Knife design, help! :)

KYenglish · Mar 13, 2012

Okay so I have two custom design slots booked with John and the first one is coming up at the start of next month. For the first slot I already told John I'd use 3/4 inch stock and don't want to back out now, it seems like a good size for a smaller fishing/edc knife. But I'm at a loss, have been for a while, you'd think I'd get used to it. Anyway I've drawn too many of these to really know which way is up at this point, but wanted to get on the list since I saw how quickly this year was filling up.

So I though you all might be help me out. Here are a few designs I have, which one do you think I should use, (pending Johns approval of course). I'd also like to hear any suggests on improvements etc.

Names are all To Be decided, and placeholders added for now off the top of my head, and also open to change,

1. The Simple > Ocean?
6.5 inch overall, 3 inch blade

2. The Point
I'd ignore the attempt at a contoured handle, far to complex for my pencil skills,

6 3/4 overall, 3 1/4 blade

3. The Turn (I'm running out of ideas here)
Similar to number 2 I know but there all variations on a theme I guess
this ones 7 inches long, 3 1/4 blade, 3 3/4 handle

4. The...Tide
6 3/4 overall, 3 5/8 handle

5. The companion
No idea what I was thinking with the contours here.
6 3/4 overall, 3 1/4 blad, 3 1/2 handle

Results (as of post #2):
1 = 3 vote
2 = 5 votes
3 = 1 votes (Mykel M I'm putting you here,

)
4 = 1 votes
5 = 1 votes
3 and 4 hybrid (The turn of the tide?): 2 vote

Rockywolf · Mar 13, 2012

#1. Simple, elegant, functional. Fits the bill on all accounts.

outdoorsfan · Mar 13, 2012

First suggestion.....don't name the first one "The Simple". That was the original name I gave the Trapline and some certain knifemaking person wisely advised that it is not a good knife name.

I will also throw out another tip, offered by Jeff (JDS1), do a cardboard cutout of the design. You really can get a "feel" for the how the handle shape works and also a general idea of the ergos of the blade/handle combo. It really helps.

Of the designs you posted (I actually more or less like them all) I would pair the handle of "The Turn" with the slightly more centered point of "The Tide". I think this hybrid would give you a nice, comfy, easy to carry and use handle paired with a blade shape that could handle a wide variety of sporting, utility and bushcrafty tasks.

One thing I can guarantee, you will enjoy this process and eagerly await the birth of your new blade. Once you finally have it in hand it will become a special companion, unique to you.

KYenglish · Mar 13, 2012

Thanks guys, I appreciate the suggestions outdoorsfan, good idea. Rockwolf thats why I like number 1 as well.

JK Knives · Mar 13, 2012

You don`t have to use 3/4" stock, I have not ordered any materials for next month. I like #1 and #2.

jds1 · Mar 13, 2012

outdoorsfan said:
I will also throw out another tip, offered by Jeff (JDS1), do a cardboard cutout of the design. You really can get a "feel" for the how the handle shape works and also a general idea of the ergos of the blade/handle combo. It really helps.

You can also use the cardboard template to fine tune your knife's shape by taking off a little here & there, making a more comfortable handle or a more pleasing curve to your blade.

Jeff

Mr. Night · Mar 13, 2012

I like #2 quite a bit. good luck with the decision making process!

KYenglish · Mar 13, 2012

JK Knives said:
You don`t have to use 3/4" stock, I have not ordered any materials for next month. I like #1 and #2.

Thanks john, I didn't want to change the stock just in case, i have 2 designs in 1in i'm set on but I think if i can make a decision i'd like to try 3/4, I'll be sure in enough time to confirm with you and send a cut out.

jds1 said:
You can also use the cardboard template to fine tune your knife's shape by taking off a little here & there, making a more comfortable handle or a more pleasing curve to your blade.

Your right i should get on that ct out, thanks.

Jeff

Mr. Night said:
I like #2 quite a bit. good luck with the decision making process!

