Knife Thickness and Ratio - what is Your Ratio

Gabaski, I think the consensus is that the concept of ratio doesn't quite apply to blade thickness/blad length the same way as say maybe blade thickness to bevel width.

James: No, we're good. I undertand you. It's all good.
 
I like 1/8" thick steel for my blades and have gone up to 3/16". I don't like to make big Rambo knives for a variety of reasons and don't see the need for 1/4" thick material.

My large knives are for Wisconsin deer hunting, not jungle survival so they tend to be 3.5 - 4.25" in length, and around 3/4" wide. Big enough to gut and skin a whitetail deer. Since you're not using the knife like a machete you can make a three-finger handle which is better for when you're working inside the cavity of a deer to remove lungs, and other "stuff". My handles tend to be from 3.5" - 4" in length. Two inch folding knives have gutted and skinned a LOT of deer in Wisconsin.

Big honking, meat cleaver, Rambo knives may be good for clearing brush but not so good for when you're gutting the deer and you don't want to cut the intestines. They're also large and heavy to carry. I would be embarrassed to be seen with one while hunting.

Thick steel takes a lot more grinding too which I find very frustrating.

What kind of knife do you want to make? What are you going to expect it to do? That should be the main factor in deciding on the thickness of the steel you use.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Thanks you

I like 1/8" thick steel for my blades and have gone up to 3/16". I don't like to make big Rambo knives for a variety of reasons and don't see the need for 1/4" thick material.

My large knives are for Wisconsin deer hunting, not jungle survival so they tend to be 3.5 - 4.25" in length, and around 3/4" wide. Big enough to gut and skin a whitetail deer. Since you're not using the knife like a machete you can make a three-finger handle which is better for when you're working inside the cavity of a deer to remove lungs, and other "stuff". My handles tend to be from 3.5" - 4" in length. Two inch folding knives have gutted and skinned a LOT of deer in Wisconsin.

Big honking, meat cleaver, Rambo knives may be good for clearing brush but not so good for when you're gutting the deer and you don't want to cut the intestines. They're also large and heavy to carry. I would be embarrassed to be seen with one while hunting.

Thick steel takes a lot more grinding too which I find very frustrating.

What kind of knife do you want to make? What are you going to expect it to do? That should be the main factor in deciding on the thickness of the steel you use.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
Click to expand...

Your info had by far been the greatest into Ratio Thanks you hope more will follow :)

i am bascially trying to make small and jungle or brush use knife , like you i do not like Rambo knife :) love the name ..

i find that there should alway be a good tune range like the tune of guitar as well as the art of designing . pain and slow - is a process i alway do when i design by getting feedback as well as understand of usages .

once again thanks you
 
There's no ratio I can give you because the purpose and grind type are huge factors.

For example, a 4 inch blade, .8 inches broad or so, with a flat grind, is fine. Taht same 4 inch blade, 1.125 inches broad, in .095 (3/32) steel with a scandi grind is a fine woods knife. You could do a doulbe edge, hollow ground, distal tapered dagger starting at 3/16 thick over a 4 inch blade just as well.

In general, for field use knives, with full taper convex, scandi, or "scandivex" grinds, I am fine with .090 to .120 in blade lengths from 2 to oh, say, 7 inches. Though I've done several machetelike blades in 1/8 going out to 15 inches.

For heavier blades, some fighters, mulitary utility blades, choppers, KSAs, I can easily go 3/16 to 1/4 with distal tapered full convex (and a few flat grinds I've done, too) from 4.5 to 15 inches.
 
I think I know what you're asking but the answer almost has to be "it depends". On what? Use, length, thickness, width, preference, phase of the moon... Theoretically the Golden Mean, or Fibonacci sequence could give us some sort of answer but I don't know how to apply them to this application.

Quote: I am basically trying to make small and jungle or brush use knife...

In my mind the major tasks of this knife would be to cut small (less than 3/8") brush or branches, split kindling by hammering on the spine with another piece of wood, and cutting ropes. Mostly gross cutting/slashing/hacking action, a Bear Grylls knife.

If I were to make a knife for the purpose you mentioned I would consider 3/16" - 1/4" thick steel, and a full tang blade 4" - 6.5" in length, 1" - 1.75" wide, with a flat grind. I don't think the type of tip is all that important but I would probably make it a clipped or dropped point. I don't care for serrations but if you wanted them I'd put them on the spine not the cutting edge. These measurements are what I consider "small" for a brush knife blade. You could certainly go larger.

The handle would have either a single finger notch near the front (for better gripping when swinging) or with a finger guard and a butt end that flairs out for the same reason, and be large enough to grip with the entire hand, around 4" - 5", depending upon the hand size and handle style. The handle material would be either micarta or plastic impregnated wood. At least a single thong hole at the butt end. Maybe a second thong hole near the front of the handle so it could be tied to a stick for a makeshift spear.

For what it's worth...

LonePine

AKA Paul Meske
 
So far the Feedback and info by you guys had been super . cos i am trying to create a path in my mind as to the range that is most used or rather something like an wide guide to what the ratio of knives of different design and use is made . i Totally agree that no one standard is set . but in the mid of all this , i am starting to see a path .


hope more will join in and share their view on this or their Ratio of prefer choice
 
Most of my knives are from 1/4" stock. A distal taper thins the spine as it goes to the tip. I am now working on a large 12" blade Bowie The blade is a little over 5/16 at the guard and tapers to a point. That is what makes this craft so great. The only rule is (which is often broken) make a good knife.
 
:) :) Rule are meant to be broken . in way to create or invent or even inspire .

that why i had always enjoy production and maker craft ,

hope this thread can help others lik eme understand . the Art of Ratio on knives
 
most of my hunters are from 1/8" to 5/32" stock, and run to 6" in length and full flat ground .015"-.020" thick at the edge, some are hollow ground, my little skinners and slicing knives are 3/32" thick and full flat ground to .010"-.015" thick at the edge. for a camp knife, used for chopping, clearing small sprouts, batoning through wood and all other camp uses, I like 3/16-1/4" thick with a 6-7" long blades 1.5"-2" wide full flat grind to around .030"-.040" at the edge for strength, (no it won't slice potatoes worth a hoot), and enough handle for a full grip. these are the normal edge thicknesses for me, but in the end it depends on the intended use.
Hope this helps, Dale
 
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