My new knife design

A

Andy Johnston

Joined
Feb 10, 2014
Messages
189
Hey guys. All the feedback on my post asking how to improve designs made me want to draw one up in what little free time I had today. This is what I came up with. I drew a TON of different handle shapes and this is the best one I came up with. I cut it out of some cardboard and held it in my hand while doing other stuff. I like the way it feels in the hand as its comfortable, but I am still unsure about how skinny the handle is near the ricasso. Its comfortable at times, and then suddenly it feels odd. I cant seem to place it. Any and all critisism/critiques are welcome and wanted. Thanks again guys.

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Remember your handle has a variable thickness. You can change the thickness along the handle to fit your hand. Get a piece of soft wood and cut out and shape the handle.
 
I like both blade and handle shape but, to me the handle seems a bit too small. Beefing things up near the ricasso and/or adding a bit more length would help balance things. With the angle at the back you lose a bit of handle real estate.
 
I'm with Boogaloo, I think your ricasso could be a little longer. Right now I'm guessing it's about 1/8 inch. Try stretching it out to 3/8". Visually, it provides a transition from blade to handle.

Your blade design, otherwise, is right on!

Personally, I'm not crazy about the handle, but some guys like them that way. If you hunt, and are used to a traditionally shaped curved wrist on a shotgun buttstock, then you know that the curve helps you control the gun better when shouldering it, compared to a straight English stock, because you get better leverage with your third and fourth fingers. The same goes with knife control.

Instead of shaping the bottom of the handle like an S, try a gentle curve from front to back. Google some pics of Jimmy Lile's, George Herron's, and T.M. Dowell's drop point hunters and you'll get an idea. It will make the handle more graceful in the lines and less chunky, especially toward the back.
 
Looks like it would feel comfortable in the hand .I ,for one ,LIKE the way you've drawn the butt end of the handle .That's where my pinkie would sit . Also ,the small ricasso wont waste valuable blade right where its most useful .Imagine peeling potatoes with a knife with a great big ,long ricasso .
 
I take extra layers of cardboard to build up the handle. A little bit of carving can get it close to final shape.
Or you can use pasteboard (old shoe boxes) and glue it on as scales. Then you can sand it to shape.
Making it wider close to the ricasso might make it feel more natural.
 
I wouldn't change a thing until you make one or a model of one and play with it a bit. its got a nice look to it imho
 
I figure you will want to end up with say 3/16"- 1/4" each side at the thickest area once you sand it to size. Frank
 
I like it. Its simple and clean, and small and easy to make. Most new makers want to make big knives first. They take too long and are harder to sell.

I hate ricasso's. I like the dimensions just like they are. 1/8" is what we strive for for our ricasso's around here. Its a small blade anyway. Once the blade gets to 4", a 4.5" handle is a minimum. Once the blade gets to past 5" I increase that to 5" or more as well.

Nice work.
 
Thanks guys. I'm not a big fan of large knives. They are cool and all, but I am a hunter and fisher so the only practicality big knives have for me are big fillet knives for fish like salmon. Now that I've started making I have noticed myself liking 4 and 5 inch knives more, but 5 still feels a little big to me. 5 inch knives also are a little harder to control when gutting an animal, imho.

On the point of ricasso's, I am also not a huge fan of big ricasso's. It just seems like a big chunk of unused space in the knife to me. I agree when done right a bigger ricasso can had a point of transition, but I have also seen blades where the handle starts almost right after the blade that are Beautiful. I guess my question is, is there a general rule for ricasso's, or is it all a matter of opinion?
 
I like it a lot.
One possible change could be the bottom end of the "butt" has a bit of an angle. Rounding that would give it a more fluend line plus if someone with larger hands would pick it up the angle wouldn'n press in his little finger.
 
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