keychain cutter

7

724wd

Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
435
was dinking around here at work (instead of working!:D ) and got to thinking about some of my friends that don't pack a knife because they're too bulky, or whatever reason. started thinking about a blade on a keychain and came up with this.

dosdedos.jpg


the leather sheath would be attached to the keys and the blade would have to fit TIGHT. i was thinking cocobollo scales, 5160 blade or 440 if i decide to buy some. what do you guys think? a two finger blade for those intimidated by a larger blade...
 
One thing I notice is 1.5 in blade, 1.5 in grip. Intuition says this is a good idea. I think once you get a prototype made, what you'll find is that the whole 1.5 isn't useable gripping area. You lose a little to ricasso, a little to the guard, and a little to the front of the curve of the finger groove. Sacrificing a little blade length to gain a little handle length is, in my experience, a good trade-off.

The first time I tried for basically what you're proposing is the birdseye maple one below (the grubby, well-used one). Blade length = handle length.

After a several months of use, I revised the design (the newer cocobolo one)... Just a hair less blade and a hair more handle makes a pretty big difference in the hand.
BeltBuddyMarkII001.jpg
 
well, that one looks familar! :) i'll prototype it in wood and see how it feels.

i came up with my measurements using a ruler and a sharpie (at work, remember?) and measuring two fingers backed up on the third to keep the "knife" (sharpie) stable.

what thickness steel are those? i think it's going to be the ticket...
 
These are both 1/8" thick. A little bit of overkill for a knife this size, I realized later. Next versions will be thinner :)
 
Wow. This brought back memories. I made about a dozen little knives like that in the early 90s. This is the only one I have left. I still use it from time to time. It's ugly, but it cuts like crazy. I don't even remember what kind of wood I used for the handle. The knife is obviously made from a file and the blade is 2" long. The handle is 2-3/4" long. 1/4" thick blade. I ground it hard and very slowly.
 
Watchin' this thread with extreme interest:thumbup: , FWIW, more handle a little less blade is the way to go, the other thing a lot of guys do is overbuild a little knife, a key chain knife shouldn't have to serve as a prybar.

A little thinner profile would make it a lot more user friendly/comfortable.

Have you considered a Sheepsfoot blade, it makes it look more sheeple friendly, less menacing?
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Watchin' this thread with extreme interest:thumbup: , FWIW, more handle a little less blade is the way to go, the other thing a lot of guys do is overbuild a little knife, a key chain knife shouldn't have to serve as a prybar.

A little thinner profile would make it a lot more user friendly/comfortable.

Have you considered a Sheepsfoot blade, it makes it look more sheeple friendly, less menacing?
Click to expand...

I agree with the blade length vs. handle length. However, I like the feel of a thick handle on a tiny knife like this. I field dressed a deer with that little knife. My buddy was amazed at how it cut. I kind of pulled a "Tom Sawyer" on him too. I kept telling him how nice the knife felt during the field dressing as we were dragging the deer back to the truck and then all the way to the check station and back. Once we had the deer hung up at his cabin, I couldn't have stopped him from doing the skinning and butchering, even if I had wanted too. I ended up making one for him, out of gratitude for letting me hunt with him on his property.

Gotta love Tom Sawyering someone!!!
 
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