Seven Devils Bowie ~ Mike Williams MS

[Don Hanson III]

Well Buddy, I don't like to critique another makers work in public. But since I opened my big mouth, I feel compelled to answer

IMHO, the "golden mean" would help the look of this knife. Really, just a smaller guard would make all the difference to my eye, but a slightly longer and slightly narrower handle would balance it better.

IMHO, the size, color and shape of this guard stops the flow in this piece, a guard should be an accent and not so much a dominate feature. I've been guilty of this in the past too.

I strive for proportion, balance and flow in every knife I make and it is the first thing that catches my eye when looking at all knives. You take great photos but in this case, I would probably like this knife more, if I were to see it in person.

Hope I'm not out of line here

 

[HTMD]

Hope I'm not out of line here

Not out of line at all, Don. (Feel free to quit worrying about offending me. I'm really not sensitive that way.)

Actually, though I'm happy with the knife as is, I'm also glad that it stimulated some discussion on the general topic of knife design and proportion, flow etc. In fact, I don't disagree that the knife might be even more appealing if the guard was smaller (and the handle a little longer).

What I'm really interested in is the 'golden mean' idea. It's widely taught in art classes and schools, often applied in architecture, photography, graphic design and the visual arts in general. And it has a lot of historical significance (Leonardo Da Vinci). But you don't hear much about it in the knife world. Bill Moran was big on it, especially the relationship of the golden mean ratio to the so-called "French curve."

I'm not suggesting the golden mean should govern all knife designs, not at all. However, when I see a knife that I think is truly ugly or not very pleasing to my eye - I find that it's design and proportions are way far off from the golden mean ratio. Mike's Seven Devils Bowie is not really that far off, in the grand scheme of things.

I get that there will never be universal agreement about what "flow" is etc. And agreement or concensus is definitely not my agenda. However, the human brain and its visual component does have some definite preferences. Some of these involve important shapes and lines that have to do with survival (picking the predator out of dense jungle foliage). Others seem to be related to experiences of pleasure (the curves of a woman's body). And, so on. I'm curious about how all of this might (or might not) apply to knives.

So that's why I appreciate your observations and don't experience them as critical or negative.

 

[Kevin Jones]

In my opinion, we can all learn and benefit from the proper critiquing of knives posted here.
I seems some here have never seen a knife they didn't like and there are others (including myself) that will usually just not comment on a knife they don't care for. Nothing learned from either.

Sometimes, the maker and owner benefit the most (long term) from honest and properly communicated critique.

Here, Don made some good points in a very respectful and non-combative way, Buddy gracefully accepted Don's critique and made good point of his own creating very good discussion and some learned about proportion and the "golden mean". Everyone wins. :thumbup:

 

[Don Hanson III]

Well said, Kevin. Civilized critique/debate is a good thing and we need more of it here One of the other knife forums is too much 'At-a-boys' and no 'Ah-shits'

Buddy, I have never used the 'golden mean' and don't know of any makers using it. I would be very interested in hearing from any who do and looking at their work.

I just keep messing with a knife until it looks right. Oh, I have made some ugly suckers but I am getting better