- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 318
Hello everyone, first of all a disclaimer: this isn't the end all be all of knife design just what I've found works for me and maybe you'll take something away or have something to add to it.
First I start with how long I want the blade to be and the shape of the edge. I'm drawing a field knife of sorts so I'll make it have about half straight, and half curved.
Next I'll decide how I'm going to transition from the blade to the handle. I'll put a small ricasso and finger guard on this one, maybe for a kitchen knife or a dedicated skinner I would make the ricasso and guard become one in the same. During this step I'll also find the point where I think the middle of my pointer finger will be and make a mark there.
Now take a ruler and line it up with the tip of the blade and the mark you drew with your middle finger, and draw a line back towards where the handle will be. This line is important because depending on where the middle of your handle ends up on that line determines where the tip will point up or down.
Next lay your hand on the paper how you think the handle might lay in your hand and line your ruler up with the bottom of your hand, and then make a line there.
Then make a line parallel to that a little further down so you'll have enough handle and decide how wide you want the butt or your handle to be. I'm making the middle of the butt equidistant from the line but you can raise the tip by lowering the line or vice versa.
Now draw how you want your grip to be from your middle of pointer finger mark to the bottom butt mark. I drew it two different ways. Note not to make the hump too big in the middle or your knife may look like a pregnant guppy.
Next draw the butt of the handle using your marks.
Now draw a continuous curve for the top of the handle to around an inch above the middle of pointer finger mark. This distance is variable, but for this type of knife I want a solid grip. To make the knife more maneuverable your could make it slightly thinner.
Now I lay my hand on the drawing how I might grip the handle and look directly above it, and make a mark at the angle where my finger nail starts to curve. I'll use this as a reference point if I decide to do and jimping, and also my handle usually starts about and inch back from this point.
Now draw the spine of the blade depending on what shape you want.
Next find where your pins will be by find the the equidistant point from the ends and up and down. Then find the the middle between those and center that as well. You can see I also embellished the knife a little with the guard on top of the handle.
I would suggest tracing your pattern on a piece of cardboard and then cutting that out to get a feel for what the knife will be, and making adjustments. Sometimes I'll use some modeling clay(or playdoh if you have kids) on the handle as well. Good luck to you and if anyone's has any more to add that would be really helpful.
First I start with how long I want the blade to be and the shape of the edge. I'm drawing a field knife of sorts so I'll make it have about half straight, and half curved.
Next I'll decide how I'm going to transition from the blade to the handle. I'll put a small ricasso and finger guard on this one, maybe for a kitchen knife or a dedicated skinner I would make the ricasso and guard become one in the same. During this step I'll also find the point where I think the middle of my pointer finger will be and make a mark there.
Now take a ruler and line it up with the tip of the blade and the mark you drew with your middle finger, and draw a line back towards where the handle will be. This line is important because depending on where the middle of your handle ends up on that line determines where the tip will point up or down.
Next lay your hand on the paper how you think the handle might lay in your hand and line your ruler up with the bottom of your hand, and then make a line there.
Then make a line parallel to that a little further down so you'll have enough handle and decide how wide you want the butt or your handle to be. I'm making the middle of the butt equidistant from the line but you can raise the tip by lowering the line or vice versa.
Now draw how you want your grip to be from your middle of pointer finger mark to the bottom butt mark. I drew it two different ways. Note not to make the hump too big in the middle or your knife may look like a pregnant guppy.
Next draw the butt of the handle using your marks.
Now draw a continuous curve for the top of the handle to around an inch above the middle of pointer finger mark. This distance is variable, but for this type of knife I want a solid grip. To make the knife more maneuverable your could make it slightly thinner.
Now I lay my hand on the drawing how I might grip the handle and look directly above it, and make a mark at the angle where my finger nail starts to curve. I'll use this as a reference point if I decide to do and jimping, and also my handle usually starts about and inch back from this point.
Now draw the spine of the blade depending on what shape you want.
Next find where your pins will be by find the the equidistant point from the ends and up and down. Then find the the middle between those and center that as well. You can see I also embellished the knife a little with the guard on top of the handle.
I would suggest tracing your pattern on a piece of cardboard and then cutting that out to get a feel for what the knife will be, and making adjustments. Sometimes I'll use some modeling clay(or playdoh if you have kids) on the handle as well. Good luck to you and if anyone's has any more to add that would be really helpful.
