My first design, feedback desired.

D

daspope

Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
25
So I just got some 440C in the mail from Jantz so I am going to start on my first "real knife" this weekend.

I drew this up in Adobe Illustrator and am mostly happy with it, but the handle kinda bugs me. I need to print it out and make cardboard cutouts to get the final dimensions I want, but I am looking at making it 6-7 inches long from 1/8" x 1.5" bar stock with the blade being just over 1.25" at the widest point. My goal for the knife is to just be a nice utility/hunting/fishing fixed blade.

fixed1.jpg
 
Just a quick sketch to save me from typing so much, but extending and widening the butt will help, just a typical handle, it is your first knife anyways so no need to be fancy
 
Here is another one, with this all I did was crop out the butt of the knife, flipped it, so now it is on an incline towards the blade, just round it off and it will be fine
 
I like your design but keep it simple. Personally I would prefer something a little more pointy but I'd only drop down the tip of the knife down another 1/8 of an inch. The finger choil seems a bit off, maybe even symetrical. As you suggested, a cardboard cut out will help a lot and give you a good feel for what you like or don't like. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!
 
I like your pattern but would however make the blade not as wide and the figer notch longer and a little deeper. Frank
 
quick update to the illustrator design going off kershaws modification, and yeah that front choil was annoying me bad.

fixed2.jpg
 
Another revision, dropped the point, raised the edge and added a bolster, but I think the bolster might be going away, or getting changed...

fixed3.jpg
 
Like I always say to people asking for design input, make a model in wood or cardboard first to see how it feels
 
Not to thread jack, but what software do you use to draw these diagrams? I'm trying to design my own knife but I suck at drawing on paper.
 
I also use Adobe Illustrator for my design work. It's the tool I'm most facile with since I'm a professional artist. I've tried sketchup for building furniture, and I have a terrible time with the interface... because it's not Illustrator.
 
Roadracer_Al said:
I also use Adobe Illustrator for my design work. It's the tool I'm most facile with since I'm a professional artist. I've tried sketchup for building furniture, and I have a terrible time with the interface... because it's not Illustrator.
Click to expand...

The sketchup interface is very clunky imho, it has a pretty steep learning curve for sure... then again, Illustrator has a steep learning curve too lol. I am no artist though so I have a pretty limited skill set with them, in fact I only have photoshop and illustrator for web development stuff since I am a programmer I can have the designers send me the psd or ai files and I can manipulate them how I need saving them and myself time.
 
Well, I cut it out in a scrap piece of pine wood today, sure glad I tested with wood before going straight to the steel, the handle needs to be about 1/2" longer, the bolsters need to be bigger, and the blade needs to be 1" - 1.5" longer imho...

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Last edited:
Made the blade and handle longer, forgot to re-space pin holes but thats fine. the cutout actually feels really good in my hand now!

I think I am just about ready to get this knife cut out of some steel.

fixed4_p1.png
 
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