What governs your knife making design & features?

Hello,
The point of this thread is to find out what YOU
The Knife maker are influenced by in terms of design & Features?

For instance, I have never put a brass guard on any knife that I've made because I think it's a hold over from swords and really does n,t
serve any function except perhaps on a Fighter.

Also the few "Fighter" and my Hunters that I make can have a serviceable guard made out of the full tang by having a index finger cut out.

So I make my knives for the function needs of the people that buy them from me, Mostly culinary.

Also I have never had a customer ask me to put a guard on a knife.

I realize that if you want to get a rating and be a J.S. Smith you need to show that you can do this and other steps on a knife to get your rating weather these things have any function for the market you are after or not.

I love all knives and enjoy Damascus and other Carbon steels but rarely use them because I feel you can make just as good and functional of a knife by stock removal with stainless steels.


This is not about what is better? Forged Vs Stock removal. Full Tang Vs Hidden Tang
Stainless Vs Carbon, or Blade school vs wildcatter "For lack of a better word" or any of that.

We all have talents that we are hopefully trying to improve with each knife we make.

What I would like to hear from you Dog's and Doggette's
is
what Drives your design's & features?
1) You were taught to do it this way?
2) You found a niche and you are filling it?
3) Every knife you have seen has one?
4) I need to do it for a rating?

I hope my question is clear? I am having some trouble putting it into words.

Any takers on this deep Philosophical question?
Cheers!

Laurence



Check me out at Rhino Knives

http://www.rhinoknives.com/

What drives my designs? My warped mind!

There isn't any philosophical question here. It's strickly what do you, the next maker, or I like. I'm sure your knives must be good. I'll bet you sell a lot more than I would ever be able to make or want to make. I found out a long time ago in life that as a friend once said "not all can have the same nor can all afford the same as some can." Good thing too or perhaps we both wouldn't now be making kniives mine very different from yours. Frank

First I try to design a knife that has adequate strength, looks like a useful/ ergonomic or comfortable using tool. then I try to make something that is pleasant to look at. Dan

I want the knife to be functional, comfortable to use, and attractive to look at. The more knives I make, the more I have been steering away from "self guard" designs. Mainly because the more I use them--for skinning and butchering deer, or bushcraft type wood working--the more I find that the guard creates hot spots agains my hand. So, my designs evolve over time as I find what works for me, and what doesn't.

Well we have a few interesting answers here! Your Warped mind Mr. Robinson?
That is answer that I can relate to! LOL Those little voices again.

Frank Niro,The line I would add to your quote is "nor do all want the same"

Mr. Sticker, Slant the self guard forward and have the Micarta or wood encompass the index finger cutout and that will remove the finger to steel contact that can cause the hot spots.

Anyone else care to chime in here?
What's drives your choice of design & features?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

Function

Does the design element have a functional purpose? If not, its eliminated from the design.

What can I take away without sacrificing function?

It's a distillation process. When I can't take anything more away, I'm done designing.

Bush Monkey said:

Function

Does the design element have a functional purpose? If not, its eliminated from the design.

What can I take away without sacrificing function?

It's a distillation process. When I can't take anything more away, I'm done designing.

Click to expand...

Really Jeff?

I thought your monkey Tony made those decisions? :s12137:


All joking aside, Yes that's part of my process too!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

Laurence

This biggest governing factor in designs and features I put into a knife for a customer is just that: the customer. Granted, if they want to put something in or on the knife that would hinder it's primary purpose and use, then I politely speak up and decline.

I'm also not afraid to try new things. I like to challenge myself, and whether or not I think I can do it, it never hurts to try.

As far as knives I make for myself (that usually end up getting sold because somebody wants it), or knives that I make just to sell:
I just make and design what I like, and what looks good to me. I try to marry form and function (with function usually weighing a little more heavily in the equation) as much as possible.

"All joking aside" and for the record: Tony calls all the shots and I am his spokesperson. Tony has limited verbal expression skills and I sometimes express his ideas in the first person. With the exception of Bush Monkey Pimpworks (BMP) which is run by "Magic" (below), "Tony" is the driving force behind all Bush Monkey knife designs.


