Design Phase of Hometown Hero Build

Bill T

Well-Known Member
Well Guys. Here we go !!

Time for some Designs !​
If you have a design that is Combat Ready , please post it here . The only criteria I'm asking for is a 4" max on the blade length .​

I know , I know Rambo , you wanna make a big blade !!! So do I ! But the reality is many of these blades will be going to their new owners Stateside .... more rules here than in the sand ... makes it easier that's all ..​

After we get some designs up , we'll have a voting poll and declare a Winner !​
 
Here is one of mine that ya'll might like:

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Here is one I cooked up today

One of these days I will figure out how to post pictures larger than this...but for now.

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Bill, I'm so confused, I don't know what is going on & I'm too dumb to figure it out. Now do I take my blank steel, profile the knife, grind & drill, heat treat, & finish or is someone else going to profile & heat treat? Now you know me, I would rather have a pattern & do it myself. That way I could have 4-5-8, blades HT in a days time. I know if it is done this way there will be a slight variance in the design but I don't think that will hurt anything.
Just, to me, it seems you can get your heart & soul into making them & that is what makes a good knife. Shoot me if I'm wrong but that's the way I feel.
If you send them to water jet & send them for HT that would take a month & a lot of interest & enthusiasm will be lost & in my opinion, the quality of the knives stand to be sacrificed. And besides who will put the ghost line in.---- Really just thinkin'--------Jerry
 
Looks good! I think those suttle changes we discussed knocked it out of the park.
 
Does anyone know what materials we will be using? I think I might just make a prototype of this design. Of course working nights & weekends when my wife will allow might take a little while.

Thanks Murph...your suggestions sure streamlined it. I narrowed the guard points just a bit to get it under 2". I like the overall length of 8.5" and it appears as though it could be a pretty handy knife if I do say so.

Eric
 
The design looks really good. Of course, you'll eventually need to add tang relief cutouts for weight reduction and balance. I would recommend measuring 3/16" in from the profile of the tang and of course the same distance from the tang holes. Some other guys with more experience in design for waterjet may offer better advice on measurement for this.
 
My suggestion would be if someone wants to profile and heat treat themselves, they can.
 
This is my military build submission. I gave a lot of thought to what our guys and gals need in the "Sandbox" and this is what I came up with. I am not a draftsman nor can I draw for sour apples but I hope this gives you an idea of what I think we ought to build. Here are some of my reasons for this design:

1. Bill T. has hooked up with the Marines. Good choice, Bill. Why do young men join the Marines? Because a family member was in the Corps? Because they liked the Dress Blues? Because they want to serve their country? Horse Puckey! They join because they want to become bada$$e$ and they want to kill something. So...... they need bada$$ looking knives. Forget EDC type knives or bushcraft type knives, give them something bada$$. But make sure it works in every way for them. This design can be used in a standard grip or a reverse grip if needed. The amount of steel that a Tanto keeps towards the point aids in strength and stability. A glass breaker is mighty handy for getting out of a Humvee but it can also serve as a pry bar. Jimping aids in keeping the handle from slipping in sweaty or cold hands. The finger groove is large enough to use with gloves on.

That is 1/4" square graph paper if that will help you in getting to the actual size.
2. This design should make it easy to make a Kydex sheath with a lot of retention. With the tang hollowed out it should also be fairly light so as not to add any more unnecessary weight to an already overloaded warrior.

3. This is not a continuous use knife but rather another tool. I don't think any of our troops are going to be using a knife like this all day long to whittle or shave fire sticks. It is designed to be the last step in diplomacy. That's what our guys want. Don't tell them that it also works for lots of practical things.
 
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These are some great designs ! I knew I'd see some good stuff from you guys !

I remember last Build there were so many cool knives , I really wished I could make them all .. I think I'm gonna figure a way to do that this time ...​

Looks like I'm gonna wish the same thing again ..​

Denny , I just love the way you think ....
 
I'm liking Denny's design but I would like it even more with a little stub guard on it. I have been dragging my feet on getting a design up of my own, maybe I will do that today.
 
Darn... Had a design just about ready to show you guys, but the I saw the 4" blade limit. Mine is closer to 6".

Maybe I can scale it down.

That being said , do we really want to limit a soldier's fixed blade to 4"? Personally, most if not all if the soldiers I know carry folders/autos for EDC/stateside roles. If you're in a combat/tactical situation where you need to pull more than a folder (ie a fixed blade) chances are you want a little more reach and heft than a 4" blade will afford.

As for stateside use, there's always hunting/camping/emergency roles a larger blade can be used for.

Just thinking out loud.
 
Well Guys. Here we go !!


I know , I know Rambo , you wanna make a big blade !!! So do I ! But the reality is many of these blades will be going to their new owners Stateside .... more rules here than in the sand ... makes it easier that's all ..​
Again , the reasons for a 4" blade are many .
1) Most of these will be going to NEW soldiers . Too many rules for a newbie soldier , too much of a chance it will be confiscated .​
2) We are making a tool 1st - weapon 2nd . Most soldiers I have spoken to say their need for a knife , is to cut themselves out of a vehicle that has been hit with an IED .​
3) We have enough steel donated to us to make 100 - 4" blades . If we go 6" - it's 80 blades and so on ..​
4) A big blade is intimidating to our new makers - we want everyone who wants to do this , to be in their comfort zone .​

Look what the others have done with a 4" limit .. pretty Bada$$ed if you ask me ..​
 
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"2) We are making a tool 1st - weapon 2nd"

I think you may have missed my point. My design is a functional tool that LOOKS like a bada$$ weapon. I made it that way to excite the young hard chargers we are supplying with knives. The skull crusher at the end of the tang will help clear glass to get out of a vehicle. The blade will slide under seat belts to cut them away. I carried a K-Bar many years ago and the double guard served no purpose but to get tangled in things. The finger relief on my design is deep enough to keep anyone's fingers from sliding onto the blade. The Scandinavian "Puuko" style knife rarely, if ever, has a finger guard yet is used on a daily basis as a tool by every kind of tradesman you can think of. There were a lot of great designs for the last build and there are some great ones (with more to come, I hope) this time. All I am saying is that I'm sticking with mine.
 
I have to say that I really like Denny's design mostly for reasons he has already stated and the 4" blade length is an overall plus I think. I don't really see the need for a guard with the profile of the handle being what it is, as Denny said it could get in the way. Think of a soldier with all the gear they wear in close, confined, or weird position, such as in an overturned vehicle try to get the knife unsheathed and into position to cut a seat belt or something, plus trying to pull a longer blade may be a disadvantage in many situations. I like the idea of the tanto for the amount of material left in the blade for strength since it is a tool, plus it does look bada$$. Good job Denny.

Bruce
 
Thank you for the kind words, Bruce. I have the knife cut out and profiled. Now I'm going to tweak the finger relief and thumb ramp until they feel good with gloves on.
 
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