Noob here--please critique my sketch

T

tommyg805

Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
93
I'm about as new as it gets. Inspired by Gough Custom's tutorial videos and a few lunchtime beers, I decided that today is the day I start. I want to make a versatile 4.5 inch camping/backpacking blade that is 4mm thick and full flat ground. Tell me what works and what doesn't.
QftlA6x.jpg
 
Last edited:
Great! I think that's a really neat looking knife! People much wiser than I will come and give you the real critiques, but I really like the shape! One thing I personally would change is not making the top so round, right now it looks like a half circle, but if that's what you like go for it! 4.5 inches seems short to me, but that's just personal prefrance. What steel do you intend on using? I look forward to seeing the finished product!
 
The curve along the spine was inspired by recent work from Nathan The Machinist.
fHEoX58.jpg

Now that I really look at it I think I overdid it by quite a bit. If my trigonometry/guesstimation skills are up to par, it looks like the spine of Nathan's blade is curved to roughly a 40" radius. I will factor that into my next sketch. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Your welcome! Yea, I like his rounded design a lot, I think if you backed yours off just a bit it will look very nice!
 
Looks good. I might move back that top front portion of the handle scales just a bit. It looks like the scales are out over the cutting edge just slightly which could interfere with slicing in certain circumstances. Probalby would be fine but if you move it back say a 1/4" of an inch it might work better.
 
looking better. Now you should probably get rid of that indention between the front finger groove and the choil. You've kind of got a double choil going.

One thing that really helped me starting out was to try to keep in mind the tools I had to work with when you design your knife. Don't design finger grooves that are different sizes than half round files or small wheels that you have to work with. Same for choils. They'll end up being a major headache and probably won't look that great.
 
Way better! I agree with ridding of the indentation. And at very back of your scales on the bottom part of the knife, you may want to consider rounding that out a bit. Just my two cents
 
mxPxhaT.jpg

Thanks for the encouragement and input everyone. I plan on buying supplies and making a grinding jig this week. In the meantime I'll be refining my sketch until I'm happy with it.
 
Neat! If you can make a good grinding jig, please share...I've been using a filing jig cuz I can't seem to make a good, consistant grinding jig. Good luck! And would you mind if I copied your design, I really like it!
 
Nic. said:
Neat! If you can make a good grinding jig, please share...I've been using a filing jig cuz I can't seem to make a good, consistant grinding jig. Good luck! And would you mind if I copied your design, I really like it!
Click to expand...

Copy away! Post pics when you're done!
 
Nic. said:
Neat! If you can make a good grinding jig, please share...I've been using a filing jig cuz I can't seem to make a good, consistant grinding jig. Good luck! And would you mind if I copied your design, I really like it!
Click to expand...

I made a filing jig out of some scrap steel and where most have eye bolts I added a steel play that rides up and down on all thread with bolts to adjust my angle. On top of the steel plat I got a half moon 10 inch bull nose piece of granite for my rod to ride on. I 5 min epoxied this on. This helps in achieving a constant angle yet being able to move your pivot point. You can refine your tip much better. The granite is a must I think. You need something wear resistant but cheap. Hope that helps

If a photo shows up, please excuse the mess and I'm sorry but that was a picture from when it was in the design process.
 

Attachments

  • ImageUploadedByTapatalk1427111955.662538.jpg
    ImageUploadedByTapatalk1427111955.662538.jpg
    52.3 KB · Views: 34
Nothing bad with the last rev. of the design :thumbup:
I bet the 99% of us started with a similar design BTW ;) To make a functional knife, the full height bevel is a good thing, and a thin grind to the edge is the way to go, topped with a microbevel.
If you are doing your heat treatment, eutectoid steels like 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084, will get you a lot of satisfaction.

If you are still in the design tweaking phase, i noticed that the edge belly to the point get straight in the last bit...i would work out a more flowing curve; but this is also a thing you can tweak directly on the real knife when profiling.
 
I like it. In your original drawing you have drawn 2 pins, I would go with 3 pins like Nathan's knives. IMHO
 
Hey Viral, that's neat! It looks a lot like mine, but I'll make those modifications , thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top