WIP: My first knives

D

Drew.Haynes

Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Messages
37
Hi guys,

Just got my grinder set up, ordered some aeb-l for my first knives, and I've profiled about half of what I will be sending to heat treat at Peters. I've attached a picture of all of them and a close up of a few. I'll be doing another five or so small ones and two more large ones. Would appreciate any critiques, comments, advice or questions!

https://imgur.com/oMcZrIp

http://imgur.com/L2V3u67
 
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In the excitement of making your first knife, many new makers make 10 or 20 as a first batch to save on HT cost. They also want them all done fast. They often make the same mistakes ten or twenty times. There is a little learning on grinding and sanding, but you learn little to nothing about the shape and form of a knife.

You will do yourself a real favor to work on them one at a time and post the planed sketches and work progress on each as you shape it . When each is ready for HT, post a last photo of it for critique and see what those who have made many knives have to offer before you start the next one. Then set that blade in the "For HT" box and begin the next. When the lot of twenty is done, send them all to Peters. This was you progress as you make the twenty. I guarantee that last one will look a lot better than the first one this way.

Overall, your knives aren't bad. The blade shapes are good enough as they are. Some of the handle shapes are going to be uncomfortable. If you swiss-cheese them all as they are you can't change it, so decide if you are going to take those angles and sharp spots off before drilling any more lightening holes.
 
Hi Stacy,

Much appreciated! To clarify, these have been done over several weeks, a couple nights a week. The bottom three in the larger pic are earlier designs I'm already, admittedly, not fond of. Do all of your critiques still apply to the picture of only three knives?

In the picture of three, while the handle designs have angular traits, all angles will be chamfered slightly, and angles at the rear of the handles clear my palm in a full grip and clear with quite some margin when using a pinch grip.

I have stock to complete another 5-10 small knives and 2 more large. I intended to make another 10" knife without the "swoop" in the spine that you can see in the current 10" knife. On the current 8" knife, I did deliberately go with a "tall" design, mostly for fun. My next 8" I had planned to knock a good 3/4" off the edge to spine height.

Thanks again,

DH
 
I think the knives stacy is mainly talking about are the 4 small knives you shaped with the same design in the pic of ten blades. for me it looks like those 4 blades the handle where it will meet you fingers the belly you have going is to drastic of an angle and could use some rounding.
 
Thanks guys,

I see what you are saying. The angle on that handle is softened in person. As a small kitchen knife, I can't imagine gripping the handle hard enough to feel uncomfortable, especially as many paring type knives don't inherently have enough finger clearance to allow a full grip on a cutting board, but I do appreciate the critique! I like the overall blade shape and size of that knife, and was contemplating profiling a couple with the same blade but a handle in the same vein as the two large knives.

Thoughts on that?
 
Everyone has their own style, some develop over time. You will have some hits, and you will have some misses and learn from each and every one. Have fun and enjoy what you are doing.
 
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