time for knife review/critique

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I've been working on these frame handles, I think I've done 6 or so now recently.
On the bench I have 3 more to do for orders

Looking for your comments/criticism/ways to improve/thoughts
What do you guys see that I'm not seeing?
How can I make these better?
proportions? use of materials?
Go ahead, lay it on me....
Here are three different ones I did recently, each one is a challenge due to the nature and variations of stag.

Also I'm still trying to find a right tang width and ferrule match up so they vary instead of being somewhat standard, so this is something I'm working on which will make my life easier on these.

thanks

 

[joedhiggins]

In broad brushes, I like it. Couple of things I don't love.

1: Ferrule to handle matchup. I would machine the entire handle together to prevent this.

2: Handle pins. Not sure if there was a reason for all of the pins, but especially on japanese style kitchen knives with hidden tangs, I don't love the look of pins in most cases. I have never found them necessary for general use kitchen knives.

Now for a overall recommendation for hidden tang kitchen knives with a ferrule. I like to drill out a tang diameter hole in the handle. I generally go with a 1/2 inch hole. I inset a matching dowel with a tang slot cut in. I partially drill a matching hole in the ferrule and leave the dowel proud of the handle material. This gives good surface area for a bond between all pieces. I then machine in the slot for the tang through just the top of the ferrule. I generally do this with an end mill, but files or a jewelers saw also work. The whole handle is glued up with epoxy with the blade in, clamped and the blade is removed. This forms a perfect tang pocket. I then machine the handle as normal and finally epoxy the tang in.

For a sandwich construction like you did here (I only do this with wood generally, not antler), I find that wood glue is FAR better than epoxy for attaching the scales to the central spacer. I love this method, it is fast, easy and looks great. It can be combined with a ferrule as well, But I find that it adds enough time in the construction that you don't save any energy/time as compared to the first option. Instead, I just use some sort of 'bolster' near the top with the central spacer running the whole way through. You get a striking visual effect and it is much quicker than a ferrule.

Overall, the work looks great. Keep it up.

 

[LARRYZ10]

Harbeer, You are forging very nice blades in my opinion and I think that you should be making what you think looks good and is functional. Everyone has an opinion as to what they like t see. Why don't you keep making knives that people like and will use and decide for yourself if you like the way they came together? Your cannot please everyone...so why not please yourself? I have never made a perfect knife and I doubt that anyone else has. Every knife is unique if you are a custom maker and that is what the art is about...at least in my opinion. Keep showing us photos of your hard work. Larry

 

[john april]

i think they look nice and well made, nothing to critique. i personally am not a fan of any forge scale or unfinished areas on a kitchen blade, just my 2 cents.

 

[Willie71]

I agree with Larry. If I was making them, the bolster would be a bit shorter, and the antler longer. I’d also dovetail the joint between the bolster and scale.

 

[Jarrett Fleming]

I don't make kitchen knives so my opinion might not mean much, but it's obvious that you know what you're doing. They all look great and I'd be proud to own any of them. Having your own style/adding your own twist is what custom knives are all about! Unless of course you're making a specific maker's style like Loveless, Scagel, etc.

 

[Drew Riley]

Not really a critique, but a personal aesthetics preference: I'd like to see a different pin configuration for the "bolster". Maybe a 4 pin configuration, one at each corner.

 

[HSC ///]

thanks for the comments,

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Overall, a very nice knife.


The only critiques I would make are:

Stag does not belong on a kitchen knife. It is a great place for bacteria to lodge. It would not be allowed in a commercial kitchen. I know that Grandpa's carving set was stag handled, but he also used one cutting board for everything ... and probably never washed it thoroughly.
For home use, it would be a person's own choice whether to use stag.

The bolster/collar fit is not smooth.

The seax shape doesn't say, "kitchen knife" as much as gently rounding it down would.

I would have made a very slight upward curve to the edge in the last 2" at the tip (like a santoku). A very straight knife has its uses, but a slightly curved blade works on the board better fo me.

As said by others - four pins in wood bolster. Maybe something different in the overall pin arrangement. I would only place one center pin. about 1/3 back on the stag part.