new knife idea prototype...

S

siguy

Joined
Aug 26, 2006
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so the other day i was staring at this piece of steel that wouldn't really fit into any blade/handle shape that i could think of, so i decided to try to figure out a new style...

i came up with what i call the "steel flake". the idea is that it is a very minimalist knife, based on the stone flake that the more abo/primitive guys like to use sometimes instead of a knife. this just takes it up a notch. if i remember correctly, DOC CANADA likes to do things rather primitively...perhaps he could offer some comments?

anyways, onto the blade:

1/8" thick, chisel grind, O1 steel

DSCN6240.jpg


DSCN6243.jpg


first grip style:
DSCN6244.jpg


second grip style:
DSCN6245.jpg


third grip, for whittling. the opposite hand holds the stick, with the thumb on the back of the blade, and guides the blade into the stick.:
DSCN6247.jpg


batonning a short log round:
DSCN6250.jpg


batonning a stick with the help of a wedge:
DSCN6253.jpg


slicing an apple:
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made a hoko style knife with it, including cutting the branch with the blade:
DSCN6255.jpg


overall, i think this style might have potential. the big problems were in slicing the apple (the blade is a tad short, even on a small apple) and trying to use it as a hoko knife (the blade isn't really wide enough to offer a good cutting angle).

i think it might work well for skinning game, based on videos, but i have never skinned anything before so i can't really say.

other than that, i think a regular V grind might be better, over the chisel. the edge is also a tad bit thick on this, making it wedge a little in the apple. i will also say that it made me a little nervous having no handle to keep my hand away from the edge of the blade...

so what do you guys think? does this have any potential of seeing real world use with anyone?
 
That is a great idea. When I saw the first pic, I thought it would make a great hoko, then scrolled down and saw it. Very cool and useful tool. I generally don't like chisel grinds, but I think it would work well on this and would be easy to sharpen on a rock.
 
I think it is neat.

I can also image great gouts of blood as I tried some of your techinques. :)

Kind of a ulu without the upper 3/4s.

Nice.
 
Interesting! My first thought was that the hole was for hafting, though not the way you did it. I envisioned a groove in the stick, allowing more of the blade to show, and perhaps 1/3 of the blade extending beyond the end of the handle. It is true that most flint knives and scrapers were not hafted at all. Have you seen the titanium credit card knives?

Codger
 
"I think this is going to cost a lot less than the Atax"
haha i think you are right on that one, if i ever start making these to sell...this one was very tough to grind though, because it was hard to hold at a low enough angle for the grind without grinding off my finger tips...that might bump the price up a bit...:rolleyes:

"When I saw the first pic, I thought it would make a great hoko"
turns out it didn't work quite as well as i originally thought...but in the future i want this to be a feature. :thumbup:

"I can also image great gouts of blood as I tried some of your techinques.
Kind of a ulu without the upper 3/4s."
the hole really helped alot keeping the knife where i wanted it. i think in the future i might not round out the whole as much, to allow the skin to catch the edge more. i might also try making the hole a little bigger...

my new drafts of the design have it looking more like a mini ulu than this, with a wider blade with a more rounded back...a little like a seashell.

"Interesting! My first thought was that the hole was for hafting, though not the way you did it. I envisioned a groove in the stick, allowing more of the blade to show, and perhaps 1/3 of the blade extending beyond the end of the handle. It is true that most flint knives and scrapers were not hafted at all. Have you seen the titanium credit card knives?"

a good idea...i will have to try that sometime. about the titanium credit card knives: i have now ;) google is my friend. those look like a neat backup knife that is easily stashed...but my idea is more for a frequent use knife for the uber-light/uber simple guys.
 
Neat. I would slip one in my pack in an instant! :thumbup:

Now, how do you sheath it?
 
i was thinking maybe a nice minimalistic kydex rig, or maybe just a leather slip sheath. something small and unobtrusive to keep with the theme of it...

i could see one with sharper edge corners being useful opening boxes etc as an EDC carry...
 
I think it would make a great addition to a PSK with a few modifications for ease in hafting.

Codger 84 (:D) :Interesting! My first thought was that the hole was for hafting, though not the way you did it. I envisioned a groove in the stick, allowing more of the blade to show, and perhaps 1/3 of the blade extending beyond the end of the handle.
Click to expand...

I agree with Codger. A different hafting would make the blade more versatile. Some time back, I experimented with hafting utility knife blades, for a PSK, which worked quite well. I'll see if I can find a picture. Voila:

How the blades were cut down:
ForPhil5.jpg


The sharpened piece of saw blade, hafted:
ForPhil2.jpg


The modified utility blade hafted:
ForPhil1.jpg


The Steel Flake - I like the name! :D Keep us apprised of your experiments - I think they have merit.

Doc
 
I'll admit it. My first thought was WTF? After looking at it though its pretty cool. Very interesting idea.

I remember seeing your idea before also Doc Canada. I like that one also.

KR
 
thanks doc...those are cool little cutters you have...i saw those a while back.
i am trying to think up ways that would make it easy to haft but also easy to use without hafting...like that razor would feel rough in the hand with those edges.
 
I like it, the concept has real potential. In O1 it would make a good steel striker as well. I don't like chisel grinds but I can understand that on a tough to grind piece like this. Mac
 
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