opinions on my first knife, WIP

65steve65

65steve65

Joined
Dec 9, 2012
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654
Hey guys, wish I had my WIP pictures but I deleted them and was left with these 2. This is my first knife, and my second knife. I know they look rough, but the first one thus far feels great in hand. OAL is around 9inches. Just wanted to see what you guys though about what I have done so far. All on the first one with a hacksaw and files, second one I used a cutoff wheel (won't do that again lol).

Aldo's 1084 1/8
will have black micarta handles with SS pins and lanyard tube
going for a good general use/camping knife






top one is my first (which I am personally way happier with) bottom is my second one

 
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Both look good; make more!

Did you already heat treat these yet? (Just wondering because I didn't see any pin holes.)
 
no they are not heat treated yet, waiting til I get the funds to send them for HT. Thanks! I have another blank cut out, just waiting to get a grinder and try my hand at that, then make some smaller neck knives
 
I always tell folks to put a little curve in the spine. In this case I will suggest taking some out., They are too curved, and look "bent" in the middle.
 
bladsmth said:
I always tell folks to put a little curve in the spine. In this case I will suggest taking some out., They are too curved, and look "bent" in the middle.
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yeah that one thing I don't like, but I can still modify them some. the top one doesn't look as bent in person but that is one thing I am not happy with
 
One other reason it looks funny is the finger groove is just a semicircle. If you taper the back part of it out into a palm swell instead of the sudden point, it will look and feel better. It looks like you started to do that on the top knife in the two-knife photo. Just finish that transition a bit more.
 
bladsmth said:
One other reason it looks funny is the finger groove is just a semicircle. If you taper the back part of it out into a palm swell instead of the sudden point, it will look and feel better. It looks like you started to do that on the top knife in the two-knife photo. Just finish that transition a bit more.
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that is one thing I was working on in the top pic of the 2 knives, which was my 2nd blank. Very good advice. for some reason when I drew this out it didn't seem to have so much curve, my cardboard proto didn't seem so curved either, but then I transfer it to steel and well I got this, it's comfortable somewhat but would be moreso if I straightened out the spine. thanks for all the help bladsmth, you have been very helpful ever since I designed this a couple months back, so far I am loving knife making
 
I can't tell which is the first and which is the second. Can you flip the bottom pic and re-post it? I really struggle with how a knife looks when it's upside down.

I'm a little confused about how you made the second one (from your description), you used a cut-off on a dremel, angle grinder, or...? The top knife in the bottom pic has an odd plunge. I don't dislike it, I just haven't seen one like it. Is that what you used a cut-off for?

I agree with you and Stacy. I'd grind the bend out of the spine above the ricosso some. Might mean making some other changes, but I'd still do it.

In any case, good for you doing all of that without a grinder. I don't have the time or patience to do that. I admire the tenacity of those that make it happen regardless.

The choil might be a little round, but I'm not well versed on handle design. From my experience buying and collecting knives over the years, I can say that some coils really work, and some don't. That's obvious, but I also know that comfort, at least to my hand, is more often dictated by the scales themselves more than the shape of the tang. You can have the most ergonomically designed tang, put poorly shaped scales on it and it just breaks it. I know, I've done it. ;)
 
Thanks for the kind words! Doing iall by hand was very te consuming, I just woke o I everyday after or for a couple of hours for about a week, I think it will make me appreciate my grinder more once I build it. I wil explain bette once my keyboard quitsacting up


Strigamort said:
I can't tell which is the first and which is the second. Can you flip the bottom pic and re-post it? I really struggle with how a knife looks when it's upside down.

I'm a little confused about how you made the second one (from your description), you used a cut-off on a dremel, angle grinder, or...? The top knife in the bottom pic has an odd plunge. I don't dislike it, I just haven't seen one like it. Is that what you used a cut-off for?

I agree with you and Stacy. I'd grind the bend out of the spine above the ricosso some. Might mean making some other changes, but I'd still do it.

In any case, good for you doing all of that without a grinder. I don't have the time or patience to do that. I admire the tenacity of those that make it happen regardless.

The choil might be a little round, but I'm not well versed on handle design. From my experience buying and collecting knives over the years, I can say that some coils really work, and some don't. That's obvious, but I also know that comfort, at least to my hand, is more often dictated by the scales themselves more than the shape of the tang. You can have the most ergonomically designed tang, put poorly shaped scales on it and it just breaks it. I know, I've done it. ;)
Click to expand...
 
Your doing good, don't go changing them until your sure what your after. You can grind twice and it will still be to thin, narrow ,short. I like them both.
Before the internet, when a guy or kid wanted to make a knife. (become a knifemaker ). they would grab and use whatever they could to make their first knife. Yours look better than any of those I have seen. By some very good makers. Now, heard how their first knife looked. That is a different story.

Well done.

James
 
Steve,
While Stacy makes valid points about the half circle and to a degree about the curve in the spine, it really depends on the end use purpose for that knife. if you are going for a specialized "Drop Point " Skinner that angle of the spine may be just right depending on what you do with the edge side of the blade and what you want it to accomplish?

Don't be afraid to try something different if you feel an inspiration to make and test a certain kind of a knife even if it may look different or funny.. Keep refining these and make more!
 
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