New knife - Need some design input

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
1,421
Well. I finally convinced myself to "reincarnate" my Krein Bushcraft into a Krein XL Bushcraft. The regular is just a tad too small in blade and handle for me.

Here is my current bushcraft:
IMG_6381.JPG


And here is a pic of an XL above a regular bushcraft in scandi:
Bushcrafts0218-257.jpg


The difference being a 1/2" longer handle, longer blade, and I'm going from A2 to D2. So here is where I need the help: I've got two options to think through:

(A) Should I get a tapered tang? A slight jump in the price, but good weight savings.

(B) What blade length? The regular is around 3.5", the XL is around 4.125"... but, Tom said he could lengthen the blade for me too. So, should I stick with the 4", or move to 4.5" or 5" blade?

I'll be using this as my main fixed blade, as I've been trying to reduce my collection as much as possible. This will be my wilderness/bushcraft EDC, as well as my general camp and canoeing knife. So, when I've got this knife with me, I'll have a SAK or a Leatherman and an ax or a saw.

If this was your choice, what would you go for?

I'm hoping that this will be "the one". I'm parting with a few knives to finance this.

Thoughts, suggestions?
 
I'd go for full flat, tapered tang for balance, 4.125 or 4.5" blade. Those look like very nice knives.
 
I'd go with at least 4.5 on the blade. Tapered tang. Full flat or convex. Can never have enough handle.
 
I think 4.250 blade and skelotize the tang. weight savings and less grinding. If you are getting these water cut - it should only add a little.

I think those knives look hot - and I am not sure (after using a BRKT A2 steel knife) why you are going to D2.



TF
 
Brian Andrews said:
I have to agree with this one.

I also don't see the advantage of D2 over A2. I would definitely select A2 for my own knife.

B
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Curious why A2 over D2? Mines A2 now, and I like it just fine, except I'd like a little higher chromium count to be a little more stain/rust resistant as I'll be using this around lot and wet environments alot.
 
Talfuchre said:
I think 4.250 blade and skelotize the tang. weight savings and less grinding. If you are getting these water cut - it should only add a little.

I think those knives look hot - and I am not sure (after using a BRKT A2 steel knife) why you are going to D2.

TF
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Tom cuts his knives locally. Tom's ultralight tang option is a skeletonized tang (LOTS of holes drilled) and a tapered tang after that.

I just replied to Brian as to my thoughts behind the D2. I've got a TK1 from Tom that's D2, and I've really enjoyed it so far.
 
I'd actually stick with A2 for the larger knife (but that's just me), flat grind, maybe a couple extra holes drilled in the tang to keep it light, 4" blade is probably perfect. It looks like a really great design and Tom makes a greta knife.
 
D2 is great stuff, my customs mades are D2 and if heat treated well it will withstand anything, I would say 5 is about right, and 4.250 is too small, maybe if you want a slighly smaller one, which for canoing might prove useful then I would go for 4.750 as a minimum, if its going to be the main knife that you reach for, as opposed have to stop and open up the leatherman then a slighlty longer blade may prove useful. If you cant slice a loaf of bread then its just not a useful blade IMO (joke).
I would slightly taper the handle and drill a few holes (Not too many), I would aim for the handle and the blade to be equally weighted.
Finally I would put a slighly deeper dip just before the guard, so that you get a better grip if its wet.

I
 
Any other thoughts?

Anyone on why they'd choose A2 over D2?

I think I'm going to go with a 4.5" blade, w/ skeletonized and tapered tang. I'm slightly leaning toward A2.
 
peripatew said:
Any other thoughts?

Anyone on why they'd choose A2 over D2?

I think I'm going to go with a 4.5" blade, w/ skeletonized and tapered tang. I'm slightly leaning toward A2.
Click to expand...

D2 will still stain if not cared for, it is more brittle than A2 and can be a bitch to sharpen ! JMO !!!!;)
 
If I knew the 3.5 was too small I'd have to be looking at the 4.5 as a minimum. For an all round camp / field knife I'd happily push that up to 5. My method of carrying it in a canoe and how much craft knife type use it might get doing neo-bushcraft stuff would be the only limitings factors there for me. I can't remember the last time I carved a chess set or a pair of scissors in the woods so the keep it small for maximal control thing would likely go over my head. I think I prefer excellence at versatility rather than superb singleness of purpose anyway. An egocentric factor is my size. I can carry a 4.5 / 5 using my preferred method and not notice much difference. By contrast my woman is small and light, and a jump from <4 to nearly 5 would be harder for her to assimilate.

Skeleton and tapered tang – not sure how we arrived at that. Tapered tangs sure look more professional but I'm not convinced it would offer me any performance gains on a knife such as we are considering. I'd likely want it simply as a testimony to the craft of the maker and to distance it from the generic slabs on plain bar stock bundles. It's a hand made piece. Get snobby and go for it. Let the maker shine.

Not sure how the skeleton tang thing morphed up from a question about tang taper. I can't answer that because I don't have a predetermined set of rules saying “it is good because it makes the knife lighter”. To my mind the all up weight is secondary to poise and balance. We are considering very different balances because we are considering different lengths. The maker should be optimizing the balance with how much hole he punches through the tang accordingly. Proscription sux. Trust the maker to balance it.

If I had been really enjoying the way Tom delivers his D2 the way you have I'd be reluctant to give it up for an increase in impact performance that I don't need [have saw / chopper] in exchange for less wear resistance. Then there's the differences in resisting corrosion.

As I see it there are only two factors that tend to come up time and again souring people to D2: Some people can't sharpen it properly and blame their shortcomings on the steel. Clearly not a factor for you. Some people can't do a decent heat treat of it causing it to be fragile under ridiculous stress. Ho hum, others manage to do a very good job in that regard and I doubt that's a factor with this maker.

D2 4.5 for the win.
 
Is it just me that is seeing blue question marks instead of pics here? The posts have certainly got me interested in what's going on.

My only thoughts without seeing the blades are I agree go with skeletonizing the tang with drilled holes rather than tapering the tang. A lot less work and far easier to control the balance point this way. Although the taper does look nice.

I'm going with Mike Stewart here for my knowledge on A2 or D2. To paraphrase Mike: 'A2 is tougher than D2 but D2 holds it's edge better.' For me I would go a little thicker with the D2 to ensure toughness and still have a steel that holds a better edge.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

I'm leaning towards the tapered tang to move the balance forward a little for some added "choppability" if need be, as well as to lighten the overall knife, and because this will hopefully be one of my last big purchases (I know we've all said that before!) so I'd like to add to the custom factor.
 
I've never really noticed much of a balance/ weight difference on ~5" knives (my choice for your length dilemma), where tapered tangs fit in. It may be because I like 1/8" thick in my steel of this length (cuts better IMO- although nothing wrong with my NWA forum knife) although I don't know what the thickness on these is.

I would also choose D2 for the steel (and you know and have experience with the makers version of it). I really like the toothy edge on all of mine, and I have never experienced the brittleness that some people report, heck my Outcast has been beaten up pretty well and has not even rolled an edge.

Overall this is your choice but if I was in your shoes (hopefully size 12) that is what I would go for (and red scales!).

Now you'll have to show us when you get it in hand!!
 
Man, this is a hard decision! Right now I'm leaning toward 4.75, as a balance between 4.5 and 5. But, I do have a sweet tk1 from tom that would make a perfect combo blade for a larger knife, which is making me want to lean towards a slightly bigger blade. I don't need it to be a combo, but the knives will match, an the little one wouldn't add much weight or bulk. Ahhh!
 
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