinner pattern. I like them both but prefer the more refined look of the "nub" (I actually call it the brad when torturing my wife with knife design babble) in #7 in addition to the added safety. One almost identical to #7 is currently in rough hack sawed form out of 1/8" 1080 awaiting profiling.
Some worries and concerns that I have are the finger choil on #3. Too small? It's the radius of a fifty cent piece which is way bigger than my fingers. And if Micarta or G-10 were used as handle material, is that little protrusion a risk to be easily damaged? The one that would protrude between ones index and middle fingers when gripping the knife.
Pin placement? The dotted pins indicate hidden pins to show off pretty stabilized wood scales. Lanyard holes are only there for an idea of how they would look. I personally use a lanyard on a few things and can see their use but at the same time I can live without them and for my early knives I doubt many will have them. But I am open to suggestions for where they might go best. The pins can be solid pins, mosaic pins, or corbys and my favorite mini corbys.
Do any of you experienced guys see anything that makes you think, "that might be tough for a new guy" or "he might like the way that looks but...".
Let me know your thoughts, good and bad, but especially what would you change or make better. Thanks for looking.
These were drawn considering the ideas presented in the poll thread and with my limited skills in mind. In other words I was aiming for designs that I can handle with my level of ability and tools available, with the exception of the slight recurve in #8. For the most part I tried for simple handles and blade shapes but still pleasing to the eye and hand. All are flat or convex grinds because that is what I can do.
Don't laugh at #6 but it is my latest try on a design suggested to me by a good friend with something specific in mind. He does a lot of squirrel hunting, most mornings in fact, and this is my idea of what he told me he wants, a "squirrel scalpel". Not sure about it yet and I'm going to have to make a wooden mock up first. I have not skinned a squirrel as of yet but in the name of research and to harken back to my own ancestry where they were stables of ones diet, I will probably give it a try in the next couple weeks.
#1 I am making two very similar knives to this one now. One in 1/8" 1080 and the other in 1/8" 52100.
#1 #2 and #5 I designed as Bird & Trout type although #2 is pretty big for such a task. It is for more remote trips where one might have need of a larger knife then a traditional B & T.
#8 was designed with the use of gloves in mind, hence the long handle.
#4 and #7 are my idea of a direct comparison of the ideas from the poll being applied to a basic hunter/skinner pattern. I like them both but prefer the more refined look of the "nub" (I actually call it the brad when torturing my wife with knife design babble) in #7 in addition to the added safety. One almost identical to #7 is currently in rough hack sawed form out of 1/8" 1080 awaiting profiling.
Some worries and concerns that I have are the finger choil on #3. Too small? It's the radius of a fifty cent piece which is way bigger than my fingers. And if Micarta or G-10 were used as handle material, is that little protrusion a risk to be easily damaged? The one that would protrude between ones index and middle fingers when gripping the knife.
Pin placement? The dotted pins indicate hidden pins to show off pretty stabilized wood scales. Lanyard holes are only there for an idea of how they would look. I personally use a lanyard on a few things and can see their use but at the same time I can live without them and for my early knives I doubt many will have them. But I am open to suggestions for where they might go best. The pins can be solid pins, mosaic pins, or corbys and my favorite mini corbys.
Do any of you experienced guys see anything that makes you think, "that might be tough for a new guy" or "he might like the way that looks but...".
Let me know your thoughts, good and bad, but especially what would you change or make better. Thanks for looking.
