Next peice I am going to attempt. Suggestions!!

C

charlesh1028

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Jan 22, 2015
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This is going to be the next knife I am going to attempt. I am going for a skinning type. I know I need to take the grind pretty far up. How Far up? Any suggestions to improve the design of the knife. All is appreciated. Thanks!!
 
I see your question mark by the thumb grooves, I use a hack saw and get them started and evenly spaced then get one of my diamond files and finish them up. doesn't take too awful long and they look decent.

As for your designs, I think you should tilt your handle up some, that looks like it may become uncomfortable.

Take my advice with a couple grains of salt, I am just a newb myself. We are in the same boat sir!
 
I like it. I tend to not like the knives I see with such a drop on the spine at the handle but this one looks cool to me. For some reason the profile just screams 1/4" thick material to me. What are you building it out of?
 
The design is cool, but counter productive for your intended purpose. The handle angle looks like it will require an up tilt in the wrist to expose the blade for skinning. Thats why alot of skinners even have an up swept blade. Ideally, I like my wrist a continued line from my arm for skinning. Not cocked up or down to keep the blade in position.
 
Sandeggo said:
I like it. I tend to not like the knives I see with such a drop on the spine at the handle but this one looks cool to me. For some reason the profile just screams 1/4" thick material to me. What are you building it out of?
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I believe this one I will be using 3/16 or 1/4" steel Thanks For the reply.
 
viral said:
I see your question mark by the thumb grooves, I use a hack saw and get them started and evenly spaced then get one of my diamond files and finish them up. doesn't take too awful long and they look decent.

As for your designs, I think you should tilt your handle up some, that looks like it may become uncomfortable.

Take my advice with a couple grains of salt, I am just a newb myself. We are in the same boat sir!
Click to expand...

LOL Def a newb Thanks for the tip on doing the thumb groves.
 
Skinning knives need a fairly thin and narrow tip so they can be inserted under the skin @ wrist and ankle. They should be small enough to choke up on so when they are in hand inside a body cavity they can be maneuvered with some agility.
When I first started making knives my skinners were huge; for skinning elephants maybe. These days I make them much smaller. If you keep in mind that with a skinning knife, the tip and the first 1 1/2" is where all the work is done I think you end up with a functional knife.

Fred
 
Yes, make it as thin as you dare and grind it bottom to top for a real good skinning knife. As well, raise the back of the handle some. I made many skinners with a drop point style 3 1/2" blade out of 3/32" thick ATS-34. They were very popular at the time. I believe your model will work well. Frank
 
Rethink that handle. Make a mock-up on some scrap and see how it feels. The size and shape of the handle, to me, looks like I'd have my index finger squished and separated by that huge hump from my middle and ring fingers with the pinky hanging out in the air with nothing to do.

Mark
 
Frank Niro said:
Yes, make it as thin as you dare and grind it bottom to top for a real good skinning knife. As well, raise the back of the handle some. I made many skinners with a drop point style 3 1/2" blade out of 3/32" thick ATS-34. They were very popular at the time. I believe your model will work well. Frank
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What angle would you suggest to do this grind at I've never did a grind this high before.
 
I would run with 3/32 or 1/8 thick stock for a skinner. 3/16 is a bit thick and 1/4 is far too thick.
 
charlesh1028 said:
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Ok I moved up the handle and got rid of the massive camel hump on the bottom part lol.
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I'm making something similar, but almost 1/4 inch and it's a cleaver that is larger overall. I can't settle on a handle for the life of me. I keep drawing.....

I like your second handle better. If it were me I'd lose that little notch and just cut it to a full choil up to the handle if that is the right way to say it.
 
The last drawing looks much better. I use a chainsaw file for some thumb grooves if you want them round instead of square.
 
My .02 I like the redo on the handle. Personally I think the blade is too wide (edge to spine) when I skin I tend to lay my finger along the spine of the knife right up to the tip it helps avoid me poking the tip through the hide if I'm trying to save it for tanning or a mount. A thinner blade would allow more control and feel. I'd lose the Spanish notch as well, to me it just seems like it might snag certain things when you're up inside the hide working. Jimping is optional, again most of my skinning keeps my index finger along the spine and to me the jimping is more of a thing you'd put in if the knife was intended to have your thumb on the top like you were using it to sharpen a carpenter pencil or something like that.
 
The last drawing is much better in my opinion. I think you'll find as you make the knife that the first finger radius will be small and it will open up as you work the blade. I use my 2" platen wheel for my handle radii. On some of my designs like my cleavers I'll use my 3/4" small wheel to detail that area and it's still comfortable, but definitely not as comfortable as the 2". I tend to have the bad habit of making every knife fit my hand, and my hands are bigger than most. I say make the knife, whether it ends up being a skinner or not I like it.
 
I have made more changes to the blade compared to the first drawing. I am going to try to use everyone's ideas as far as the design goes. Wish me luck!! :eagerness:
 
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