Wanting to make a set of gifts knifes. Ideas please

R

Robert L Sr

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Jul 9, 2015
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Ok, I finally have some 1084 from NJSB. Pretty excited about that. My days of file knives are over (for now anyway as my wife likes the little file teeth on her knives).
My question is, I would like to make a semi matching set of knives for the guys in the family for Christmas. This kind of serves two purposes. 1: I get some more experience and 2: I get to use actual steel that is new and properly annealed. Exciting times.
What would be a good, simple but fashionable knife for a relative beginner to tackle?
Keep in mind I will be filing these by hand on Arron Gs slightly modified jig.
I was thinking a nice drop point hunter but am open to suggestions from the more experienced of the crowd.
Thanks
 
Drop point hunter would be my vote as well. That or a larger camp type knife if I'm correct in assuming you got 1/8 (.125) stock?
 
I believe I ordered .156 x 1.5 as they were out of .125 at the time. I am hoping that it will be ok, especially with me having to hand file them all.
 
I too think you can't go wrong with a drop point style. The .156 will be way over thickness unless you are going to a very large knife. I sugest you put that aside and try another supplier. did you try Alpha Knife Supply? they usually have some on hand. My best on your project !
Frank.
 
Ok here is the first drawing. What do you guys think?
drop%20point.jpg
 
Hand filed right?
Go to the top for a FFG to a zero edge and you can makes a stout EDC camp Hunter.

No Jimping?
 
I have never done jimping. How is it done? I have seen it and all the ones I have seen appear to be square teeth. I can't think of how to do that except for the slotting saw on my mill.
 
Robert L Sr said:
I have never done jimping. How is it done? I have seen it and all the ones I have seen appear to be square teeth. I can't think of how to do that except for the slotting saw on my mill.
Click to expand...

Checkering file from Brownells. If you wanted to do bigger jumping, like on Becker knives, you could use a small round/chainsaw file.

Handle definitely needs to be at least 4in loing if being used for skinning/gutting. You need to have as much purchase on the handle as possible if things get bloody. A little borax on the hands helps with that too BTW.
 
Longer handle,
same blade shape with a full flat grind,
forget about jimping and filework for now.

Keep it simple and make the flats as perfect as possible. With such thick stock, make sure to use distal taper.
 
Sounds good. I will take the grind all the way up and bring the handle to just over four inches.
Thanks for the advice. Hopefully, I can get started this afternoon.
 
You can't beat that advice. That's what I was going to suggest. In fact I just finished some for my cousin's wedding party.
f135eeb33f42bdefce6c39a3812d4fb3.jpg
 
I like those. They are clean and simple. I do need to get to work on the sheaths as soon as I get some of the grinds done. Very nice. Hope mine look even close to that.
Here is how it is looking so far. The blade measures 3.25" with a 4.25" handle. Why do you guys think of the overall shape? It feels ok in so far as it is a piece of plywood and all but I worry that the handle belly is off a bit.
How far do you guys go modeling? Do you mock up scales as well or just call it good with a profile template?
I have to admit, I am kind of scared to start hacking at metal until I am sure of my design.
Thanks
prototype.jpg
 
I like your design. Simple is good. The only thing I would do is decrease the palm swell some and maybe put 3 pins in the handle instead of two.
 
I think it looks good like it is. If it were me I'd take a little swell out of the handle and taper the butt the other way. When you grip a knife the top of the handle needs to be longer than the bottom. Other than that it looks good!
 
I like what you have.

Like the others said, only change would be three pins and a tad less palm swell. Both those aren't big enough issues to change them if you like it as-is.

Palm swell isn't needed as much on a small knife, as you don't grip it as tight in use, nor are you making forceful cuts. I usually start with a little extra swell ( about like yours) and as I finish the handle it gets reduced to what looks and feels good.




Personal comment, unrelated to your knife - I never understood why it gets called a palm swell, as the fingers go there, not the palm. It is for grip and control by the fingers, not the palm.
 
Thank you for the input, guys. I feel a little more confident in my design. Now for the hard part, hand cutting the blanks.
 
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It's funny as I've now been making knives for about a year I will be doing this same thing for all the men in my families. I gotta make 4 and decided to do folders. Let me preface by saying I'm just a hack beginner and still learning everyday, this is just my opinion and what I do. The only thing that I would do different on your knife is I would change the angle of the butt. I have never made a knife that's longer on the bottom of the handle than the top, to me it makes the knife look flatter. A semi-curved butt that curves towards the fingers is generally what I make. To me it makes the knife look fuller and fits my giant hands well.I too struggle with pin placement and I generally place the pins closer to the narrowest points of the tang, I don't know if it's right or wrong it's just what I do. The only negative feedback on my knives has been regarding pins, so it's probably wrong. Here's an example of the butt area I'm referring to, and you can see the pins are in line with the handle curves.
DC765877-88B0-477D-B965-2E19FD1BBB69_zps3uyceogk.jpg
 
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