It's Got a Big Ol Belly

Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly

Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
597
Hi, Just finished this one for a friend that wanted a knife with a big fat blade belly.

3" etched O1 blade
Some very nice pattern welded bolsters that you can't see because of my piece of crap scanner
Black Micarta, filed copper stacked spacers
Thuya burl scales
7" O.A.L.

Thanks for looking and ANY / ALL comments, critique, suggestions, are welcomed and appreciated

Dave

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On your earlier knives there would always be something in the handle shaping that just didn't particularly interest me. I always liked your stacked spacers and the materials always seemed like good choices.

Having said that, this one ROCKS! I think the aesthetics come together really well and make a great balanced look on what is surely a damn fine knife.

*applause*
 
Robert, Keith, Thank you

Robert, I want to thank you for your honest opinion of my knives. I quit making for a while after my last knife out of frustration but I missed it too much and when a friend asked me to make him a knife I just couldn't stay away any longer.

Out of the 11 knives that I've made there has been something that has bothered me about the way they looked and I haven't been able to figure out what it is, it's comments like yours that will help me to understand what it is that bothers me. Thank you again. I know it's hard to do and I'm guilty of the same thing but I wish more people would give their honest opinions, Dave
 
Dave,

Consider throwing together a small gallery where you can juxtapose your various knife scans/pics. I have used this tactic with other things and have found that it tends to bring out the consistent "issues" that my sense of aesthetic had. If you REALLY want to dig in, look at a picture of your work, with a picture of something relatively similar in shape (blade shape, handle shape, or both) and see what characteristics differ and stick out in your mind. Sometimes you can figure out a lot with a good viewing.

The aesthetic thing for me with most of your pictures (I can't remember all of them but I do remember viewing a lot of your work) seemed to revolve around the profile of your handles, particularly the balance between the initial "swell" and the butt-end. Since I don't have a variety of pics to look at at the moment, I am not able to really pin it down. I don't consider it a "problem" either, just something that isn't totally attractive to me. Trust your own sense of aesthetic, since most of us here think you do pretty cool work. :)
 
Thanks Bruce, c.m.

Robert I'll give that a try.


I know it's hard to do and I'm guilty of the same thing but I wish more people would give their honest opinions, Dave
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That came out wrong because if you like a knife and say so that's an honest opinion. :footinmou :D what I should've said, if there's something someone dosn't like about a knife and the maker asked for an opinion it would be nice to get more of those opinions also. Thanks again, Dave
 
Honest opinion here.

The blade is perfection itself. The handle however, whilst being beautifully made seems at 'odds' with the masculine blade. Kind of like a prizefighter wearing a Kimono, both are great examples but not what one would call a natural 'pair'. IMHO a different material should have been used or a different finish for the blade.
 
Nicely worded Temper. I think I got carried away with the embellishments, he just asked for a knife with a belly not a rough rider in a sport coat. Thank you very much for the compliments, suggestions, and for giving me your honest opinion, they are noted for future reference.
Dave
 
I don't care for the copper spacer but the rest of the knife is just great. I especially like the shapr of the blade
 
Sorry, but I just love this one. Even love the copper spacer.

Now, the unwelcome comments about my big belly, I can do without! ;) :D
 
Thanks you guys for the comments! It's encouraging to know there's nothing major wrong with my designs, it sounds like it's just a matter of taste but it's also discouraging cause I still don't know what's bothering me about my knives :grumpy:

Danbo so I guess when I set up my new website and start naming the options and different handle and blade configurations and profiles you would object to me naming this particular blade shape "The Danbo Profile" :p :D
 
BWAHAHAHAHA... "Danbo profile"! guess it could also be named the "Mongo profile" too. ;)
Dave, I like this one too. I've liked all of yours with the exception of the green one, and that was only because of the color. I like both the handle and blade profiles. I tend not to pass too much judgement on how a handle looks, I care only for how it feels in the hand.
Nice work, and don't get discouraged. The knife world would definately be worse off if you decide to throw in the towel. Keep 'em coming.
 
I like this one best of everything you have done, and I've liked them all. Your usage of that spacer really makes it. Copper is unusual, and warm, and has good color. I like it. I am fond of recurves, and your grind is unexceeded.

Since we are allowed to be aesthetically nitpicky (Which is completely subjective, BTW), I look at the blade spine as being *just* a bit too straight. Almost all of this folder's outline is a curve. I'd wish to do a tracing of a drop point, to compliment it.

That said, I give this one a 9.5 out of 10 in design. THAT is my take!

Coop
 
Mongo, Thank you very much for that comment and I'm afraid the knife world is stuck with me, I love making knives way too much to quit. A couple more designs to try and it will be time for my new website. I already have some names picked out for the models that I will carry, now I have the new Danbo blade and I would like to name one of the models "Mongo" that is if you don't mind.

Coop, It's really good to hear from you again, it's been a while but WHY DIDN'T YOU POST THIS 5 HOURS AGO. :D I started a new one today and got the frame and blade profiled, pivot drilled and stop pin set using basically this same design, only slightly modified. The blade has a slimmer belly and I'm using some beautiful damascus made by Bill Buxton but I just did a drawing using a drop point instead of a hard clip and I like it a whole lot better. Oh well I still have enough of his steel to make another blade so I'll use your suggestion on the next one. Thanks for the comments, Dave
 
I like the boslter/thuya scale combo. Maybe a fine chain instead of the copper spacer(like I've seen Tom Anderson use) would look neat. If I had ordered the knife, I probably would have requested a non etched blade, maybe mirror finish to stand apart from the bolster. Looks neat as it is too!

Scott
 
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