Help with first knife

TheUSMC2017 · Jun 12, 2011

I went to Blade show on Saturday, and I bought some stuff for my first knife. I got a piece of 1084, 1/8" thick, 1 1/2" wide and 48" long. I also got a 3/16" brass rod, and some wood.

It's probably a stretch but could anyone tell me if these woods are the same? I picked them out of one of those huge "Everything's $2.00" bins so I have no idea what they are.
I got home tonight and started drawing some designs up. Here's the one I like best; nice and simple, it's small, and would make a good neck knife.

Is this design practical to start with? It's only a 2 finger blade. Also, if someone could help me figure out where to put the pins and if they are too big that would be great.

Here is my final design; any thoughts?

lonepine · Jun 12, 2011

So, you go waltzing off to the Blade show while I am NOT at the Blade show, and you expect me to give you "good" advice?!?!?!? In your dreams!

Just kidding, of course. Though I do wish I could have been there to see all the "stuff".

Your design is pretty good for a first knife and you could go with it as it is. Or,... I could make a few suggestions for your consideration.

I took the liberty of redrawing your picture for clarity's sake and then show it again with three possible changes.

A. At the pommel of the knife you may think about rounding that top corner off a little more. It may be more comfortable in your hand.

B. I don't know why I prefer either clipped points (shown) or dropped points over a straight blade but I do.

C. This change is one that I'm least sure of because of the size of the handle. It may be that this is not helpful at all. The only way to tell if any of these suggestions are worth considering is by cutting out the designs in cardboard to feel how they fit in your hand and how they look.

The pin placement was just done by eyeball and it looked to me like about 1/3" from both ends of the handle. Keep in mind that the front of the handle will probably be rounded over so you don't want the pins too close to the front or the back. You want the pins placed to both hold the handle material on securely and look good at the same time.

I would love to see pictures as you make your knife. You've got a nice design to work with.

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin

Greebe · Jun 13, 2011

Looks like a nice design, but how the heck are you going to hold onto a 2" handle?

unky_gumbi · Jun 13, 2011

lonepine said:
So, you go waltzing off to the Blade show while I am NOT at the Blade show, and you expect me to give you "good" advice?!?!?!? In your dreams!

Just kidding, of course. Though I do wish I could have been there to see all the "stuff".

Your design is pretty good for a first knife and you could go with it as it is. Or,... I could make a few suggestions for your consideration.

I took the liberty of redrawing your picture for clarity's sake and then show it again with three possible changes.

A. At the pommel of the knife you may think about rounding that top corner off a little more. It may be more comfortable in your hand.

B. I don't know why I prefer either clipped points (shown) or dropped points over a straight blade but I do.

C. This change is one that I'm least sure of because of the size of the handle. It may be that this is not helpful at all. The only way to tell if any of these suggestions are worth considering is by cutting out the designs in cardboard to feel how they fit in your hand and how they look.

The pin placement was just done by eyeball and it looked to me like about 1/3" from both ends of the handle. Keep in mind that the front of the handle will probably be rounded over so you don't want the pins too close to the front or the back. You want the pins placed to both hold the handle material on securely and look good at the same time.

I would love to see pictures as you make your knife. You've got a nice design to work with.

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin

I agree with lonepine that the tip needs to come down, but I personally like a smooth flowing arc to the tip. In the long run it is your knife not ours so do what you like with it. Draw up you design on some stiff cardboard and see how it feels in you hand and adjust from there to get the fit and look you like.

Greebe said:
Looks like a nice design, but how the heck are you going to hold onto a 2" handle?

I have a little knife I made with a 2" handle and if shaped t fit your hand its quite comfortable. It sits on the first two fingers of your hand, my camera is dead right now but I will try to get a picture of the grip tomorrow. It is 1/8 1084 as well and the thickness seems to work well even for such a small knife.

fast14riot · Jun 13, 2011

Dude, make it how you want, but it is nice to find out if any obvious flaws stand out before you start cutting steel.

Personally, I think you will have to play with the handle shape by cutting out cardboard or paint stir sticks to find what's comfortable. As for the blade, leave it just as it is and flip it upside down and make it a wharncliff! I have found that this blade shape is very usefull in your proposed size. My Folts minimalist is just about the most handy knife I own in that size that doesn't fold. Its blade is exactly 2" as well. You still get the sharp tip you want, its a little easier to get straight bevels with files alone, easy to sharpen and plenty strong!

Ofcourse this is all my opinion, it is your knife. All we can do is ask that you take pictures along the way!

