kukri style outdoors knife design

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grumpy_grinder

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The more I think about it the more I think I may make a full tang instead.

I do a lot of hunting on foot carrying my flint lock rifle , pack and snowshoes , I live in a very rural area in northern canada where we get lots of snow. The kind to sink up to your nose without snowshoes and very cold weather. I've always carried a bigger knife with me tied to my pack. So I guess i tried to taylor this knife to my needs. I don't plan on cutting threes with it. I need something that can chop branches , chop through ice , bark , bone , wire snare and dig holes with. So I guess i'll give this gurkha style knife a try.

I'm looking for some suggestions from you experienced fellows as I'm not certain about blade and handle geometry. I've read step by step knife making and got the basics but nothing beats the years of knowledge you boys have.

I tried to get that match lock pistol grip style for the handle but I don't habe an artistic bone in my body! I might try and google image a few pocture and try to resize them to my print.

blade steel will be 3/16th O1 tool steel. I'll be getting rob from canadian knife to do the heat treat
 
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If not full tang I'd definitely make the tang as wide as possible to add strength. I know that people use stick tang kukris all the time for hard use, but if I was in the Canadian wilderness I'd feel alot better with a full tang knife
 
Yes, change those three to cap locks !!!
I believe as the others have said and you suggested that a full tang would be a better option.
My best to you from someone who had those 30 below winters with more snow than was ever necessary for over 22 years.
Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Yes, change those three to cap locks !!!
I believe as the others have said and you suggested that a full tang would be a better option.
My best to you from someone who had those 30 below winters with more snow than was ever necessary for over 22 years.
Frank
Click to expand...

haha , thanks frank. cap locks are a bit too modern for my taste :rolleyes:
 
Don't forget, an exposed steel tang will be Very cold in sub-zero degree weather. There is a reason that the Puuko, Leuko and other knives of Norwegian and Swedish history have a stick tang.

The wood is insulating, and has a significantly lower risk of freezing gloves, skin, and other materials to it. As well as not having as much of a likelihood of ice buildup while carrying on your pack.

Otherwise, I like the piece. Please post photos when it is completed.
 
Ah you beat me to the punch pat!! beautiful beautiful beautiful! Where on eart did you find that pommel!? Va peut être falloir l'enregistré avec le retour du régistre d'arme a feux du québec :rolleyes:
 
I'm just not certain the stick tang will be able to take my abuse. I've never really owned a stick tang besides light duty knives.
 
The Busse resiprene handled knives via scrapyard have a stick tang and those hold up just fine to PLENTY of abuse. They also carry an unlimited lifetime warranty.

If that isn't enough to attest to the strength that one can retain, pick up one or two of the less expensive HI khukris. Two should last you through the next season to get a feel for the style on top of building some feelings, whether for or against. But still, actual in hand usage.

Don't forget, a bare steel tang will be Very Cold.
 
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thanks bill , maybe i'll make one of each and try to eventually get over my fear of stick tang knives. I hope half inch at the top of the tang tapering to 1/4 will be strong enough
 
If you have access to a forge you can keep the mass instead of tapering. You can shape it to a rod or square. Then all you have to do is 2 normalizing cycles to keep the growth down.

One of the plus sides, you can drill and tap the tang to accept a threaded rod on the button for added strength and the ability to repair/replace the handle if need be.
 
NJBillK said:
If you have access to a forge you can keep the mass instead of tapering. You can shape it to a rod or square. Then all you have to do is 2 normalizing cycles to keep the growth down.

One of the plus sides, you can drill and tap the tang to accept a threaded rod on the button for added strength and the ability to repair/replace the handle if need be.
Click to expand...

I don't have access to a forge but an oxy acythelene torch. I was going to taper the tang like in the picture and take a bolt , slot it and put a pin through the bolt and tang (like a hinge) to follow the bend and screw a pommel to it. I'm scared the weakest spot will be where the tang meets the ricasso.
 
As long as you don't have any 90° bends (use a radiused corner), nothing sharp angled and you don't over heat it, you will be fine.

If you are still concerned, take a dremel or a drill and a cylindrical carbide bit and round the inside corners to reduce the likelihood of stress risers and tell Rob that you may have heated it up a bit and ask if he can normalize it.

Regarding the pin stock, what do you have in mind?
I was thinking a drill bit cut to fit for strength, or have Rob HT an O1 pin for a lower HRC for added toughness.

The drill bit cut to length may shear under impact, so that may not be your best bet.
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Going to be pouring my daughter to bed, then I am likely headed off as well. I will poke my head back in tomorrow.
 
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