Next knife. Comments please.

KnuckleDownKnives

KnuckleDownKnives

Time to make the doughnuts..
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
1,715
Hi all. Working on a new personal knife. Something to bring with me on the side by side when traveling in the woods. Chopper style balde. What angles are recommended and comments critiques. Thanks.

My research is leaning toward this is W2. It's a very old Nicholson black diamond USA. At least 30 years old.

 
Just to add, it will be flat ground as I only have a flat platen currently. The material is approx 1/4".
 
It it's for chopping specifically I would avoid the narrow waist created by the choil and I guess thumb relief? Thumb relief being unnecessary on a chopper and the narrow profile creating a failure point.
 
kuraki said:
It it's for chopping specifically I would avoid the narrow waist created by the choil and I guess thumb relief? Thumb relief being unnecessary on a chopper and the narrow profile creating a failure point.
Click to expand...

No, not specifically meant for just chopping, just a straight edge.
 
I guess I don't see why the tip is just squared off--I like points on knives...I don't see any issue in going with a flat grind--in fact that's predominately what I do -- I would think about what handle material I was gonna use and consider a bolster to perhaps help with balance on that dude. I can't tell from that pic if that blade is rusted, but if that's heat treat residual, I would think about leaving it black, or maybe cerrokoating it black in the final finishing steps. Your taste may vary :)
 
These comments are honest critiques, and not intended to stop you from finishing this project, but they migh help you change it somewhat:

I would expect that knife to break in half easily at the narrow waist made by the two indents.
Overall shape looks unattractive to me, and it looks like it would be uncomfortable to use. It looks exactly like what it is - a bent file.

What makes it look "off" is that it is 14" long with 8+" of blade and rather narrow.
If it is intended to be a slicer, the curve and shape won't work.
If it is intended to be a chopper the thin blade and handle plus the waist won't work.
If it is intended to be a utility knife, the size is twice what it should be.

Options:
Straighten up the large downward curve of the knife.
Shorten that handle and blade and make something with a 3-4" blade and a 4-4.5" handle.
Straighten it up and make a slicer.
 
Thanks all for the honest replys. I'm having a hard time getting what in my head for this into an actual profile. Part of the learning experience. The handle is about the only part that's actually coming out the way I want. It is a little large, but that is my actual intention and it fits my hand comfortably and I suspect will be even better one I put scales on it. I have ground a point into it and like it much better but it's still not what I want.

 
That looks much better to me, but I will say that as usual Stacy's comments are all point on--and he's a guy you should listen too. If I was making this again and wanted this shape basically, I would definitely leave out the indention on the top line, and just have a steady continual curve all the way into the handle area. As Stacy sort of touched on, with it's dimensions, I don't know what kind of knife it wants to be--as a chopper--well see Stacy's comments...
To be honest I would think about grinding the thing down starting about 1 or 2 inches in FRONT of the ricasso, and creating a stick tang knife from what you have--at least that way you can balance out the dimensions--JMO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top