It's a lot of fun alight, thanks for the vote,

1066vik · Mar 13, 2012

I like 1 & 4 -- #5 looks like a mid-sized kephart blade w/funky handles.

KYenglish · Mar 13, 2012

1066vik said:
#5 looks like a mid-sized kephart blade w/funky handles.

True, didn't think of that.

Mack · Mar 14, 2012

I like #2. It reminds me a little of my Rule #9 which is perhaps the handiest knife I own.

KYenglish · Mar 14, 2012

Thanks, votes adjusted, I'm going to have to try this with my 1" designs, it's nice to get another perspective and frankly ones with more experience. If I get time this week I'm going to make some cut outs to try out the winning(winners) of the votes. Number 1 and 2 are tied ad those were two that I kept going back and fourth over, (although sometimes I prefer number 4 to 2).

If all else finals I'll retreat to my excel decision making tactics where I weight categories and score them on my main "wants", at some you'll might think this is a little excessive for a decision, to which I say "you should see me buy lunch" ha,

EDIT: I'm going to arbitrarily decide to keep counting votes till Saturday to give me enough time to make cuts outs and send one to john for the start of march.

Rockywolf · Mar 14, 2012

protourist said:
I like #2. It reminds me a little of my Rule #9 which is perhaps the handiest knife I own.

Yes indeed. My rule #9 is a fav. I use it a lot.

KYenglish · Mar 15, 2012

found some time this morning:

Top) number 1
Next) number 2
Second from bottom) turn and tide hybrid
Bottom) number 4

Mr. Night · Mar 16, 2012

I still vote for #2.

they all look like they could be useful knives tho

outdoorsfan · Mar 16, 2012

I am really curious if and how the cutouts influenced you personal opinion of your designs?

mykel m · Mar 16, 2012

I like #1,but don't care for the pointy butt.
#3s handle looks good,except for the pointy finger groove.Round it off a bit & you have a winner.
I like the squared butt of #3 with the rounded top & bottom for push cuts & the blade shape of 1 & 2.
Hope that helps..hehe.

Mr. Sogetsu · Mar 16, 2012

I like #2. I am liking the "negative" angle of knives lately. It makes it noticeably easier to cut things.

tundratrader · Mar 16, 2012

I like # 5

KYenglish · Mar 17, 2012

outdoorsfan said:
I am really curious if and how the cutouts influenced you personal opinion of your designs?

It's made it all more complicated of course, changed my mind on everything the back again, number 4 was surprisingly easy to cut once I had a cut out, the handle just didn't work for me and I had to enlarge it too much compared to the blade to make my hand fit. Surprisingly number 1's finger grove was too deep for the rest of the handle and so was number 4's larger grove which I just couldn't thin out enough.

Overall I was surprised how much the necessary changes i the handles to make them comfortable changed the look and feel of each one.

mykel m said:
I like #1,but don't care for the pointy butt.
#3s handle looks good,except for the pointy finger groove.Round it off a bit & you have a winner.
I like the squared butt of #3 with the rounded top & bottom for push cuts & the blade shape of 1 & 2.
Hope that helps..hehe.

I'm going to put that as a vote for number 3,

thanks, I'm liking that handle to, thats the hybrid suggested by outdoorsfan.

Mr. Night said:
I still vote for #2.

they all look like they could be useful knives tho

Yeah, feels silly arguing over it sometimes, number 2's cutting angle seems it would be useful more often.

Mr. Sogetsu said:
I like #2. I am liking the "negative" angle of knives lately. It makes it noticeably easier to cut things.

thanks for the vote, I was wondering what to cal the difference in the angle, that sounds good to me!

tundratrader said:
I like # 5

Glad someone does, was feeling bad for it. My main reason for trying 3/4 is the Maverick Colt from BHK that gets a lot of use, and that design is where i started, also why it looks like it a little I think:

Knife design, help! :)

Expert Ultracrepidarian