Advice for knife builders from a collector....

[JC]

I don't make knives myself...I don't have the time and I really like owning the best I can afford...and just about any knife maker could make one better than I ever could. But I collect knives like Tippit does bows (and those that have seen his basement know what a statement that is). As someone who has seen a lot of great knives come through my hands, I'd like to offer some unsolicited advice for those new and upcoming knife builders here on this site. Some very talented individuals showcase their skills on these threads, I just thought those looking for the next level may need some ideas. These are strictly my opinion...so take them for the $.02 it's not worth    . But if you build knives to sell and/or build them for the pride of making a functional work of art, I think you may find some of these helpful.  

One thing I see that commonly seperates good knives from great knives is the contours of handle. Not only should it fit well in the hand, but a handle should look graceful from all angles. Frequently I see handles just stuck on...ground in great side profiles but the overhead/underside profiles seem to have been overlooked. The handle material transition to the blade is a right angle instead of a sloping transition from all angles. Same with the rear of the handle when viewed overhead, just a straight block. The outside of the handle slabs are perpindicular lines with no subtle or graceful curves to fit the hand and please the eye. Put some curves in your handles from all angles and I'll bet you'll like the way the the handle performs and certainly will increase the eye candy value.

Experiment with blade shapes. A straight blade is functional but as you progress with your grinding, branch out with different grinds. Change the location of the tip angle, the belly of the blade etc. I sometimes buy a knife just because the blade shape is different than I've seen before. Imho, I think almost any blade shape is servicable and you just may find one different than you normally grind to work better in some circumstances. Also try tapering the tang and filework...though not purely functional, both add a lot of "pop".

Sheaths. Sometimes I've fallen in love with a knife and purchased it only to sell it quickly thereafter because I hated the sheath. Look at Doug Campbell's leather work...you don't have to be fancy shmancy to build a great sheath for your knife. Flimsy sheaths are the bane of fine blades.

Fit/finish. I've seen some awesome knives that seems to have everything but on closer inspection, they lack a lot in the finish department. Pits in the handle that have not been sanded down (though it sometimes adds character in certain burls), handles not fitting seamless with blades (raised or recessed edges), uneven grinds or grinds not taken as far back on the blade as possible, makers mark not uniform depth (like it's hit off/angle), final sharpness, etc. It's common to see knives 95% right on but that last 5% seems to have been so overlooked it's obvious.

Just some ramblings from a steel junky...not meant to be a "know it all" or self proclaimed expert on the subject. As always, your mileage may vary.

[ber643]

Sounds like pure logic (if not always thought of)to me JC. Now if I could just remember it all when I make one (put one together) - now let's see, what was my name again ... ???  

[Lewis Brookshire III]

 

Great advice JC and some of the things I know I have been working on in my infant stages of knife buildery.

[Lin Rhea]

I will point out that a tapered tang will contribute to a more balanced knife. It can be a quite large knife, but if the blade has good distal taper and the tang is tapered, this throws the balance where it belongs for most knives and it will feel lighter than it looks.
  A full tang knife with a thick straight tang will be handle heavy and can look sort of blocky.
                                   Lin

[OconeeDan]

Good points, JC.

[skullworks]

I would love to see some top shots of the handle shapes you like! Thanks for your ideas!!!

[imskippy]

yes some examples would be helpful for those of us new to knife making. Thanks Skippy

[JC]

Will do guys! I'll take some close up pics this weekend with some examples of what I mentioned above.

[Ru]

great advise     can't wait to see the pic's

[JC]

Sorry guys, busy week....

[JC]

Sorry, double clutch...

[tippit]

I agree with Lin about tapered tangs.  When I see a nice blade shape but the tang was the original thickness of steel, it just seems to have lost simmetry in balance and looks for me.  Tapering the tang can be accomplished by grinding or hot forging it.  

Even JC's first picture of that beautiful shaped handle has a full thickness tang.  That's the first thing I saw. Guess it's easy for me since I stretch my blade to the tip & end of the tang in my forging...Doc

[OconeeDan]

JC, that one with phenolic handle...it looks like it has been used!
Ah, a real working tool!
Dan

[Lin Rhea]

JC,
     I hope you dont think I dont like your knives. I do. They are very nice.    
     I do think in designing a knife, balance has to be considered in the process. It could be that the two knives you show have had lightening holes drilled in the handle's tang and dont need it to be tapered. A lot of makers do that.
   A hunting knife should typically balance at the index finger's position. Just behind the guard. The longer the blade the more the balance point will move forward, unless the maker takes steps to counter balance with a heavier handle material, butt cap, etc. On the other hand a knife with a relatively short blade can do well to have a handle that is of lighter material and a tapered tang. Again, for balance.
   That sculpted Buckey Burl is nice.
                                      Lin

[Emmons]

Awesome knives JC!! Also as a beginner knife build I like reading what people look for in a knife.  Taper tangs are nice, but difficult to do with out a good grinder.  As Lin descripted I normally put holes in the tang to get a good balance.

Anyone else see the womans face in the burl of the third photo?
 

James

[JC]

Ahhhh, yes, tapered tangs. So few can do them well.....and that's why so few do them. The two I showed her did not have them...you are correct. And yes, both of these knives would have been slightly more if they had been balanced just a touch forward of the gaurd, preferably in the middle of the blade between gaurd and point. But it's really hard to do.

And yes Dan, that blade has been worked hard. So far, it is the skinnin winner...and just bout everything else too. 1/4" thick s30V steel, great grind, micarta handle with a great shape...just about perfect small blade shape.

[tomh]

I don't understand why it is hard to do tapered tangs?

[Lin Rhea]

A good knife is deceptively difficult to make. It can look very simple, but have a lot "going on" behind the scenes in areas of balance, and degree of difficulty. Gettin it all done and making it look natural and easy is the trick.

   A tapered tang takes a little different approach. Several pionts have to be met while grinding and still come out straight and centered. If you drill the pin holes after the taper, you have to compensate for the angle of taper to get the pins drilled perpendicular to the blade's center line. Those who stock remove will drill while the material is still parallel. Then grind the taper. Then, depending on how and when you shape the scales, you have to account for the angle of the tang's taper when drilling the scales or you'll get the holes off. It can get confusing.
                               Lin

[Emmons]

Not only the pin holes, but also more difficult to get a good fit between the bolsters and scales after you taper the tang.  I only have a cheap 1 x 30 grinder and do most of my shaping with files.  To get a good even and straight taper I need a larger flat platten.  Also the layout become important on the taper tangs.

[JC]

Lin said it better than I ever could.