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Help me out with my camp knife design...
- Thread starter Macchina
- Start date
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- Oct 19, 2005
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- 20,010
Man. You do good Autocad work.
I have some criticisms of your scales. Please don't take this personally.
These scales are very thin. Your hand is going to cramp up using a knife with scales this thin. Additionally, there is no contouring at all to them. The rest of the knife is nice and curvey, but the scales look a bit lifeless IMO.
Also, I like that you've got the handle coming right to the edge, but be careful not to overlap. You want to be able to use the edge right at your hand for tough notching cuts. Maybe back it off a millimeter or two.
If you're going for a flat packable knife, then disregard. But if you're going for a hard user, you'd benefit greatly from a 3/8 thick scale contoured to really fit into your hand.
I have some criticisms of your scales. Please don't take this personally.
These scales are very thin. Your hand is going to cramp up using a knife with scales this thin. Additionally, there is no contouring at all to them. The rest of the knife is nice and curvey, but the scales look a bit lifeless IMO.
Also, I like that you've got the handle coming right to the edge, but be careful not to overlap. You want to be able to use the edge right at your hand for tough notching cuts. Maybe back it off a millimeter or two.
If you're going for a flat packable knife, then disregard. But if you're going for a hard user, you'd benefit greatly from a 3/8 thick scale contoured to really fit into your hand.
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2007
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What andy said! I was going to suggest 3/8 micarta scales and a good oval form. if I can share porn again
(The only photos I have to show this are from knives I made, otherwise I'd use other knives as examples. Fiddleback's are really nice for hand fillin, for example. But then again, I used photos of his knives to learn to de-square mine)
maybe more people have pics.
(The only photos I have to show this are from knives I made, otherwise I'd use other knives as examples. Fiddleback's are really nice for hand fillin, for example. But then again, I used photos of his knives to learn to de-square mine)
maybe more people have pics.
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2005
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Looks good brutha....
When I make a camp/bushcraft knife I make wooden models first... scales and all. Then I test it using a variety of different grips... reverse, forehand, push cuts, draw cut, etc.....
I have found that a slightly symetrical grip fits most applications... but as Fiddleback points out its good to have a bit of contour to know which way the blade is facing without looking.
Finger notches are useless on a bushcrafter. (other than on the choil like your typical RAT type knife) best saved for choppers and fighters.... but that's just my personal opinion.
Rick
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- Oct 19, 2005
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Cool beans then. I can't wait to see the knife.
A wooden model is a great idea. For grinding practice, visit the Home Despot and pick up some paint stirrers.
jdm61
itinerant metal pounder
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- Aug 12, 2005
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My suggestions?
1. lose the "karambit finger ring"....opinions may differ but I see no function whatsoever for that on a knife this size.
2. Flair the handle at the butt so that you use pretty much the entire bar of steel. Make the bottom of the butt even with the cutting edge.
3. REAL personal opinion/pet peeve here........bag the scandi grind unless you primarily plan to use the knife to carve a lot of wooden spoons
4. Yet another pet peeve......after bagging the aforementioned scandi grind, go with 3/16 stock
1. lose the "karambit finger ring"....opinions may differ but I see no function whatsoever for that on a knife this size.
2. Flair the handle at the butt so that you use pretty much the entire bar of steel. Make the bottom of the butt even with the cutting edge.
3. REAL personal opinion/pet peeve here........bag the scandi grind unless you primarily plan to use the knife to carve a lot of wooden spoons
4. Yet another pet peeve......after bagging the aforementioned scandi grind, go with 3/16 stock
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2006
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- 293
Looks awesome, and I love the scandi grind!, a little palm swell would be nice!!!
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2006
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- 5,215
Bondy, very nice looking knife! What thickness stock is that? The handle material is excellent, may I ask what it is?
Do you mean something like this?
These were my last two knives I made. 3/16" O1, full flat ground with a convex edge.
I wanted to try something different this time. I love my Moras with the scandi grind, makes sharpening awesome. I might grind it as a scandi grind, then convex it on the sander, but I'd like to give 1/8" stock a try.
I do plan on dropping the butt to be even with the edge. The ring at the end is just a large lanyard hole that I think looks cool.
My suggestions?
1. lose the "karambit finger ring"....opinions may differ but I see no function whatsoever for that on a knife this size.
2. Flair the handle at the butt so that you use pretty much the entire bar of steel. Make the bottom of the butt even with the cutting edge.
3. REAL personal opinion/pet peeve here........bag the scandi grind unless you primarily plan to use the knife to carve a lot of wooden spoons
4. Yet another pet peeve......after bagging the aforementioned scandi grind, go with 3/16 stock
Do you mean something like this?
These were my last two knives I made. 3/16" O1, full flat ground with a convex edge.
I wanted to try something different this time. I love my Moras with the scandi grind, makes sharpening awesome. I might grind it as a scandi grind, then convex it on the sander, but I'd like to give 1/8" stock a try.
I do plan on dropping the butt to be even with the edge. The ring at the end is just a large lanyard hole that I think looks cool.
