Knife design, Blade Grind, Size

G

graycraig

Joined
Jun 12, 2002
Messages
12
I have about 20 non-kitchen knives, of which I only use 3 or 4. I have purchased, gave away or traded that many again. I have found that for every day use a knife with a flat grind works best for me as I like to pull the knife out of my sheath at the kitchen counter, work bench, kitchen table or office desk, and out in the woods. I don't skin any large critters.

The one problem I have is finding a knife that I can use the length of the blade to cut without my average size fingers getting in the way. Does anyone know of fixed blade knife with blade length 3" or less that has a overall design that allows you to use the majority of the blade on a work surface, sort of like a mini-chef's knife, but with decent knife steel and good handle material?

The Grohman design is almost right, but the blade "height" is a bit too much, blade length a bit too long, while the handle design does not allow for the type of cutting or chopping described above with enough finger clearance. The Grohman does not have a fine enough point either, got to open my "boss's" mail on occasion.

Maybe I am looking for a compromise or a design that someone has already tried but found that it was unwieldy for every day use. Or maybe someone knows of a design that might work for me.

Maybe a slightly convex blade would work better than a flat grind?

Suggestions?

Craig in Tennessee
 
I wouldn't go convex in a short utility knife. Talk about overkill. I like flat ground blades too. In a pure utility knife that routinely has to do some food prep, I like the sort of design you describe, but it has to be thin behind the edge too or it doesn't cut too well.

Trace Rinaldi makes a series of knives much as you describe. There are hundreds of links to his pictures around here, they are easy to find. I'm sure he's got pics in the Gallery section. I don't remember ever seeing anything as short as you want in his stuff, but he is a <i>custom</i> knife maker after all...

Otherwise, take a look at the second knife down in
<a href="http://www.quine.home.sonic.net/gifs/K11.jpg" target="_blank">this picture</a>. Its by Barry Posner. I got it at the BAKCA show (SF bay area) last Sept. Is this the sort of thing you had in mind? That blade is 2.5" by the way...
 
I just stumbled accross these knives. I don't think I'll be able to resist the temptation to buy one. Both look a lot like mini chef's knives in design, but with top notch materials and construction. Check them out HERE
 
The Rinaldi Gambit would be a great choice and it's blade is 3.25". Not too far outside what you are looking for.

I think Sean Kendrick would also make some knives that might just fit the bill. There are quite a few pictured in the Gallery forum.
 
Check out the work of R.W. Clark. I think this is exactly what you are looking for. His Model 5 is just exactly what you described. His work is outstanding and his prices are as well. You can also request any slight alterations to make it eacatly as you would like.
 
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Hi, I think there are a few interesting approaches to this.

The first is the TTKK style, and the style of some of those RW Clark knives, with a "drop blade" format. Another approach is that of something like a Fred Perrin knife, where your front finger goes through a hole in the handle, with the end result being the same as the drop-blade style -- you can use the edge all the way to the handle. Something in between might be Janich's Ronin design, where a deep finger cutout provides similar functionality to the hole, though with some differences, in that it leaves your finger a little less protected, but gives you more flexibility in grips.


Joe
 
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