Weird proportions in a Jet-Aer Buck 110 knockoff

[AreBeeBee]

(Mods: I'm posting this here in Traditionals because it's more about Jet-Aer than Buck, but if you want to move it to the Buck forum, I have no objection.)

I recently picked up a G-96 brand model 961 lockback folding hunter marketed by Jet-Aer Corp. from the big auction site we all know. I got it in part because of the spear point blade it has, which I (and many others) wish Buck would make available for its 110 (and 112) lockbacks.

When it arrived, I was struck immediately by the awkward proportions between the blade and handle. Yep, that's a nice spear point — but what a skimpy little handle it has! The handle also feels much less solid in your grip than a 110 does.

The images below show the knife compared to a 2-dot 110 and 112, which are of approximately the same vintage (1970s, I'm guessing). That is, these are the Bucks that Jet-Aer was copying or "interpreting" (to be charitable).

No need really for that nail-nick — and you can definitely open this guy one-handed:

So my question is — Is there a sense of proportionality or rightness of appearance that underlies good knife design? Or perhaps we could ask, are there knives that look oddly proportioned but which actually work better than they look?

 

[CoffeeCat2112]

I don't know...I kind of like that. I don't think it looks disproportionate, just different.

 

[puukkoman]

The earlier Buck 110's had thinner handles just like that Jet-Aer. I much prefer them to the newer, fatter 110 handles (in fact, the only 110 I've kept in my possession over the years is a no-dot version with the slim handle). Lighter weight, looks more svelte, feels better in the hand, all that stuff.

 

[black mamba]

I, too, would prefer the more slender handle, but the blade should be more slender as well to balance things out.