My first knife design. Critiques and Comments welcome

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Joined
Sep 29, 2009
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Alright I have a general idea on what I'd like my first knife to look like.....more or less. Originally I was going to do this all from a piece of steel, cut the shape by hand. File it all by hand, make a 1 brick forge, do all the heat treating and tempering on my own. Make my own micarta and so on and so on..... All while having zero knowledge on actually doing it other than what I've read about.

While asking a question in another thread I made I had 2 extremely helpful members here offer a hand in helping me make it. To which I'd like to say thanks again to. :thumbup:

So here is basically what I came up with, it's not etched in stone just a quick sketch and I still may make some minor tweaks here and there the more I sit and stare at it and some that came up already in less than a 24 hour period. I may be making more work for myself and/or may not even be able to do the grind with just a file and/or my zero experience (which I'm sure you guys will tell me). So it may just be a flat grind on the blade so that's another area where the comments will be appreciated.

I'm planning on it being a hunting knife and didn't write any dimensions down before taking the picture but I'm thinking a 4" blade and a 4" (maybe like 4 1/2" not sure) handle plus a half inch or whatever for the rounded part at the back..... And I may just bag that part all together....part of the tweaking process :D

Here is the overall design:
Knife1.jpg


Here is one idea I had about doing the pins (one of the members is helping me with the handle material and pins so I'm not even sure about that yet) but here was one idea.
Knife3.jpg

Another thought
Knife2.jpg

Finally an explanation of those double lines in the handle and the dark one on the blade where the arrows are...(Handle)Possibly eliminating the outer one and slimming the handle down a bit or keep the belly like that. (Blade) making the blade look more like that and have it flat ground from the tip to that dark line.
Knife4.jpg


Thoughts welcome.
 
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I like the design a lot. I like the how the handle scale might be smaller than the tang. On the blades second line, I haven't played with multiple grind angles so I wont be able to give you an informed opinion.
 
If it were my first knife, I would make it with the most simple lines I could.

At the base of the blade you might want to just doa straight line into the handle rather than have it curve up like you do.

Make the handle a smoother radius.

Might want to make the butt of the handle slightly larger for comfort sakes.
 
Hey Fletch, That's a pretty nice design. I think it's a good start.

You may want to consider changing the lanyard area just a bit to make the line created by the spine flow cleanly around to the bottom of the handle, That circle area you have now looks like it's not part of the knife to me.

I think removing that section in the bottom of the handle is a good idea. It makes the knife more elegant to me. Oh, on the front side of the guard, I think having that as the only straight line on your knife may look awkward.

These are just some things I would change. Of course, you know what you want. It's your design, go with it and keep us posted!! :)
 
65535 said:
If it were my first knife, I would make it with the most simple lines I could.

At the base of the blade you might want to just doa straight line into the handle rather than have it curve up like you do.
Click to expand...

I had it curve up like that so I can sharpen and get full use of the blade area. If I do a flat grind I think it would look okay with it straight and just not have it sharpened by the guard. But if I go with a hollow grind I think it would look funny no? This may be a bit much for a first knife but I figure if I'm going to make one why not go for it. I was also thinking if I totally botch it up at least I'll have a template of what I want and I can just keep going till I get it right. Then again I could be totally delusional about even being able to make it.

CLW you me make the lanyard area a bit more like this?

Knife5.jpg
 
I like the design, but, as mentioned you have some issues to deal with. Without a grinder the curve of the blade will be a challange, I am assuming it to be a flat grind. Also you need to plan how to clean up the curves around the profile. I have a set of drum sanders going from 1/4" to 2" which will fit all a radius. You can do this by hand with a backing board cut to that radius.

I like the 5 pin (I use the 6 pin alot....hands off..just kidding) it nice to break the traditional pattern once in a while. they looked a little close to the edge, maybe back about 1/4".

Good luck
 
Patrickknives said:
I like the design, but, as mentioned you have some issues to deal with. Without a grinder the curve of the blade will be a challange, I am assuming it to be a flat grind. Also you need to plan how to clean up the curves around the profile. I have a set of drum sanders going from 1/4" to 2" which will fit all a radius. You can do this by hand with a backing board cut to that radius.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to do the curves with say a half round file? Also without a grinder you're saying the entire shape of the blade will be a challenge?
 
I would recomend changing the ricasso of the blade so that it does not recurve, an angle of less than 90 degrees between guard and blade would be hard to grind, cut, and sharpen
 
Fletch Helical said:
Is it possible to do the curves with say a half round file? Also without a grinder you're saying the entire shape of the blade will be a challenge?
Click to expand...

It only takes time, I was using only a bastard flat file to shape all the profile. All convex curves can be done with flat. But you may need a half round file for concave curves like finger grooves etc... If you have patience this blade can be made with a flat and a half round file. Take a wood about 1/4" thick and shape a similar blade with files. As you are confident of your skills you can start the same thing on steel. It is same process but shaping metal takes time...
Emre
 
I send my knife design to the shop and my engraver called and had me move two lines.
A knife has to flow. You can just about do anything in design as long as you stay inside the flow of the knife.
General rules are handle can not be larger than the Ricasso.
the front and the back of the handle need to the same as long as it stays in flow of design, actually the flow of the handle you can grove or anything as long as you don't break the flow of the handle.
Now if this was my knife. These are the changes I would make.

Knife5.jpg
 
I just thought I'd take your image and put my thought into it. Here's what I got. Use it or excuse it. Good luck on your first!

 
I was going to suggest nearly the exact same thing as Dustin. Keep the spine and edge parallel. It would be a lot easier on your first knife to make the handle scales full to the butt. The lanyard hole will go through the scales.

When you have made a few more, then is the time to try fancier styling.

Stacy
 
Yeah I'm kind of liking that take on it thanks Dustin.

I didn't realize it would be easier to have the handle go all the way to the butt. Guess I'll leave the trickier stuff until a little further down the road.

Now my next question is: How hard is it to grind the blade like that with just a file? And are we thinking a flat grind or hollow grind on it?
 
Glad I could help, Fletch. I'm no where near Stacy's level but, I'm glad to see him thinking the same thing as what I came up with.

I would do a flat or convex grind. You won't be able to do a hollow grind with just files. It will take time and patience but if all you have is files, it can be done so don't get discouraged. Get your pattern traced on your steel and make it come together! I want to see what you come up with.

Dustin
 
Stacy is one of the incredibly generous posters on here who offered to help get me started. I'm planning on doing a WIP thread about it once I get going on it. This way in case I'm either about to screw something up or I actually do screw something up it can be caught sooner than later.

Plus I'll probably have a whole bunch of questions on what I'm doing as I go along so it'll be easier on everyone if I just blab in my own thread rather than have a ton of new threads.

I'm not in a huge rush to get it done, I mean I'm sure I'll be anxious but I'd like to make sure it comes out good too.
 
Take dustin s advice and make the lanyard and butt of the handle larger a small end of the handle makes the knife feel small I have been making alot like what you have designed.
HPIM1749-1.jpg
 
The best way to get a feel for the various design options is to make a bunch of mock-ups out of plywood or even cardboard and see which feel better to you, before committing to the design in steel. Something may look cool but feel like a brick in the hand.
 
hellgap said:
Take dustin s advice and make the lanyard and butt of the handle larger a small end of the handle makes the knife feel small I have been making alot like what you have designed.
HPIM1749-1.jpg
Click to expand...


I don't really have large hands but that knife looks like the handle is real wide.. Got any pics of a finished one?
 
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