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- Jan 6, 2005
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It's good to try different designs.... I'll offer opinions but NEVER downplay someone's design if they think it works for them.
I've used a bird and trout knife with the pinky hole and liked it for it's intended use... to drop the knife under your hand so you can work with your fingers and swing the knife back up.... great when working while standing in tall grass and can't put your knife down.
Jim Wade put me on to having the lanyard hole in the middle of the handle... I doubted it at first, but love it now.... ckeck it out....
One of Jimi's knives that I sheathed...
One of mine...
I've used a bird and trout knife with the pinky hole and liked it for it's intended use... to drop the knife under your hand so you can work with your fingers and swing the knife back up.... great when working while standing in tall grass and can't put your knife down.
Jim Wade put me on to having the lanyard hole in the middle of the handle... I doubted it at first, but love it now.... ckeck it out....
One of Jimi's knives that I sheathed...
One of mine...
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What kind of prybar work are you doing that you need 3/16?
Seriously, I have yet to produce anything short of a utility/thrower thicker than 1/8. And that include big choppers. I really don't have any problems taking out oak brush and batoning and carving or drilling. 1/8 will be GOOD for you, you'll be able to use the knife in the kitchen a bit
Your design looks like it'll work great with a scandi. And it's thin enough! only question I really have is how big the rear hole actually is.
I admit I have a love hate relationship with scandi grinds. for a serious woodcraft knife that's really great, but notice that most traditional *scandinavian* scandi grinds are on stock that's.... thin. I also like scandi grinds on *thin bladed* bird and trout type knives.
Seriously, I have yet to produce anything short of a utility/thrower thicker than 1/8. And that include big choppers. I really don't have any problems taking out oak brush and batoning and carving or drilling. 1/8 will be GOOD for you, you'll be able to use the knife in the kitchen a bit
Your design looks like it'll work great with a scandi. And it's thin enough! only question I really have is how big the rear hole actually is.
I admit I have a love hate relationship with scandi grinds. for a serious woodcraft knife that's really great, but notice that most traditional *scandinavian* scandi grinds are on stock that's.... thin. I also like scandi grinds on *thin bladed* bird and trout type knives.
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I start with 1/4" stock on my Bushknives and it works fine for me and my customers.... after forging they often end up at 3/16". For patchknives and smaller blades I'll go with thin stock. I have no quams about thin knives that work.... It's purely a matter of personal preference.... a well designed knife will work regarless of thickness.
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3/16" is as thick as I like. The Fowler I just got uses 3/16" stock but it has lots of distal taper and is still waaaay sharper than a lot of knives I have from other makers.
I do agree with Koyote, 1/8" is plenty thick for a knife this size. But my personal preference is for 5/32". Just something about that little extra thickness that I like for a knife that will be batoned and chop if need be. 3/16" with a scandi grind seems as useful as tits on a hog IMHO.
I do agree with Koyote, 1/8" is plenty thick for a knife this size. But my personal preference is for 5/32". Just something about that little extra thickness that I like for a knife that will be batoned and chop if need be. 3/16" with a scandi grind seems as useful as tits on a hog IMHO.
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3/16" with a scandi grind seems as useful as tits on a hog IMHO.
Say that to 8 little piglets!! .... lol. Its all relative to the user, brutha.:thumbup:
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Edited: Nevermind, found his site.
Martin Swinkels
BANNED
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I would move the front pin a cm or so backwards to make it stronger.
Nice design, nice CAD work!
:thumbup:
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I've used a few thicker blades that work. I'll say the hollow grinds don't work well for me in non-combat knives. I carried a SOG Government back when and it was a really good modern military knife. But I also carried a thin bladed old Western that I *used* for a lot of stuff.
With a full flat grind and a distal taper, 3/16 is definitely workable and the geometry works out- no argument.
Il Bruche- I go *up* to 1/8 when I want that "something extra" on a 4 inch blade
3/32 realyl works fine. But it is personal preference if yer doing the geometries right, and I am admittedly bucking a trend.
All this being said, Magnussen- i use 1084 1/4 inch stock as the basis for the utility throwers, which comes out to about 3/16 after forging down. Those are choppers, splitters, and throwers. They have and hold a working edge that's great for cutting. But I sure wouldn't want to do a scandi on them!
With a full flat grind and a distal taper, 3/16 is definitely workable and the geometry works out- no argument.
Il Bruche- I go *up* to 1/8 when I want that "something extra" on a 4 inch blade
3/32 realyl works fine. But it is personal preference if yer doing the geometries right, and I am admittedly bucking a trend. All this being said, Magnussen- i use 1084 1/4 inch stock as the basis for the utility throwers, which comes out to about 3/16 after forging down. Those are choppers, splitters, and throwers. They have and hold a working edge that's great for cutting. But I sure wouldn't want to do a scandi on them!
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I have never made a knife with a scandi grind, so I won't even pretend to have an opinion on stock thickness in relation to them... I will humbly "zip my lip"... lol