The Bruiser!!

N

Neil Blackwood

Joined
Jun 29, 2012
Messages
72
It's been a while since I came up with a new design. Between house moves, shop moves a divorce and a few other things, I've just had no time make one happen. This one has been in my head for a while, itching to come out. My goal with this is a very hard use, overbuilt, flipper style knife that can be used as an impact weapon when closed. The pivot and stop pins are 1/4" with no stop pin slots in the blade. The blade is .160 S35VN, frame .125 Ti. I used 8-32 screws in the frame. Blade length is 3 1/2" from the tip to the choil but it's a big 3 1/2" ;) I ground this first one as a spear point but other shapes and grinds will come soon. The detent ball is .093 and flips easily with Teflon bushings. I'm not a fan of bearings in knives intended for hard use.

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And a SEXAAAAY CF pocket clip!! :D Most will be titanium however........

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A video..........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kscW_xoASz8
 
stabman said:
I like it. :)
What's the blade and overall length?
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It's a bit over 9" OAL. The blade measures 3 1/2" from the top to the front of the choil. It's bigger than my Mini Skirmish model but much smaller overall than my full size Skirmish. This one is very thin and carried easily. Other models with inlays, etc. may be just a bit thicker.
 
I don't think a carbon fiber clip on a "super hard use" knife is a good idea.....CF lacks the abrasion resistance of steel or titanium from what I have seen. The clip really needs to be stout in order to keep from shearing.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I agree. As I mentioned in the post, most will be Titanium. Folks still ask for the CF ones though. I would replace them if they break at N/C but I've not had one come back yet.
 
man is that ever trick!
been seein a lot of tac folders that have no appeal, to me, but this one flips all the right switches.
with that bein said, I generally don't like to see the detente on the tang but I wouldn't kick this one outta bed for eating crackers :)
 
Lorien said:
man is that ever trick!
been seein a lot of tac folders that have no appeal, to me, but this one flips all the right switches.
with that bein said, I generally don't like to see the detente on the tang but I wouldn't kick this one outta bed for eating crackers :)
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Hey!! I put it right smack in the middle of the "V"!! :D That's always been a trade off for more blade to handle ratio. The detent is very visible on my Curr model as well. Some cant stand it, most aren't bothered........ It allows the owner to pick the pocket fuzz out of it without taking it apart!! :D
 
it doesn't bother me much with this knife, because, as you say you've actually designed it into the shape of the handle intentionally.

I've developed a couple dozen folder designs on paper, and I totally know what you mean when it comes to fitting all that stuff into the handle without ending up with an unappealing blade to handle ratio. If you ever wanna try one out, let me know ;)
 
Lorien said:
it doesn't bother me much with this knife, because, as you say you've actually designed it into the shape of the handle intentionally.

I've developed a couple dozen folder designs on paper, and I totally know what you mean when it comes to fitting all that stuff into the handle without ending up with an unappealing blade to handle ratio. If you ever wanna try one out, let me know ;)
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Over the years, I've had many knife designers ask me to build their designs and I've always turned them down. Basically, like the Bruiser, I have my own designs in my head, on paper or in CAD that I never seen to have time to produce. My 6 basic designs have kept me busy for the past 10+ years.
 
Neil Blackwood said:
Over the years, I've had many knife designers ask me to build their designs and I've always turned them down. Basically, like the Bruiser, I have my own designs in my head, on paper or in CAD that I never seen to have time to produce. My 6 basic designs have kept me busy for the past 10+ years.
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actually, I'm more of a knife caricature artist :) But it sounds like I'm in good company!
with that being said, as one of my favourite knife designers, your work has inspired and educated my approach to doing what I do. Whatever that is lol.
 
Lorien said:
actually, I'm more of a knife caricature artist :) But it sounds like I'm in good company!
with that being said, as one of my favourite knife designers, your work has inspired and educated my approach to doing what I do. Whatever that is lol.
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Well, I appreciate that. I'm no artist, I can't even draw a good stick figure. When I get an idea, I like to sketch the handle out on a piece of aluminum sheet metal. That way I can start grinding it away and have some sort of feel for what it will be like in my hand. Sometimes I grab an existing fixed blade template that already has the finger grooves the right size in the right place, just to get started. I always consider the knife will probably be used in a gloved hand and it has to fit, function and hopefully look good at the same time. I'm big on retention and I really don't like knives that have little or none. I try to consider what would happen if the knife was used when it was wet and slippery and apply that to the design. Even my Henchman (which the BM Ruckus is based on) being a sleak and slender knife, has the double finger grooves and built in guard. Once the handle looks and feels right, I trace it on paper, then work on getting the blade shape right, flowing into the handle. I always try to make the blade look bigger than the handle, good blade to handle ratio. That usually means forcing a lot of controlling dimensions at the same time squeezing a backspacer in the design :) This is another reason I never use bearings, they just wont fit in my designs with my 1/4" pivot pins. Then I enter all the important points into CAD and go from there, tweaking everything so it functions. I guess it's sort of reverse engineering, metal, paper, CAD, LOL!!
 
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wow! I really appreciate the insight into how you approach this stuff, thanks for sharing it :)
 
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