My first knife design. Critiques and Comments welcome

Fletch,

Lookin good buddy. Handle time....OHHH YEEEAAHH:thumbup::thumbup::D

Looking forward to the next pics. Doing a fine job buddy.

Chris from KD
 
There is nothing wrong with strictly by feel. Once you get something that feels real good you will figure out where to remove material and where to leave it on later knives. PLEASE DO ME THIS ONE THING. shape that handle till it feels REAL GOOD in the hand. NOT so so, or okay. Some folks finish their handles off by knocking the sharp edges off the corners and call it a day. You know that cannot feel good in the hand unless you carry bricks one at a time barehanded up ladders all day for a job. Take yer time and try to make both sides feel (and look)the same. When you get one more often than not the other comes along for the ride too.

One more thing dunno if it has been mentioned yet but take your time when sanding directly on the pins so they do not get hot. If you are using power tools this matters but if you are strictly hand shaping then not so much a problem.
 
When I did my handle I used a profile gauge to keep the to sides simular, but ended up going more by eye and feel. once I got it feeling right in my hand I put the gauge on it and it was amazingly close.
The handles where the part I was most worried about messing up, it comes off so much faster then the steel does.
 
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Liking what I'm seeing..... Liking what I'm seeing :D

The black line is a guesstimate to where it will taper back down.
handle2.jpg

handle1.jpg


Still some some mild shaping to do but getting close.
handle3.jpg


Gixxer thanks for the pointers on the pins but the handle is going to be all files and sandpaper. I actually really enjoy using files, I didn't really love it doing the bevels. But for most everything else I actually really like seeing things take shape with the files. Gives me a kind of old artisan feeling or something as I'm working.
 
I don't know if anyone else feels the same but I really enjoy the handle shaping process. Progressed a little further while trying to keep a decent amount of symmetry as I go along. My plan for the butt area is to have it taper a bit more closer to the lanyard hole and then have it flare back out. Which would create a kind of stop for the back of your hand.

Some progress pics since I've been taking a ton so far. Why slow down now, right?

handle4.jpg


Spine side
handle5.jpg


Edge side
handle6.jpg
 
Fletch,

Starting to look like a nice build buddy.

I agree, as tedious the handles are. Its the part I look forward to the most. One, your almost finish with the build after slaving on it. Two, it completes the knife and 3.....Yippieee...Another successful build:thumbup::D

Looking good Fletch!

Chris
Fletch Helical said:
I don't know if anyone else feels the same but I really enjoy the handle shaping process. Progressed a little further while trying to keep a decent amount of symmetry as I go along. My plan for the butt area is to have it taper a bit more closer to the lanyard hole and then have it flare back out. Which would create a kind of stop for the back of your hand.

Some progress pics since I've been taking a ton so far. Why slow down now, right?

handle4.jpg


Spine side
handle5.jpg


Edge side
handle6.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Well I think all the rough stuff is just about wrapped up. Did some cleanup work tonight with some finer paper and files. The ONLY real problem I have at the moment is one of the rivets has a few deep gouges in it. Which I think got in there from the bandsaw when I cut them off. Thing is it's in a spot that I would prefer to be more convex. However trying to round it off is going to take the palm swell down a bit I think and not be as round as I'd like it. Unless it's something that will work itself out as I move through the girts... Not sure if it will though, first time and all.

I wanted to make the handle a bit rounder but apparently not going to happen now. Other than that little SNAFU I think it's almost time to start smoothing it out and making it shine.

handle7.jpg


handle8.jpg
 
Hey, it's looking good--can't wait to see the final product! Does micarta polish up with sanding or do you need to apply some sort of finish?
 
Matt,
Looking good.:thumbup:

It may look like the grand canyon, but will come out quickly. Just sand it on down the grits. It will probably start to disappear at 220, and go away at 400. The last traces of marks will go away as you buff the handle with the 3M cloth papers. If you wish, take the smoothest file you have , and lightly go over the rivet now, to get the smoothing started.

The handle looks good. The "bird head" butt was really accented by the placement of the thong tube.
I think you will end up with a first class knife soon.
A note:
The canvas micarta always looks like it isn't getting much smoother. Just sand with one grit until the surfaces are curved as you like, and go to the next . It will look good at 400/800 grit. You can continue to a higher grit and see if you like the look, or quit at 400-800 range. I find that the 3M cloth papers do a great job of bringing out the final color when hand finishing this material. The end result surface will have a grippy look to it caused by the warp and woof of the canvas.
 
