Knife Design Competition

tryppyr

tryppyr

Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
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In several threads recently I've seen a number of you mention that it's hard to innovate... "it's all been done before". Personally, I think you just need two things:

1) Free your mind of preconceived notions of how things MUST be

2) Look for inspiration somewhere outside the knife community

With that in mind, I'd like to propose we have a knife design competition and find some way to reward the individual who comes up with the most innovative design. As with any contest there should be some guidelines... I'd propose the following:

A) The winning design need not be manufactured, but there must be no technical or practical reason why it could not be produced (i.e. made of unobtainable materials or requiring technology that does not exist).

B) Any design that can be verifiably demonstrated to be significantly similar to any existing design will be disqualified.

C) Practicality (i.e. practical uses for the end product) is not a requirement, but would potentially provide additional points for a design. Originality would trump practicality.


Anyone have any ideas what would make a good prize for such a contest? Anyone have any interest?

- Greg
 
Interesting idea, and I appreciate it for what it is.

One observation, though. When you cease to demand practicality from a knife, I think you risk venturing away from making a knife and instead are practicing metal sculpture.

There is nothing wrong with art for the sake or art, but a knife is, at its core, a practical device. I think at least it should be able to be used as a knife, though practicality in-so-far as carry, discretness, or looks may be disregarded for the sake of the competition.

--nathan
 
I like your pointers on design, I use them all the time because around here there is hardly any knife community!

Your contest sounds fun but a bit tricky to judge (not impossible, just a bit tricky)

You should be able to find some volunteers for judges here!
 
Nathan, I think it just depends what your individual "knife concept" is. At the extremes of the spectrum you could look at it either way,... An edged tool with artistic considerations, OR, art with an edge. Just use a little reverse thinking. There's really no right or wrong way to look at it.

I read once in a book on African art, that one tribe considered knives to be more like "art" than painting.

As far as the contest goes,... I think there are too many rules and guidelines for a design contest. However, I do think that the maker should actually produce the design himself.

I think a $$$ cash prize would be the way to go.
 
yes , more industrial, blasted metal, forged/machined, heavy hardware, type knife designs! more thinking outside the box and breaking free from what a knife 'should' be made from or look like or weigh etc etc.

I have yet to find a knife i like, so i (see other thread) started to design one to MY specs, needs and wants.

should be an interesting contest
 
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