How do you design your knives?

First off I get an idea in my head, then I start sketching the design out on paper. Since I am a stock removal knifemaker, I draw out the patern to fit the parameters of the bar of steel I plan to use.

Once I get a pattern drawn on paper, I transfer that onto a template of cardboard. Then I trace the pattern onto the bar of steel.

As I work the bar of steel to shape, changes often take place, as I refine the pattern further. The knife then comes to life after that, and depending on how much I like the result, then I keep the template for future knives.
 
I always start with a sketch. After refining, i transfer the sketch to kydex and then transfer to steel. The kydex is nice if you want to keep the pattern for later projects using a similar blade design, also its fairly inexpensive
 
I make a paper model of a folder to get the overall knife to where the blade folds into the handle and then I make a cardboard model, then a final plastice model which actually works very well with the spring.
 
I'm surprised that people think that CAD is such a great thing for knives. So far in my illustrious knife making career, I've finished three knives. All of them started out on paper, with pencil and eraser. I use CAD every day in my engineering job, and I've even designed knives in SolidWorks, even rendered them. However, I can tell from my screen that they're just not right.. In the few knives I've made, I've started with a paper pattern and finished the profile by eye. IMHO, a knife has to "look" right, and there is no way that the creative process produced by hand and eye can be duplicated by CAD.

CAD would be invaluable for folder geometry if I ever make one, but I'm sticking to my eye and my hands for how a knife is finished.
 
I start with a piece of steel and place it in a hot forge,then begin beating it with a hammer-then at some point I find that I have decided on a shape and continue with that design until complete-I know it sounds arbitrary,but it works for me.Whenever I sit down and try to draw some idea, it never turns out quite right.
 
I've got a good supply of Lexan and found that it makes an excellent template. Also, a great media to lean grinding on, as you can see threw it.

Dennis
 
I start my designs with a pencil and paper. Once I'm happy with the general design, I transfer it to a peice of 1/4" hardboard ( the stuff pegboard is made from) and cut it out on the bandsaw. I then grind the hardboard blank on the grinder to pretty much a complete "blade".

Doing it this way you can get a feel for the knife and modify it till you are happy with it. Once I'm happy with the hardboard model, I trace it out onto a peice of blade steel and make the real knife. If the end result finishes up to be something I think I may want to make a few more of, I drill a hole in the hardboard handle and hang it on a peg so I have a pattern for next time.

The nice things about the hardboard are: it's cheap, it doesn't stink like plastic when you grind it, it's firm and doesnt flop around like cardboard, and its quick and easy to grind.
 
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