It is my sole responsibility to promote and explain the serious and complex nature of knife making while having fun playing with simple tools.

rhinoknives said:

Really Jeff?

I thought your monkey Tony made those decisions?View attachment 30459 :s12137:


All joking aside, Yes that's part of my process too!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

Laurence

Click to expand...

ARCustomKnives said:

This biggest governing factor in designs and features I put into a knife for a customer is just that: the customer. Granted, if they want to put something in or on the knife that would hinder it's primary purpose and use, then I politely speak up and decline.

I'm also not afraid to try new things. I like to challenge myself, and whether or not I think I can do it, it never hurts to try.

As far as knives I make for myself (that usually end up getting sold because somebody wants it), or knives that I make just to sell:
I just make and design what I like, and what looks good to me. I try to marry form and function (with function usually weighing a little more heavily in the equation) as much as possible.

Click to expand...

Andrew,
The customer drives me as well.
And with me most every knife I've made for myself get sold when a customer see it.

Sometimes I see a form it the blank of steel that wants to come out! Those are the most challenging Knives to make, and the most rewording.

Cheers.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

Bush Monkey said:

"All joking aside" and for the record: Tony calls all the shots and I am his spokesperson. Tony has limited verbal expression skills and I sometimes express his ideas in the first person. With the exception of Bush Monkey Pimpworks (BMP) which is run by "Magic" (below), "Tony" is the driving force behind all Bush Monkey knife designs.

It is my sole responsibility to promote and explain the serious and complex nature of knife making while having fun playing with simple tools.

Click to expand...

Magic?
Who is Magic?
Jeff, I though that was a picture of you and your ride?:s12138:

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

Deleted so as to not further hijack this thread.

I like mine clean, simple and thin bladed; I'll leave the Volkswagon sawing to others. I'm a hunter/camper/backpacker and I try and build what I know works in those areas. I've always flat ground/distal tapered from the get go and have gone from starting with 3/16" stock to mostly 3/32". Once in a while I'll use something like A-2, but it's mainly stainless. That's partly because I send my blades out for HT, so it's a lot easier(and cheaper) to use air hardening steels. Once in a great while I'll put a single guard on a knife 'cause it looks "right", but there's only a small finger stop nub sticking out. A lot of my knives have no guard/indentation at all; being into cutting, not stabbing. I'm a great believer in simple handles; mine are the canoe shaped types and I keep them fairly substantial. In my mind I think the hand should dictate the grip, not the handle dictate the grip. Outside of that I like to mess with unusual handle materials. I make my own "Jcarta" and often spend a lot of time messin' around on the web to find unusual woods or materials...like the pine cone handled one I posted a while ago.
I only do my own designs, although I'll accept reasonable modifications. There's a lot of shapes out there that don't interest me, and if I can't enjoy the making I'm sure a customer can find someone who will.

If you are into selling your knives, your customer base will be wide. You never know what will sell or what they will be looking for. So I make the full range of knives. Not only to expand customer base and make more money, but also to challenge myself and not get burned out making the same knife over and over again.
Just make knives and be happy. push yourself and your equipment.

I am no good at making my own designs. Never have been. I see something I like and make it. I modify it as I go if I want. People tell me if they like or dislike something and I try to modify it if I can. Sometimes it works, sometime not.

Bush Monkey said:

"All joking aside" and for the record: Tony calls all the shots and I am his spokesperson. Tony has limited verbal expression skills and I sometimes express his ideas in the first person. With the exception of Bush Monkey Pimpworks (BMP) which is run by "Magic" (below), "Tony" is the driving force behind all Bush Monkey knife designs.

It is my sole responsibility to promote and explain the serious and complex nature of knife making while having fun playing with simple tools.

Click to expand...

