Knife Design

J

jwalk84

Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
101
Just wanted to share a drawing and get some advice/critiques on it. It will be a self-defense driven knife and hopefully something that could be carried on a vest or concealed if needed.

Definite influence from some of the Kasper/Crawford blades, as I really like them.

It will be 1/8" and have some thinner G10 or Micarta slabs. Overall length is 7 1/2" and blade is just over 3".

All comments are welcome and thanks for looking.

DSCN0606.jpg
 
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I never understood the wharny style blades for a defensive role knife. You wind up lacking slicing ability at the front of the knife and have a relatively fragile point. That said, overall I think your design looks pretty good, you kept it moderate on the shaping for the handle but still have enough to give a secure grip in different positions. The slightly up tilted edge makes it easier to use day to day as well, fewer issues getting the edge onto a flat surface, a common issue with wharnies. I also am going to give the overall length a +1. I'm not a real fan of large knives for this role unless you're talking about a combat knife. A personal defense knife is really an edged and hardened modification of your hand, making them big just makes it more difficult to use properly and encourages over extension and off balance movements.

That's my opinion, I'm sure you'll get lots of others. :) I certainly wouldn't let my initial statement about blade type discourage you from making it, I'd just look at making two versions, one this way, one with a bit of a belly to it, making it a spear point with similar overall lines.
 
It will still slice. I think it's because Michael Janich did a test, and said wharnies cut the deepest, thus, the reason his self defense knives use that blade pattern. As for the design, I would curve in the first choil, so it keeps the index finger in better, rather than letting it open up, just slightly so it's past 90 degrees. And the top bump on top the choil might get in the way of a Filipino grip. Just my ideas..
 
Particle board knives don't hold an edge worth a damn. ;)

Have fun with it. I would NOT recommend carrying it concealed.
 
I think it has some nice features, but I don't know enough about self defense. I would add the handle to actual thickness and experiment with holds and maybe some other knowledgeable people. It seems like minor changes might make a big difference in this type of knife. And I guess this style of knife might take a certain type of self defense training? I know some people like to be able to reverse grip. Good luck. David
 
"Wharnecliffe" broken back seaxes seemed to work pretty well protecting and dicing up folks across the pond ;-). I do like the idea of making the choil area somehow more defined due to the nature of work you invision.
 
jwalk, it can be illegal to carry a fixed blade concealed in Arizona unless you're 21 or older, and if in contact with a police officer, you have to disclose that you're carrying it. Here's the pertinent section tryppyr was referring to:

13-3102. Misconduct involving weapons; defenses; classification; definitions
A. A person commits misconduct involving weapons by knowingly:
1. Carrying a deadly weapon except a pocket knife concealed on his person or within his immediate control in or on a means of transportation:
(a) In the furtherance of a serious offense as defined in section 13-706, a violent crime as defined in section 13-901.03 or any other felony offense; or
(b) When contacted by a law enforcement officer and failing to accurately answer the officer if the officer asks whether the person is carrying a concealed deadly weapon; or
2. Carrying a deadly weapon except a pocket knife concealed on his person or concealed within his immediate control in or on a means of transportation if the person is under twenty-one years of age; or....

Arizona did pass a preemption law recently preventing any lesser governments in the state from creating their own weapons laws. So now all weapons laws are state wide.

Check your state and local laws for more info. In Texas, there is no distinction between concealed on unconcealed.

--nathan
 
jwalk, sorry, I just got the notice that my inbox is full. I can't really pony up the cash for a higher membership again right now, and I don't want to delete some of the messages I have in there, so apparently I'm screwed when it comes to pm's. I'm sorry, but a 5 message limit is pretty useless. Anyway, that aside, shoot me an email if you like. Thanks, and you're welcome!

--nathan
 
Well here is a blank I got done today. Tried to make the finger groove a little bigger, and some other slight changes on the handle.

Also, left a little meat at the tip a la JonnyMac. Great tip from his West Coast Hunter WIP. Thanks!

DSCN0608.jpg
 
silver_pilate said:
Looks nice. How does it fit your hand in various grips?

--nathan
Click to expand...

In both forward and reverse grips it feels very comfortable. I was worried that making the finger groove too big would make it uncomfortable in reverse grip, but it actually feels really nice.

Nathan, did you get my email?
 
Minibear, that's done on purpose. Some makers (JohnnyMac, for instance) leave extra material on the tip due to the tendency to grind it too thin at that area. I find it's not so much of a problem on wharncliffes as they tend to be a straight-forward grind. Since there is no belly to the blade, there is no need to lift the handle end of the blade as you grind towards the tip. However, it's not going to hurt anything. The extra is ground away at the end to achieve your finished profile.

--nathan
 
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