Newbie (knife designer..) here..introducing myself.

G

guiri

Joined
Aug 15, 2010
Messages
67
Hi guys,

I thought I'd introduce myself before asking my question and at the same time, maybe you can tell me if this is the best place to ask.

In 1993, for some reason, I started drawing knives. I've always liked knives and got all the Knives books (You know, knives 85, 86, 87, etc).

Well, this came easy to me and I'd whip up the basic shape in just a few moments and wound up doing around 100 or so knives in different variations.

I even flew to Orlando in 96 to go to one of the knife shows and see a few of the makers. Mind you, I went there for other reasons too but thought I'd look into the show and man, am I glad I didn't have any money left or I would have bought it all.

I also wrote an article that was published in what I recall as being Knives Illustrated on how to design knives. My guess would be that it happened in 1993 (If someone should happen to find that issue, I would very much like to either buy it or get a scan of my article and it was written under my name, Georgi Penev). I've moved since (from Europe) and lost the magazine which sucks. However, just a few days ago, I found my old drawings and the reason I'm here is to ask if this is a good place to look for makers to make my knives?

I probably don't have enough money to commission any knives but maybe some kind of partner ship where I would get the design credit. I have simple knives, fantasy knives, throwers (of which I would like some made for myself) and even an ax or two if I can find that one. Also a couple of machetes and kukris.

Anyway, I welcome all comments and if this is the right place to do this, I'll post a separate thread.

Thanks

George
 
Hi George, you found the right place and may find someone who might do so mething with you. I'm still very new as a maker so I'm basically out. But since you seem like you have a fairly artistic streak in you why not try your hand at making a knife on your own? You seem like you van clearly design one on paper why not give it a shot bringing it to life?
 
Hi Fletch,

Trust me when I say this, I couldn't make a DECENT looking knife to save my life. We have different talents. I talked to a knife maker years ago who's name I won't mention. Makes beautiful knives but like he said, his favorite design took him two years to come up with. On the other hand, I used to draw them in minutes but couldn't make one.

By the way, like most things I do or did, I'm pretty sure I've lost my "touch" so to speak so when I say I have some designs I'd like to work on someone with, I'm talking about stuff I've already drawn years ago. Chances are I can't really do it again. Not sure since I haven't tried but it's pretty much like my photography. I was good, stopped and now I think I suck. Oh well...I was also slim once :)

George
 
Thanks. I didn't stop liking knives, I just got out of being more into it than I was and, I'm sure I've lost all my knives books too. Sucks to move from country to country :(

I don't know what it is but I've got this thing for knives and I want to buy'em all but yeah, I'm sure I'm not the only one in here :)
 
Just a bit of advise from one who deals with design and production every day. There is a vast difference between drawing up what looks good on paper ,and what works in 3D metal. I have people bring me their jewelry designs all the time ,which they have drawn in great detail, and have to point out that they either can't be made, or would be a very poor piece of jewelry.

When you study any design field, one of the first things you learn is how the actual work is done....and how the items actually operate. Yes, engineering and manufacturing...........Why?, because you will be designing things to be built, and someone has to build them. A large part of transferring things from concept drawings is the re-working into practical objects that can be built. You don't ever have to build one, but you need to know how it is done.

I would suggest you read all the stickies, and as many tutorials as possible. Get a basic knife making book or two and read them ,also. This may give you an understanding of ergonomics, center of thrust , balance, center of effort, heat treatment, etc.

On a similar note with an old memory,when I was in high school, I had a friend who was a geek like me. We spent hours designing rockets, and then designing landing systems. We made a lot of mock-ups and models, but besides model rockets that shoot up and parachute down, it was all on paper. We went our separate ways after graduation. I met him years later and asked what he was doing. He worked for NASA, and had been on the design team for the Mars Project. He said he had learned in college what was wrong with all our designs, and re-worked them until one was right. IIRC, it was the idea of packing the payload in beach balls to make it bounce. We had drawn up a similar technique to protect an egg on a 30 foot drop contest.
 
I like the story :)

Well, the way I thought I'd proceed is to find people that are interested, see if they like any of my simple drawings and take it from there. So, they don't work in 3D, we skip the idea.

It's merely for fun anyway and getting your ideas made up. I'm not here for riches or anything. Some designs will work and some, I'm sure, will not. No biggie for me and it should be clear fairly early to the maker if it'll work for him or not.