MBE the micatra will polish up on it's own afaik.

Looking forward I'm not sure what is the best way to go about sharpening this knife. I have Fred's jig and can set it for anywhere between 10-12 degrees to get the edge started. I shouldn't need more than a few passes at say 400 to get the edge there. I'm relatively thin to begin with. I have this Gatco sharpening system which is similar to a Lansky. It has the degree slots got the rod and several stones. I also have 2 fine DMT diamond sharpeners I can use and have a strop on the way. I'm not sure if I shuold just use the Gatco and not use the bubble jig at all. Or even if that system is best for putting an edge on the knife. I would love to have it scary sharp but not sure the best way to go about it. I've gotten my EDC's shaving sharp with the Gatco and DMT's but I want to get obnoxious on the sharpness on this.

I also have to start thinking about a sheath. I told my wife to hold off on a Valentine's day gift last month and told her to just get me some leather and tools to make a sheath when I'm ready...(I know I'm a hopeless romantic). Problem with that is I know less about that than knife making. I know what I want it to look like. I want to have one with a strap that goes over the top of the guard and snaps to the side of the sheath to hold it in place. Which I'm sure is a bit more involved than say a pouch sheath, but I'd rather not do a pouch sheath if that's possible with my ability level.
 
Well took the handle up to it's final finish. Not the greatest of pics, I just ripped the tape off and hit the blade with some acetone to get some of the glue from the tape off. Once it's fully done (sharpened, all pretty, etc.) Then I'll take a bunch more pics and with a little better dressing up. This was just a quick set it up and snap 2 pictures of it deal.

Only thing left to do I think is sharpen it (which I'm kinda nervous about). Still not sure what the best way to go about it is. Anyway here are the home stretch pics :D

almostthere.jpg

lamostthere1.jpg
 
Forgot to take a spine shot so snapped a quick one. The angle makes it look like the handle near the ricasso is thicker on one side than the other. I think I was just a bit off center but when you're centered behind it, it doesn't look like like the pic shows.

spine.jpg
 
I just sharpened mine on a 1X30 belt grinder to rough in the edge then went to work with the stones till the convex edge was gone. Just keep that edge centered and you will be all good. Looks great too, good work it was worth the wait.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah it feels good to get it done, although I was really enjoying working on it so it's kind of a bitter sweet ending :). The handle work especially I enjoyed.

I still have to go about making a sheath, which is something I know ZERO about. So I'll have to get some leather and the working tools for that. I don't have a Tandy or any leather places nearby afaik, so I'll have to order everything online. No clue what to get yet but that will come with time I guess.

I owe a HUGE THANK YOU to Stacy for everything he has done with this. As well as to everyone who has chimed in from the beginning and anyone else who has helped me out with questions along the way. The whole success of this project has been a combination of all of that.
 
I'm proud of you ,Matt. That is a first rate knife.

I know you are a bit obsessive, and would freak out if the blade got scratched in sharpening, so tape the blade up all but the last 1/4" before the edge. That way if the knife slips, or you set it on the stone/belt wrong, all us not ruined. Put several layers on.
 
bladsmth said:
I'm proud of you ,Matt. That is a first rate knife.

I know you are a bit obsessive, and would freak out if the blade got scratched in sharpening, so tape the blade up all but the last 1/4" before the edge. That way if the knife slips, or you set it on the stone/belt wrong, all us not ruined. Put several layers on.
Click to expand...

I'm way ahead of you on that one, already planned on it :D. You should've seen how many layers I had to get off the blade when I did the handle.

Had this project not gone down the way it did, honestly, I probably wouldn't have been AS obsessive (well, maybe close :p). But since you got me started in the whole project, with everything you did with material, HT, etc. I didn't want you to feel like you wasted everything to a lost cause. Plus I had this big ongoing WIP I wanted to try and put together something that actually looked decent so anyone who managed to stay with the whole thing didn't say to themselves..."Oh, well... that's not bad :rolleyes:" I'd be like watching an interesting movie with a horrible ending and you realize you wasted 2 hours watching it.
 
Fletch Helical said:
I'd be like watching an interesting movie with a horrible ending and you realize you wasted 2 hours watching it.
Click to expand...


haha. There was a post a while back that I got a good laugh out of...and now I can't find it. But basically, the guy said if he messed up his LONG on-going knife at the last minute it would be akin to having the best night of your life with one of the hottest girls on the planet, then when you go home to cement the deal you find out she's a man! LOL The way he put it was much funnier but you get the idea :)

Hang in there though, you're about finished!
 
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