need some design input from y'all khukuri-nuts...

That's seriously neat, Dan.

My only concern might be the transition from the chopping portion of the blade to the "rounding" part of the blade. The corner looks a bit sharp ... and I wondered if it might be vulnerable to chipping if someone's aim was shaky with a hard chop. I wondered about rounding that transition slightly, to strengthen it.

I like the ring guard. The hole in the blade looks neat too, but I've never worked with a tool with such a one. What did it do to the overall chopping efficiency of the knife, to be removing metal at that point? Looks like you may have compensated, by thickening the blade somewhat.

Me, I'd vote for a bit more of a Khuk bend to the blade, though I suspect that a straighter knife would likely sell better, and definitely be more efficient if lashed to a pole for a spear.

This looks really cool. We wants a field report!

t.
 
hadn't really thought about that...it's pretty stout (thick)...and because of the recurve, it's kind of "protected" when chopping the big stuff.

re: the bend

Yeah, I would have liked more of a bend too, but then it starts to become more specialized toward chopping, and less toward thrusting/skinning/etc.


I was concerned the hole in the blade might be a weak point, but so far it has passed all tests include the Uncle-Bill-slap-it-sideways-against-a-log test.

I took it through a 2x4 a couple times with no edge deformation and still able to shave hair...so I got the temper right.



forgot to post specs:


14" overall
20.3 oz.

About a 1.4-1.5 ratio (oz/in)

It will probably feel lighter than it looks, but still heavy enough to do some chopping.
 
woo - neato :) VERY interesting :)

i can promise you, that if you sent me one as the passaround/etc i would use/test/etc as much as you felt comfy with and report with pictures.

that said, it's a pretty nifty interpretation... with my mindset right now (pretty odd if you ask me) *I* would eliminate the entire finger loop near the handle (stress riser potentional; yah yah, cho's are too :p) and make the tip end hole "arrow sized"... i'm annoyed with many WSK types that don't have that as i'd actually TRY to make arrows :> my current interest is atlatls, and that hole might be large enough for use in working with atlatl darts :>

what i LOVE is that the saw is close up, and not where you'd want to grab when using as a draw knife.

i applaud your work on this - i love it.

bladite
 
BrentH said:
Local variant, sorry about pic 1am here.
Decided saw tooth not used enough to bother with.

Steel quality premium requirement.

Bone whacker no probs..:thumbup:



Call this a Kiwi no frills version. Really hankered for a tracker. Read negative feed back. Mostly due to
unnecessary bits & pieces. What is necessary??? A good blade.
Click to expand...

i like that. a lot. reminds me of a nessmuk variant. damn that hollowdweller for showing me/us "mr stripey" :> i want one. damnit.

at least i bought a new axe when i couldn't get a DOTD :>

bladite
 
not2sharp said:
564309modifiedtracker.jpg


Here is the other photo that I was trying to post earlier.

Two other subtile design objectives:

1) The knife point is directly aligned with the handle; making any thrust\penetration that much more efficient.
2) The blade width is used to provide added safety. Although, there is no guard, it would be very hard for your hand to come into contact with an edged surface.

n2s
Click to expand...

dude, is that real? or a "drawing"? wow. i like that too.

bladite
 
bladeskin.jpg


Dan,

I am looking at the distance between the front edge and the rear ring, and it doesn't seem to leave much room to work the secondary cutting/scraping area. If you eliminate the recess and pull the cutting/scraping forward a 1/2-inch, to line up with the top of the ring and the end of the primary chopping edge, you will still have a specialized secondary edge grind - but it would be longer and easier to use. It might even be comfortable enough to eliminate the need for that hole over the sweat spot (I suspect you only put that in because you like Spyderco and are going to surprise us with a folding version of this knife ;) )

n2s
 
:p

actually, spyderco has nothing to do with it. I believe someone here mentioned putting a hole there for an "Ulu-type" action and I liked it. That, and some distal tapering to the blade keeps this out of the "sharpened prybar" category.

I do plan on pushing the draw-knife grind all the way to the ring. Already did that on the second one.

Bladite - thanks for your enthusiasm. You're first on the list. I need to finish a sheath first, though. :eek:


forgot to post this pic:

Balance:

balance.jpg
 
Daniel Koster said:
Bladite - thanks for your enthusiasm. You're first on the list. I need to finish a sheath first, though. :eek:
forgot to post this pic: Balance:
balance.jpg
Click to expand...

sweet :) i definitely can try out all the features while running around "my" woods and trail clearing - got me a new axe to try too, i'd be doing that now, except the phone won't stop ringing, and the daystar came out after 2-3 weeks of mostly grey and rain and flooding ... bicycle wants attention more :)

got a closer close up of the interface/junction between the draw blade and the quarter-rounder? in one of the earlier pix, it looked like a bit of a discontinuity maybe... i'll actually try that out in the attempt to finish arrow like objects, and make a crude bow or something. atlatl is on the list too.

bladite
 
Wow. That is one ugly sunofagun. I love it. Great Job Dan. The guys in the survival section are always talking about this style knife too. The handle is just great. Sweet knife.
 
Daniel Koster said:
Saw position. The blade is 1/4" thick and the sawblade at this thickness is pretty limited use.
Click to expand...

I'm a newb, and don't have a lot of exp using knives in the field, so take this as a simple shot in the dark that might be simply out of ignorance. If the saw part of the blade is too thick to effectively act as a saw wouldn't it make sense to "sharpen" it? Meaning on the back side where the saw is grind a pretty steep angle so it's a more saw-like 1/8 in while not thinning too much of the width of the blade. Am I making any sense?
 
Shoot me an email brokenhallelujah.

tinmaddog - thinning the stock at the sawback would cause binding as you got deeper into the cut. I've actually tapered it the other way, so the saw is just a hair wider - to reduce binding.

I'm still not sure why the sawback is there, myself actually...the best reason I can come up with is "because it's cool". :rolleyes:
 
Daniel Koster said:
.. thinning the stock at the sawback would cause binding as you got deeper into the cut. I've actually tapered it the other way, so the saw is just a hair wider - to reduce binding.
Click to expand...
I was going to suggest that - you might want to try the saw out on some pretty sappy green wood, to see if the tapering's sufficient. Looking at the saw on my SAK, there's a pretty pronounced taper ... and there's always more set in the teeth of a saw intended for green wood than for dry.
 
Daniel Koster said:
I'm still not sure why the sawback is there, myself actually...the best reason I can come up with is "because it's cool". :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

i had a pointer to the tops tracker knife manual - it lists all the parts and what they're for... but only tom brown jr would REALLY show you. he's big on figure 4 traps, and you'd want a "lot" of them in a hurry for survival situs... so being able to make the notch trigger well, fast, and perfect everytime is a good thing. so the saw is more of a super file, than a cutting tool. the very edge of the saw is also useful supposedly to notch/score bone and stuff to precisely snap it.

bladite
 
Really nice work Dan! Great effort. Did you mention the steel type? Any ideas on the sheath?

Thanks for sharing.

Norm
 
Dan, I don't think I've told you before but you have real talent.:thumbup: :D :cool: Anyone that can get clean grind lines like those are talented and especially if they do it freehand!!!!

As to the knife, It's Cool, not my cup of tea but really cool nevertheless!!!!
One thing I do think is that your design will fill a much needed niche.
I've never been fond of the Tracker but your design could grow on me.;) :thumbup: :D :cool:
 
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