My intention is NOT to tell the maker EXACTLY how to make it, what steel or treatment to use but simply to provide a design idea and if necessary, develop it further so it works for him or, so it's possible to make at all.

Whatchathink?
 
If you are not in it for the money.... why not post a bunch of your designs and let all the hobbyist makers have a go at them if they want.

Id love to see some designs personally.
 
guiri said:
I like the story :)

Well, the way I thought I'd proceed is to find people that are interested, see if they like any of my simple drawings and take it from there. So, they don't work in 3D, we skip the idea.

It's merely for fun anyway and getting your ideas made up. I'm not here for riches or anything. Some designs will work and some, I'm sure, will not. No biggie for me and it should be clear fairly early to the maker if it'll work for him or not.

My intention is NOT to tell the maker EXACTLY how to make it, what steel or treatment to use but simply to provide a design idea and if necessary, develop it further so it works for him or, so it's possible to make at all.

Whatchathink?
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As usual...Stacy stated everything correctly. I would add something. you have the passion and the creative mind guiri.
With these two attributes you can create for yourself. It will take a lot of time, some money and loads of contacts and energy but I bet you would enjoy the creating side as you do the design side. I take a firm stance on the notion that if an individual appreciates beauty in art, whether it be woodworking, painting , sculpting or knifemaking then that person has the capacity to learn the art. I'd take a "My Fair Lady" bet on that anytime.
E-mail me offline from my web page if you would do me the favor. I am stuck on a design for a hawk that I have in mind.
Dean
 
Emphasiski said:
I second this.
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Third! I like making them, I just started a couple more today. My biggest problem is lack of imagination. I can't draw a straight line(or grind one, yet) so my drawings all look like my 8 year old drew them. Correction, my eight year old can draw better. I'd love to have a bunch of drawings to work from and then see how it turns out.
 
Hey there. Well I've made quite a few knives over the years, and have had plenty of people ask me to teach them. One thing a blade maker has to have in his/her head is functional art. If it don't look like it will work, most times it won't. But back to teaching. I would start out by askin if the person could draw a knife style he/she liked. 75% could. Then I asked (after showing them how a belt grinder works) Can you make your drawing out of wood? =3D 40% could. Then I asked if they wanted to try the much more dangerous high speed grinders, polishers, sanders, hours of being in a 100 deg. shop all day and doing it with sharp steel, 5% could. So out of the 100 or so people that asked me if I could show them how to make a blade, only 4-5 could. But most all could draw. In fact I make my knives by drawing one on a piece of steel, and start cuting the blank out. (starting point) But you still have to sculpt the steel by forgeing, or stock removal. MY point. If you can draw.! Can you sculpt the samething out of metal? Then, heat treat, polish, temper, cut wood, sharpin edge, make sheath, its a long list. The names I see on blades made by big companys are long established knifemakers. So try to make one of your drawings. It just may make ya famous. Enjoy. edgy :thumbup:
 
I don't mind posting some. Anything in particular yall want to see?

All I'm asking is that IF you guys make'em and you put your mark or stamp/credits or whatever, I want in/my name on there as the designer.

I know knife making in small quantities isn't a big money making business which is why I don't expect money out of this, however, I would ask that IF someone goes big time with one of my designs, that they cut me in at some point.

IF someone has a particular knife they need help with, feel free to scan it and e mail me and I'll see if I can fix it. Like I said, I haven't draw anything since around 95 or so, so I have no idea what'll happen if I tried. Most or all of these knives are from 93 according to the drawings as some are dated and most are numbered.

George
 
I get this all the time. People that are good at something feel that because THEY can do it, everyone else can too which is NOT the case. I simply do NOT have the patience to make stuff look nice. All the piddly stuff drives me nuts AND, I don't much enjoy making stuff either. Had it not been for the fact that I used to be able to draw the knives/shapes/outlines or whatever you want to call them in mere minutes, I wouldn't have made it past the first couple of designs. NO patience :)

I would LOVE to be able to make furniture though. Furniture with bunch of drawers like the one on Deans website. Man, I would kill to be able to sit at home and just make stuff but again, that ain't gonna happen.

I usually ask people when they tell me I can do something..would you be able to learn several languages and most of them go hell no, I can barely speak English.

