What Would You Change About This Pattern?

[redsquid2]

I posted these for sale on BF a while back. IIRC the blue one I barely recovered my cost of materials and the orange one I ended up giving to a friend.

I know the pin placement is off and the fit and finish are not the best. I designed this one for fishing, backpacking, canoeing - just the kind of knife I would carry for general outdoor use.

It didn't get oohs and aaahs when I posted it for sale, even though I thought it was pretty neat.

 

[daizee]

Hi Squid,
I like the overall design. I might widen the handle at the butt, in an intentional way. (not the sort of doopy 'limp' look that you sometimes see - yours avoids this, but needs more height IMO) But that's just a minor point, and not a show-stopper.

Fit & Finish could come up a bit, but it's a good practical design. Some colored liners and a maker's mark would probably catch more attention. People respond well to very clean execution. Your hand-sanding of the bevels looks on point, so the ricasso on the dark one looks a bit rough in comparison. Sharpening notch/choil should be cut with a round chainsaw file and then sanded.

Finally, try photographing them on a matte, greyish background. Some texture doesn't hurt, but not busy. The backgrounds of the orange knife are distracting, and the yellow is unflattering to the blue one (can't even tell it's blue). You want to make sure your work and design shows through in the picture as a stranger sees it, not as you do.

 

[redsquid2]

Hi Squid,
I like the overall design. I might widen the handle at the butt, in an intentional way. (not the sort of doopy 'limp' look that you sometimes see - yours avoids this, but needs more height IMO) But that's just a minor point, and not a show-stopper.

Fit & Finish could come up a bit, but it's a good practical design. Some colored liners and a maker's mark would probably catch more attention. People respond well to very clean execution. Your hand-sanding of the bevels looks on point, so the ricasso on the dark one looks a bit rough in comparison. Sharpening notch/choil should be cut with a round chainsaw file and then sanded.

Finally, try photographing them on a matte, greyish background. Some texture doesn't hurt, but not busy. The backgrounds of the orange knife are distracting, and the yellow is unflattering to the blue one (can't even tell it's blue). You want to make sure your work and design shows through in the picture as a stranger sees it, not as you do.

Great! Thanks!

 

[AVigil]

The design looks good.

The application is what needs to be upgraded.
IMHO the flats should be an even finish be it satin or polished.
The plunges need to be symmetrical and the choils with even consistent radius.
Do not break the back of the spine with the plunge line. Stop before you get to the spine.

If you are going to peen the pins be sure to mirror polish the head of the ball peen hammer to get an nice finish.

Also the front edge of the scale should be tapered and thinned down some and do not leave the edge sharp, knock it down with a file or sand paper.

30 minute more work could really bring those blades up to the next level

 

[Hengelo_77]

Looking at it in your hand I think the hanle is an inch to long.
Also on the orange one it look like you slipped on the belt at the bottom of the ricasso.
Personaly I would not have offered that one.
I would have made it a personal shop knife, would have it in my kitchen or so.
Also the edge looks thick.

 

[scott kozub]

I'm never a fan of having a plunge line without a Spanish notch. I like the black one much more but agree above with making the back of the handle a little wider.

 

[Adam Buttry]

The others are giving you great feedback. Even if you keep the design exactly as is, focus on clean execution. Strive for flawless fit-n-finish and your knives will be better for it.

 

[JTknives]

The market is so flooded with custom knives that you really have to stand out with fit and finish to get noticed. Flashy comes second to clean execution

 

[HSC ///]

As already mentioned it looks like the execution needs improvement over the pattern design.

The ricasso can be called the foundation or datum of the whole knife,
there is alot going on in this area and where you have an opportunity to concentrate your efforts for improvement. When looking at a knife, the eye can be drawn to this ricasso area. You have at least 4-5 things going on in this area that could be improved.

Perhaps you could make another one and show it to us BEFORE you out a handle on it, that way you have a chance to correct or make adjustments if required.

Also you are using pre textured handle material which requires doming the pins which is not that easy to do well...
perhaps start with a standard micarta where you can grind the pins flush, later move to the different handle materials as your skills improve.

When I first started making some knives, my knives looked like this, I showed them to a mentor and he said- Well it looks like you didn't have a plan and you were just getting them done to get them done....

btw, do you have a carbide file guide?

regards