Stuck need ideas/inspiration

cbr900son · Mar 9, 2011

So I was at work and doodling some freehand outlines for knives and this one jumped out at me and i really liked it! So now i got my blank cut and smothing things out and thinking of handle layout and too many ideas are running thru my head now and now im completely lost. Acid etch grey maybe black handle and do a taticla theme or 30-45 degree slanted bolsters with nice wood or just wood with some spacers etc. Anyways i suddenly can't picture the knife as a finished peice

So being a hobbyist and enjoying my day off working on this I decided ask the pros (or people who know alot more then me) Been looking at pics etc for inspiration but just not there. Let me know what u think or any ideas u might have for it

Hankins · Mar 9, 2011

If you want Tacticool I would do a Chisel grind with Black G10 or Ebony
416SS bolsters and SS pins

Kevin Jones · Mar 9, 2011

From your post I assume you are new to knifemaking?
In any case you are off to a good start with nice design/overall profile.

I would keep it simple to insure your best possible execution. A medium grade ironwood slanted for bolsters and a hand sanded 400 grit blade finish could produce a nice knife that's not beyond the skills of someone whose just starting out. You could even use mosaic pins if you wanted to jazz it up a bit.

As handle shaping is usually the most difficult task for a new maker to master, I would take my time practicing on scrap stock first. When you come up with a shape that you are satisfied with from a look and feel perspectives (a prototype) then model your ironwood after it.

Just ideas, hope it helps. Good luck and give us a look-see when finished.

cbr900son · Mar 9, 2011

Kevin Jones said:
From your post I assume you are new to knifemaking?
In any case you are off to a good start with nice design/overall profile.

I would keep it simple to insure your best possible execution. A medium grade ironwood slanted for bolsters and a hand sanded 400 grit blade finish could produce a nice knife that's not beyond the skills of someone whose just starting out. You could even use mosaic pins if you wanted to jazz it up a bit.

As handle shaping is usually the most difficult task for a new maker to master, I would take my time practicing on scrap stock first. When you come up with a shape that you are satisfied with from a look and feel perspectives (a prototype) then model your ironwood after it.

Just ideas, hope it helps. Good luck and give us a look-see when finished.

Thanks for the suggestions and yes I am new

This is my second knife and my first is actually out to be heat treated so havn't totally finished 1 yet. Been spending aton of time equipping my shop with a few extras for knife mak
ing and reading and researching aton and saving all kind of pics for ideas!
As for the style. I am really inspired by alot of the knives with that "flow" Straight edges seem a little out of place on most knives to me even tho i do think it is a must for certain styles. I also tend to prefer fixed vs folders. Not sure why just do.

Kevin Jones · Mar 9, 2011

cbr900son said:
Thanks for the suggestions and yes I am new This is my second knife and my first is actually out to be heat treated so havn't totally finished 1 yet. Been spending aton of time equipping my shop with a few extras for knife mak
ing and reading and researching aton and saving all kind of pics for ideas!
As for the style. I am really inspired by alot of the knives with that "flow" Straight edges seem a little out of place on most knives to me even tho i do think it is a must for certain styles. I also tend to prefer fixed vs folders. Not sure why just do.

Hanging around here is a great place to start.
The knifemaker's sub-forum will be especially valuable to you.

I would suggest attending the Blade Show in Atlanta as well (June 10-12) if you can swing it. Literally seeing and examining 1000's of maker's knives can really help you develop your own style and technique and help shave a lot of time off your learning curb.

cbr900son · Mar 10, 2011

Kevin Jones said:
Hanging around here is a great place to start.
The knifemaker's sub-forum will be especially valuable to you.

I would suggest attending the Blade Show in Atlanta as well (June 10-12) if you can swing it. Literally seeing and examining 1000's of maker's knives can really help you develop your own style and technique and help shave a lot of time off your learning curb.

Thats awesome! Could make a nice little weekend get away and be around something I love doing! Do you think it would it be bad manners to bring my best knife i've made up to that point and have people criticize it so i can learn more?
As far as learning. Ive joined a few different forums and been reading tons every day and there always seems to be some good advice i pick up. Also have bought a few good books etc to learn some basics and as guides also.

Kevin Jones · Mar 10, 2011

cbr900son said:
Thats awesome! Could make a nice little weekend get away and be around something I love doing! Do you think it would it be bad manners to bring my best knife i've made up to that point and have people criticize it so i can learn more? As far as learning. Ive joined a few different forums and been reading tons every day and there always seems to be some good advice i pick up. Also have bought a few good books etc to learn some basics and as guides also.

Not bad manners at all. In fact, there's probably no better place to find more knowledgeable and helpful knifemakers and collectors to honestly critique your knives. I would bring pen and paper to make notes. Notice above I said knifemakers and collectors. At the end of the day, it's collectors who buy the knives and whether you plan to sell your knives or not, experienced collectors can be a valuable source of information/advice for knifemakers.

I would look at attending knife shows, hammer-ins and seminars as an investment in your knifemaking future just like buying a piece of equipment.
Again, this is the sort of thing that can help take years off a novice knifemaker's learning curve as opposed to being anchored to your shop utilizing the trial & error method.

As a cautionary note and though I know it's not your intension; it is not only bad manners, but strongly against the rules for a knifemaker who has not purchased a show table to offer knives for sale either in the show hall or on hotel property. Not that it isn't done.

cbr900son · Mar 10, 2011

Kevin Jones said:
Not bad manners at all. In fact, there's probably no better place to find more knowledgeable and helpful knifemakers and collectors to honestly critique your knives. I would bring pen and paper to make notes. Notice above I said knifemakers and collectors. At the end of the day, it's collectors who buy the knives and whether you plan to sell your knives or not, experienced collectors can be a valuable source of information/advice for knifemakers.

I would look at attending knife shows, hammer-ins and seminars as an investment in your knifemaking future just like buying a piece of equipment.
Again, this is the sort of thing that can help take years off a novice knifemaker's learning curve as opposed to being anchored to your shop utilizing the trial & error method.

As a cautionary note and though I know it's not your intension; it is not only bad manners, but strongly against the rules for a knifemaker who has not purchased a show table to offer knives for sale either in the show hall or on hotel property. Not that it isn't done.

No i make knives for fun. I dont really plan on doing for a profit. I just want to be better at my hobby and didnt want to be rude and offend anyone since i am kind of new to the knife scene. Thanks for the advice tho i appreciate it!