Making 2 more knives, a WIP.

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Mar 30, 2012
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Hi guys, i started on a couple more knives today, I've been sick and haven't been able to get started on these for a while now so i was really happy to at least get these shaped in! basically what I've got is knife #1 the bigger one, its 1095 and right now its 8" long, i made it a bit bigger than i would like cause i'm learning you cant add metal you can only take away, and i learned this the hard way unfortunately. The second is knife #2 and its 1084 and 4.75", i got an almost perfect grind on it first shot!. both knives are 5mm thick. I'll update this as things progress for anyone interested. thanks!

 
little more grinding away today, not much done but i added big jimping on them, ground the blades, and started the grinds on the biggest knife.

 
Enjoy making them. Shop Talk is a good place to get plenty of advise on your knives as you learn.
Take your time and don't try and rush them to be done. Quality work takes time, and the skills to do quality work takes practice.

On the next knives, post some sketches , intended use, and other specs to get some input as to the design and function before you cut the steel.
The ones you have started are a bit blocky and look uncomfortable to use as they are.
A knife designed to use as a camping/cooking/utility blade will be smoother and have better ergonomics. These look purely offensive, and seem to have little use beyond cutting someone.....which hopefully they will never do.
The best real world uses for these three I see is:
The larger knife could be re-shaped a bit to make it more of a hunter.
The middle knife could be called some sort of rescue tool, but isn't really going to be of much use beyond something small and sharp.
The small "Razel" looking knife might find use as a box cutter.

I'm not knocking these knives, just pointing out places for design improvement on the next knives, and possible adjustments to these. What you have done so far is nice work. I agree that the grind on the Razel is very good.

Final note about carrying those smaller knives. Canada has some strict laws on concealed knives....especially if it looks like a concealed weapon.
A rigger in Alberta with a knife in his pocket can say he cuts rope with it and it is a tool. A farmer in Quebec can say he uses it on the farm for all sorts of chores. A person in downtown Toronto with a 4.5" tactical looking knife in his pocket will not have much luck with either of these reasons.
 
That big one looks awesome man i love that design! It has the perfect angles on it. More please
 
Thanks Bladsmth!, that's the kind of feedback im looking for, i really have no idea what i'm doing so this type of guidance is really what i need and want. I think right now i'm just pretty excited about making these things and want to start chopping up steel as fast as possible, i'm making them because i like them and if they turn out to be good cutters etc then so be it, if not they get tossed. the biggest one which is blocky yes but its suppoded to be that way its a perfect fit to my hand, think striders they are blocky but very ergononic right. it is a defensive knife. i like blocky. most of the knives i've been making go through many many changes a day as i work on them and i figure out what works and what doesn't as i go, id rather be working on the knives and lean from trial and error than sit and think about it too much, i have sketches but hundreds of them and i havent taken much time to refine or get feedback on any 1 design.... i like working on what i like to work on, and some things work and some wont i guess. its back the the drawing board i guess, i will try and do some more planned out stuff and see how that process works for me, and i'll keep an open mind to any feedback and help i can get. thanks!

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So after a little more adjustments to the designs again today i'm a little happier with the results, the little terror knives, for lack of a better name i'm liking now and not going to throw them out as i thought i was going to , a few small tweaks is all it takes to go from "'i hate it" to " ok cool". the biggest knife is almost perfect, fits my hand amazingly in forward, reverse and choked up!, i think these are ready for me to fire up the homemade bbq conversion forge i made and see if i cant harden them up! maybe i'll wait till i get some steaks so i can use the charcoal for cooking too, mmmm steak for dinner!

 
working on different finishes tonight, trying out something i'm gonna call the "apocalyptic finish" for the little terror knives. i really like rough looking finishes, they hide scratches and encourage actual use, i think knives that are too pretty just never get used cause your scared to mess them up, at least that's how i am, i carry pretty knives but use beaters for the cutting tasks. The little talon one i sharpened too, man its like a scalpel its so sharp, crazy little cutter!

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a bit more done today, made the finger choil a bit bigger on the big knife and then made some big changes to the little stubby one, its great now, i'm super happy with it. than i couldn't resist and had to cut out some others id had sketched out earlier :)

 
If anyone is wondering why none of the handles are drilled out or anything its because i have no drill bits or a drill press, my hand drill died on me too... so until i acquire one, the'll have to wait :(
 
A cord wrap would go right along with you genre and look good on the larger terror.

I like your never give up tude dude!
 
I'd round off that sharp corner somehow

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and the handle of the middle one has a very Strider look to it.

but even a Strider has that finger notch larger radius and shallower.
Fat fingers, gloves, need more room.
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I'd round off that sharp corner somehow

and the handle of the middle one has a very Strider look to it.

but even a Strider has that finger notch larger radius and shallower.
Fat fingers, gloves, need more room.

I was thinking about those corners and thought it might be better to leave them until i do the scales so i can contour them into the scales. the cutouts do need to be bigger i never thought about gloved hands.... The looking like Strider thing i don't know if i'll be able to get too faraway from, i've been drawing knives for ages and they always sorta lend up looking like Striders, even before i knew about Striders i was drawing blocky knives!, i'm trying to not be too similar but its really hard because they are almost exactly how i would make a knife, i'm finding it really hard to keep them different cause i don't want to be accused of copying them, but the design is fitted to my hand and the design works! so i dunno how to deal with that, any design change suggestions? the next one i'm starting is the one on top of the image below.

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