Six knife designs - your opinions sought

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm

Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
5,757
Here's the link.

  • Deinonychus
    Handy "city knife", stone-washed blade with dark blue G-10 scales and a Kydex sheath.
  • Metro
    Should be a utilitarian design with a tactical look: TiNi coated blade, OD green paper Micarta scales; black leather sheath.
  • Compadre
    Outdoor knife with snakewood handle, satin-finished carbon steel blade, brown leather sheath.
  • Inquisitor
    Sharpened false edge, black linen Micarta scales, nickel silver bolster, sand-blasted blade, black leather sheath. A big bad bowie - 'nuff said.
  • Sequoia
    Large utility/hunter pattern, green G-10, polished blade, black leather sheath.
  • Vendetta
    Tactical design, carbon fiber scales on TiNi-coated steel, CF-pattern Concealex sheath

Input appreciated. If you like/dislike 'em, please state why, constructive feedback is what I'm looking for.
 
If you ever want to sell these designs, get an easier to say knife than the first one. I could pronounce it, but I don't want to say it every time someone asks me what knife I bought from ya. Not too keen on the Metro, like the others except for the big choil.
 
Ok, here's my (not very qualified) opinion.
The handles look a bit thin. I have big hands, and I prefer more hand filling handles, they make it easier to work hard or for a long time. Ergonomics are a very important (sometimes overlooked) part of any knife.
My two favourite designs are the Metro and the Sequoia. The Metro seems like a really nice pocket fixed blade (it might look nicer with a polished blade, but that's just me). The Sequoia blade design seems really strong and useful.
The Inquisitor has too many curves for me. I prefer simpler drop points, and sharpened false edges are not my cup of tea.
By looking at the pictures I can't say much more, since I can't have an idea of the actual size of the knives. Are going to build them or are you just designing right know?
 
Thanks for your comments.

Francis,
I also have rather big hands. What the pics don't show is that I like thick scales that fill one's hand, that's why I usually choose rather slim handle profiles.
As far as the sharpened back edge is concerned, well, I like fighter designs, that's why I put them on many of my designs.

Two designs I drew (I posted one of them in an older thread) are currently being made by German knifemaker Jürgen Schanz for me.

silenthunterstudios,

Deinonychus :)
 
Okay, but use something that people can say easily and are familiar with, like velociraptor, or raptor. Just my two cents.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Okay, but use something that people can say easily and are familiar with, like velociraptor, or raptor. Just my two cents.
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I actually considered calling it Raptor, but then I thought again and remembered that the Dork Ops guys call their backlocks RaptorLoks...
 
The Deinonychus and Metro looked best to me, from a practical use standpoint. Nothing wrong with the other designs, just not for me. Definately need a different name for the Deinonychus.
 
What about Tyrannosaur? Or, if that's still too complicated, why not just call it "Thingy"? :p :D
 
C'mon, man, don't get offended ;). The name is a mouthful anywhere. "Didja get that new dino-dino-deano, that new knife?" Can you give us an update when that custom maker makes one of your designs? I'd like to see it and a review of how it works.
 
Why not something friendly sounding, like The Beak? :D
It looks like a bird beak and it sure would be useful like a beak is to a bird.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
C'mon, man, don't get offended ;).
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Nah, I'm just messin' with you guys. :)

silenthunterstudios said:
C'mon, man, don't get offended ;). The name is a mouthful anywhere. "Didja get that new dino-dino-deano, that new knife?" Can you give us an update when that custom maker makes one of your designs? I'd like to see it and a review of how it works.
Click to expand...

Last weekend I got to see and handle both in an unfinished state, just the basic shape cut out of a blank - I love 'em!

The larger one (substantial guard, sharpened back edge) is my idea of "the perfect fighter". Blade steel is 440C, blade finish will be bead-blasted; black Micarta scales and a Kydex sheath.

The other one is a small, extremely thick - 1/3"(!) of D2 - tanto (I posted that drawing in the other thread). It will be satin-finished with silver G-10 scales, large Torx screws and a black leather sheath.

I'll take a few pictures of them as soon as I receive them.
 
Great work. :cool: I like the Deinonychus and the Metro the best.

Quite a variety of designs. I also appreciate your attention to details in different blade finishes and handle material and color. About the only one of those I'd differ with is the sand blasted blade on the Inquisitor. I'd probably opt for coated instead.
 
It's cool, man, I'm just effing with you too, notice the winking smiley? Is this maker making them just for your use, or are you going to be selling these?
 
Quiet Storm said:
I actually considered calling it Raptor, but then I thought again and remembered that the Dork Ops guys call their backlocks RaptorLoks...
Click to expand...

right... I don't think you really have to worry about that. Market it as the raptor, and if they try to sue, ask to see an example. If their example wasn't stolen or shipped to the wrong place or any number of their customary excuses, you may have a problem... but I really doubt it.

Like others have said, the handles do look a little thin. I realize that you're using thick scales, but you have to be careful there too. It'll be a hard knife to control if the scales are wider side to side than it is front to back. The knife will try to turn to the side.

I like the Vendetta a lot, but I'd lose the tang extention in favor of a more useable butt-cap. You can always put a lanyard hole at the point of the butt-cap.

I think you can do without the tang extention on the Deinonychus too because if you intend it as a "city knife" in a sheath, you really don't need a lanyard to either call attention to it or get caught on something.

The Metro... well, it reminds me of that new Ka-Bar... thing that I absolutely despise.

I like the blade on the Inquisitor a lot, but it could stand to have a little more handle (ro less choil... which ever would work). The handle doesn't look balanced to the blade. If you're going for a blade heavy knife, then it's fine. But I'd rather have a balanced bowie.

Lanyard holes are ok... I can take 'em or leave 'em. If you're using micarta, they'll be grippy enough so you're not too likely to drop it. THe only knife I carry with a lanyard hole at the bottom is an RTAK. I put a lanyard on it once and it lasted about 20 minutes. It kept getting caught on stuff, so I stopped, took out my SAK and cut it off. If you're climbing, they're a good thing, but in a sheath in the woods, they're more likely to get caught on things.

I do like you're designs, this is just what I'd like to see changed.

Keep up to the good work... and make one of them someday and send me one to try :D
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Is this maker making them just for your use, or are you going to be selling these?
Click to expand...

I'm not gonna sell them. He just makes them for me. But if anybody wants to borrow one of these designs to have one made for himself, I'd consider it a big compliment. And no, people don't have to pay me royalties for using my designs. ;) Although I'd like to ask you to order from Jürgen Schanz (in case anyone actually likes my designs enough to have 'em made for himself).

Psychopomp,
thanks for your input, it will certainly be considered except that I won't send you one of these babies. :D
 
Quiet Storm said:
I'm not gonna sell them. He just makes them for me. But if anybody wants to borrow one of these designs to have one made for himself, I'd consider it a big compliment.
Click to expand...

Bladeforums first international knife passaround? Hmmm? :cool:
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Bladeforums first international knife passaround? Hmmm? :cool:
Click to expand...

I was thinking more along the lines of borrowing the sketch, not the actual knife. Sorry, but I'll be damned if I let anyone borrow Jürgen's excellent work, especially my "perfect fighter" which is definitely going to be my favorite knife. :eek:
 
Just added two more designs:

Mercenary
Grey Micarta scales on coated steel, black leather sheath.

Satan
The Spanish notches are most likely not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they are be a nice detail on this fighter. CF scales, satin-finished blade, Kydex sheath.
 
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