What do you think?

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Feb 3, 2006
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I wanted to come up with a compact knife that would be just at home in the kitchen as it would be camping/hiking. I thought about going with a full on modified chefs knife but it would be to big for me to lug around. Plus, they don't have the flare that I want. LOL Tell me what you think even if it's a harsh critique. I can take it.

Uses would be camp chores with heavy use like batoning in emergencies only. I usually carry a hawk so I would want this knife to be able to baton in emergencies if I were separated from the hawk. I'm not a fan of batoning as a hobby. Not that there's anything wrong with it. ;) Also, I want it to be good with a cutting board but I'm not sure if it'll do that well until I do a cardboard cut out. Not sure about finger clearance. The grid is 1/4 inch so that puts the blade at 5 3/4 inch and I was thinking 1/8 inch full convex. Sorry about the crappy photo. Bad lighting and a camera phone aren't the best tools of the trade I guess. :)


2011-01-10192106-1.jpg
 
Ulu looking blade, although longer. I like the curve of it. Do you need the point on the top edge or would you round it a bit?
 
I'd put a bit a a finger guard just to keep your index finger from slipping up into the blade. You want to keep it back and shallow so that you can still slice using the back edge of the blade though.
 
I'm partial to finger grooves in hard use blades too. With gloves, cold hands or slippery hands, they help to control the knife a lot.
 
Hey John, would this knife work in 3/32" stock for the tasks I have in mind? I like my knives thin as possible.
 
Ulu looking blade, although longer. I like the curve of it. Do you need the point on the top edge or would you round it a bit?

I've thought about making that straight edge into a curve and rounding that point but the more I look at it the more I like it.
 
Shotgun I like the over all design, but I would round that
pointy part of the top of the spine a bit more, but that
is just me. If you are cutting into frozen meat having that
pointy part of the spine makes me think YUCK if I was using
my hand at all, Now if you are going to use a batton then
no problem. Not that my thoughts really count lol.

I feel 3/32" thickness would work great. That thickness is
my everyday carry knife from kitchen to camp cutting chores.

It is a great slicing thickness.

I have battoned many times with that thickness with no problem too.
Remeber the heatreat is the most important process of the knife steel.
If John, was not making a great knife and doing his heatreat right
John would not have so many fans of his great knives:).

Take care,

Bryan
 
I like what you've come up with Shotgun. That would make an excellent skinning knife and looks like it would do a fine job as a camp food prep blade as well. The only thing I would be concerned with is the curved spine and "back point" in relation to batoning. If you did plan on doing anything other than using it for that type of work only in an emergency, I would wonder how well it would fare.
 
Reminds me of the H.I. Farm knife. I agree with the rounding of the top point.

Just googled it. I guess there are no more original ideas huh? :D Maybe I'll play around with that point a bit. Maybe give it more of a santoku look.
 
I first thought of the HI when I saw this, too. It looks like it would be a good overall camp type blade.
 
Looks like it would make a great slicer and still has enough tip to make it usefull for other things
 
Hi Shotgun -

I pretty much concur with the rest of the comments - neat looking knife.

If you were to baton with it, you would tear up the baton with that point on the front of the spine.

Round that off so you can baton (your own requirement) and I think it would be a great all-around knife.

best regards -

mqqn
 
ShotGun I like the overall design , I say keep everyones ideas in mind but get the knife you want . whats right for you maynot be right for everyone else . I 'm a big wharncliff fan but not eveyone likes them. Ask John to make it and start testing it . You can always make changes if you find a problem . Sometimes changes can be made to the test knife without making a new one like rounding the pointed area that is of concern to some guys .
 
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