Good luck and hang on to your wallet!

-Xander

unky_gumbi · Jun 13, 2011

Here are the pictures of my small knife in hand.

Keep in mind that I don't have large hands, they are of average size, but the little knife feels real comfortable in hand for me.

TheUSMC2017 · Jun 13, 2011

Greebe said:
Looks like a nice design, but how the heck are you going to hold onto a 2" handle?

I just got a couple of SOG Microns, and I used it as a model, then enlarged the blade. I actually like how it feels for such a small knife, but I wanted a larger blade to work with, and of course I made it a fixed blade.
Thanks to everyone for your help, I'll change my design up; I wasn't sure if I should bring the tip down or keep it more simple, but I do like a drop point a lot better.

Greebe · Jun 13, 2011

Cool. Thanks for the pictures. I have never used a little knife like that before. What would you use it for? I might have to try one of these out one day.

Thanks
Greebe

TheUSMC2017 · Jun 13, 2011

I'm guessing a neck knife or to put on a keychain. Since this one is a fixed blade, and it's a bit larger I'm not really sure what I'll use it for.

TheUSMC2017 · Jun 13, 2011

(Deleted)

unky_gumbi · Jun 13, 2011

Greebe said:
Cool. Thanks for the pictures. I have never used a little knife like that before. What would you use it for? I might have to try one of these out one day.

Thanks
Greebe

I made it because when I finished putting my grinder together I had nothing but scraps to try it out with

. I started grinding on a little piece of 1084 I had laying around and the next thing I knew I had a knife in my hand that needed scales so I finished it up with some scales that I had drilled wrong for another knife.

I EDC it from time to time, but I use to keep it in my tool box at work to open boxes and packages.

It is truly a scrap knife, from the steel to the scales and even the kydex sheath I made for it was scrap pieces from another sheath. The only non scrap I used was the eyelets in the sheath. With 48" of steel the OP will be able to make all sorts of knives, or make a lot of mistakes, called practice

lonepine · Jun 13, 2011

Quote: "I agree with lonepine that the tip needs to come down, but I personally like a smooth flowing arc to the tip."

Unky_Gumby
You know, I agree with you. I mentioned both the clipped point and dropped point but chose to show the clipped point thinking it might be easier to make, but in hind site it might actually be easier to make a curved drop point than a straight clipped point. Most of my knives are drop point but I can go either way.

TheUSMC2017
Are those woods the same? Mostly, I'd say. The problem as you probably know is that if used on a full size knife handle won't look similar on each side. Is that important? That's your decision. The red scales are less noticeable. You could use one of the highly figured brown ones for your necker.

I think cereal box cardboard works better than corrugated cardboard when cutting out knife ideas. I probably should have mentioned that. Sorry.

Quote: "I'm not really sure what I'll use it for."

At this point the main thing you're going to use it for is to learn how to make a knife. After it's made It will be like using a small jackknife. Most day-to-day mundane use only requires a sharp edge, not necessarily a LARGE edge. And they're so darn cute. In a nice sheath a lady could carry it in a purse.

- Paul Meske

TheUSMC2017 · Jun 14, 2011

Can you explain why a drop point would be easier than a clip point? I guess I don't understand the process.
Thanks

lonepine · Jun 15, 2011

Quote: "Can you explain why a drop point would be easier than a clip point? I guess I don't understand the process."

Assuming you are doing this with a file you just start working from the tip toward the back (or maybe the other way, toward the point.) making it nice and rounded. Looking at the picture, you would gradually increase the curve as you get further out and stop at the same place as where the clip point stops. The reason I think it might be easier is that a straight line is supposed to be, well, straight. The curved drop point can be eye balled to where it looks good. There's more leeway. It's not rocket science (It's KNIFE science! ;-)

IMHO it's not necessary to drop the point much to give it a nicer look. Going too far you end up with a spear point. If you go really far I guess you'd end up with wharncliffe blade. ;-) Go slow

Most of the time I leave my blades straight until AFTER they have been beveled and sanded to whatever grit before heat treatment. This is because I've screwed up some points when I dropped the point and then ground the bevel. I don't know how it happened but I ended up with a blunt point. I could get a point back again by dropping the point some more, but that would ruin the looks of the blade. Waiting to drop the point eliminates this problem. Using a grinder you gotta watch that you don't burn the tip when this is done. Using a file pretty much eliminates that from happening unless you drink 47 cups of coffee and then pick up your file.

- Paul Meske