Ha ha, that that picture reminds me of a customer's design that was so horrible that I had to make some suggestions because I didn't want my name on such a piece. He and I didn't conclude any business because perhaps he was offended. I was gentle with him but the deal evaporated. It's just as well because we must control what we put out the door, my thinking.

I like using good looking stabilized wood, mammoth ivory, and nickle silver. NEVER BRASS! I have found some patterns that people like. The patterns are pretty common and most of my knives the past few years have actually been of only a couple of fixed blade hunter designs.

I do stock removal and try to stick to the good stainless steels. The main reasons for that is obvious. There are people out there that don't take proper care of a tool steel knife.

I like to experiment with new stuff, such as semi and precious stones and gems. The jade liner work I did on that BF charity knife, and a dozen very skilled makers involved with the knife, was good experience. Some of you fellas remember that beautiful knife that was built several years ago. I was disappointed because I didnt receive any feedback after our work was finished. We put a hell of a lot of work into that knife, and at our own expense. The knife just seemed to disappear, and that was it.

I reckon we push designs and materials that we know works good. I had an accidental design request that more or less backfired on me when I was just getting a good start making. My second customer and I were shooting the breeze when I mentioned a knife I saw in a magazine, a huge fixed blade with a folder blade in the handle. Bad move. The customer got crazy and had to have one, money no object. Good Lord, what had I gotten myself into? I had never built a folder or lockblade!

So, we decided on the cursed design and I went to work on it. The fixed blade wasn't difficult. Blending and building the folder in the handle presented a big hurdle. I got to thinking, the fella would open the folder blade that would point the opposite way from the fixed blade, and be goofing around with it and then accidentally catch or clip something with the folder, closing the blade on is fingers.

So, I took a $2 lockback knife and tore it apart to see what made it tick. I ended up building a 6" lockback blade into the handle of the contraption. The knife sported some exotic stabilized scales. Work on the knife was a painful experience because the 6" blade was razor sharp and I kept cutting myself while trying to fit all the parts and doing a gazillion part fittings. I finally got mad enough and dulled the short blade so I could work on the dang contraption without cutting myself again.

The customer was happy with the finished knife. The handmade leather sheath took about half a cow to cover the contraption, but the customer was happy. I was never so happy to see a knife get finished and delivered! I told the customer he had one of a kind, I was never going to build another one.

I reckon we peddle what we personally prefer because we know our materials and we know what works. That is usually what influences the final outcome of what goes out of the shop.

Joel said:

I like mine clean, simple and thin bladed; I'll leave the Volkswagon sawing to others. I'm a hunter/camper/backpacker and I try and build what I know works in those areas. I've always flat ground/distal tapered from the get go and have gone from starting with 3/16" stock to mostly 3/32". Once in a while I'll use something like A-2, but it's mainly stainless. That's partly because I send my blades out for HT, so it's a lot easier(and cheaper) to use air hardening steels. Once in a great while I'll put a single guard on a knife 'cause it looks "right", but there's only a small finger stop nub sticking out. A lot of my knives have no guard/indentation at all; being into cutting, not stabbing. I'm a great believer in simple handles; mine are the canoe shaped types and I keep them fairly substantial. In my mind I think the hand should dictate the grip, not the handle dictate the grip. Outside of that I like to mess with unusual handle materials.

Click to expand...

Hi Joel,
I can relate to leaving the abandon car cutting to others.
The Neo-folks love that stuff and that's fine! Not for this kid!

I had a friends son ask me to make a Chef's knife for him out of a 1940's Maserati leaf spring or some such?
I said that I didn't forge and worked with new Stainless Steels by stock removal for my culinary knives.
He said, Well can you grind a blade of this? Showing me a weathered & rusted old leaf spring that looked like it survived a couple of wars! I said, WHY?

I did make a few out of used files when I started and couldn't afford new Stainless, But I will leave that recycle stuff for others.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/

First thought is the knifes intended use, followed by " where is the knifes tip and cutting edge relative to the hand thats holding it.

Thats it, Fred

I'm with you, Fred. I think some have a tendency to overthink their designs sometimes.