Well, I am fluent in four and to ME, that comes easy. Math, programming, making stuff with my hands...not so much :)
 
bladsmth said:
Just a bit of advise from one who deals with design and production every day. There is a vast difference between drawing up what looks good on paper ,and what works in 3D metal.
Click to expand...

I think I forgot to address this.

Since I'm not an artist as in knowing how to draw, especially 3D, it was never my goal to draw something like a finished product. Mind you, to start with, it was never the intention of making ANYTHING that would at some point be turned into a real knife, I just sat and piddled with it for fun for some time and then afterwards thought of maybe having a few made.

Anyway, when doing this and possibly thinking that they could one day be made, the whole idea was for me to provide the shape or outline so to speak, with perhaps a bit of detail in the handle and then let whoever was interested suggest changes such as dimensional shape, handle material, type of edge and so on since I had no knowledge about that.

I also found one of the pages for the article that I'll go ahead and scan for you guys to see. The idea is really simple, and I think someone here mentioned the same thing. You take something you like and try to either develop it further or use the same section (such as the handle) and then try different blade profiles/shapes on it.
 
guiri said:
I don't mind posting some. Anything in particular yall want to see?

All I'm asking is that IF you guys make'em and you put your mark or stamp/credits or whatever, I want in/my name on there as the designer.

I know knife making in small quantities isn't a big money making business which is why I don't expect money out of this, however, I would ask that IF someone goes big time with one of my designs, that they cut me in at some point.

IF someone has a particular knife they need help with, feel free to scan it and e mail me and I'll see if I can fix it. Like I said, I haven't draw anything since around 95 or so, so I have no idea what'll happen if I tried. Most or all of these knives are from 93 according to the drawings as some are dated and most are numbered.

George
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Hi again Guiri. I don't think you will have much luck having a bladesmith/maker puting your name on the work they have done because you are the designer. Or as you have put it in other notes "I'm not looking for anything out of it" Making a drawing of a knife can take a minute. a knife hours, and labor intensive, and has the cost of the steel, grinders, buffers, files, forge, well a long list. and expensive. Its not like drawing say clothing, where you have your set patterns, and sew it, and trim it. Once you go one way with a blade, its going to keep going in that direction, you can't put anything back thats removed. So fixing it on paper won't work. Knife companys use the names of established *Makers* as they allready know! what works. I would think if you want your name on knifes? send them in to Large makers,(Big companys) that may!! have an art department. The only other way is having a friend do one for you, and if you want your name on it? just like any maker if He/She makes the knife, You Pay for the labor & knife. Here is an example I was telling you about, where I draw a knife on steel, then cut it out to shape, then the work starts. But to be honest, if you want your name on a knife? either you pay for it, or make it yourself. Or have a friend thats willing to put your name on their work. Try making them, its art, and drawing in 3D. Be a sculptor. Well here is how most everyone I know makes the start of how their blades are going to work, and look. And what function they will be able to do. I hope this helps you. edgy
 

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THanks, well, it does help as it does answer questions. If it's not doable, that's ok too. Like I said, I was curious if such a partnership could happen and if not, that's ok too. Nothing's changed. I still love knives and looking at them. Matter of fact, I just saw one of the best looking knives I've seen in another thread and if I had the money, I would have bought it without thinking. Hell, I've paid more for LESS so to speak but alas, money is short.

I WAS going to have some money but things didn't work out that way. Too bad 'cause I would have commissioned a few knives.

As for me making one, sure, I could make one but nothing that would look good which is what I want. A good looking knife.

Again, thanks for the straight answers and I plan on sticking around and looking at knives anyway :)

Love's me some knives :)

George
 
Might be interested in doing a collaberation with you if the design is do-able and exceptional. Design credit will be yours and published with any knife pics Etc. Email or PM me
Would be nice to know who we are dealing with so please take the time to fill in your Profile Etc
 
Incoming PM or rather, e mail. I didn't find a pm option which is prolly due to me being too new around here.

Also, I've updated my profile :)

Gonna go look at your stuff to see what kind of knives you make and hey, if I don't have anything you like, that's ok too. I'm just glad you showed interest :)

Oh, and I like the logo

George
 
Hi George. Why don't you Post something? It took me 11 mins. last night to make these, and put in steels that would work, length, quenchs, handle materals, thickness, ect, and the knife ideas as well. post some as I will here. Try it out. You may have interest in your work? edgy. :thumbup:
 

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