Opinions needed please on this little utility knife

Danbo

Danbo

Joined
Nov 28, 1999
Messages
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Just about finished with this one, but I am wondering about the hump on the back of the blade. I put it there on purpose, so that your thumb would be able to put extra leverage into the cut. It does serve the purpose, but not sure if I like the way it looks. I can easily grind the hump part off, so let me know what you all think.
 
It's a little knife, so the extra leverage might be needed. Handle slabs are amboynia burl. Still some finish sanding to do on those, and they already look pretty good. Love that amboynia burl. It even smells good when you're working it.
 
Well....I kind of like the hump BUT I do think it would look better with a smoth spine. Just think about it for a few days. Where did you get that handle material?

Nice job...It has taken me 2 weeks but I have 4 more patterns to cut out ans start a new batch!!! This will be number 6 thru 9 for me......
 
If you take it out, it may make the plunge look funny. If you're intent on changing, perhaps a little filework with carbide burs to soften the transition a bit? Personally, I'd leave it, people will like it, and if you don't, then don't repeat it. :) I've gone ahead and finished more than one that I realized was butt ugly to me.... someone always bought em and thought they were made "just for them".

Danbo, didn't your foto used to look like Stevie? Now you look like Nuge...?? :D
 
I'd leave it just like it is Danbo!
Looks like a serious cutter in a small package.
Bet you could butcher a moose with that thing with no problems at all!
 
Danbo and all,
I had one I was concerned looked off balance but I liked it. A neighbor came in and I gave him a shop tour. That knife was one of the first things that I showed him (it was in the way of others) and he held on to it for the 45 minutes or so that he could stand of my shop talk. All during the time he turned it over and over in his hand. He bought the knife before he left.
If it feels good to you someone will think it's the best they ever had.
Lynn
 
Danbo........

It might look a bit better if the point were
dropped about 3/16" to 1/4" further....

Ponder it for a few days & see if it fits.

Russ
 
Russ, therein lies a little problem. If you look at the first pic, you will see a definite hardening line about half way back from the edge. I can easily grind the hump off, since it's not in the hardened area, but I'd like to stay away from the hardened part. Maybe I'll just grind a teeny bit off the hump and make it look a little less radical in transition.

The handle material was bought from R.W. Wilson.

I could turn the blade shape into sort of a semi-skinner. Hmmmm.
 
I'd leave it. I don't much like the way it looks between that good looking handle and the point but...as already said, how it handles is the most important thing!
 
Danbo, the perfect knife will never be made, you know why?
Because no matter how slick and nice it is, some hoser is gonna have something negative to say about it.
You can't please everyone.
The knife is fine as it is!
You start grinding on it and you're gonna mess it up, I've done it myself!
 
It looks terrible! You're just in luck though, I do run a terrible knife destruction service down here in Bama. For a small fee I'll take that ugly knife and keep it from cluttering up the world of beautiful, custom knives. ;)

I like it, little quirky but neat! Love the handle material and do I see a little hamon action?
 
Yes, the blade is 1084 with a differential heat treat(courtesy of Craig Camerer).
 
Danbo, if you MUUUUST grind on it, I can sort of see that if you smoothed out the hump, you could actually create a nice semi-skinner profile on the spine. Like the others have said, how its handles is the #1 priority.

Oh yeah, its a good excuse to make another knife ... ;) :D Jason.
 
Leave it. It adds function and character to the rest of a very nice looking design and work. It does not look out of place to me and the rise explains itself as for its purpose.

Nice handle work too.

RL
 
Looks good to me, Danbo :)

But hey, if you dont like it, just give it to me. Then in five or six years when you're famous I can tell people "Yeah, that Danbo guy makes swell knives, but he's crazy man.... really, look at this.. he disliked this little beauty so much he just gave it to a schmuck like me" ;) :p

Seriously... I say leave it alone, it looks fine, infact I like it a lot.
 
First off...

damm you got some big hands!!:p

Just spent a few minutes comparing this knife with the one you made me. similar size...small utility knife.

I think it looks good the way it is. I can't visualize the final profile if you were to change things. The thumb ramp is in the right place for this knife.

Glad to see you working on finishing 'em. That burl is gonna look great when you're done.

Looking foward to seeing your new makers mark.
 
Danbo, thats a fine-looking blade style. Leave the hump. Its reminsicent of the Green River pattern. Actually the last knife I made had a balde quite a lot like that one. The only minor criticism I have is the bottom of the ricasso. It looks a little long to me. I would shave a little off it until the blade blends a little more smoothly into the ricasso-end of the handle. Otherwise, that blade is quite attractive, and I'm sure - very functional. Well done!
 
Dan, the Randall Alaskan skinner has a somewhat similar hump and alot of people find it very useful.
I say leave it as you first envisioned it.
 
The spine shape was the first thing that I liked about it. Functional and stylish. A knife designed by a committee would be one ugly s.o.b. Follow your instincts. It will either be good, bad, or in between, but it will be yours. My opinion only. Worth no more or less than any others.:D

Steve Ferguson
 
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