Critique Please

Kevin Zito

Kevin Zito

KNIFE MAKER
Something is off here I think. I’m trying to design a somewhat original hunter/skinner. Is the handle too short? Blade too long or too wide? It’s a very rough sketch at this point. Please critique and let me know. Thanks for looking! Z7B5C1993-8F33-48F1-9C61-EED5F1CAA912.jpeg
 
I like it. Make a prototype (sheet metal, luan etc.)and hold it in your hand to see if it feels off. If that is a bolster, then I like longer ricassos than what you have pictured but I doubt that is what seems off to you. I like it. On a second look the pin holes seem off to me...maybe look there.
 
I'd smooth out the hump on the spine in the bolster/plunge line area. That's a distraction to my eye. It interupts the flow of the blade spine to the handle spine. My eye keeps stopping there.

Then I'd drop the handle from the bolsters to the butt a tiny bit more in a smooth, gentle arc.

The rest I like quite a bit.
 
Dennis Morland said:
Me personally...I would make the handle 4.25 to 4.5 inches long and the blade 4 inches long. Other than that, you got a very good design to start with what you have shown in rough draft. Keep it simple...
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agree. that 1/4 to 1/2 inch makes a huge difference in both looks and fit. I’d stretch the butt end. The finger swell is already in the right place.

A cardboard template in the hand will tell you much more than a drawing alone. Then you can go back and adjust the drawing based on the final template.
 
If you're making for a person with small hands that 4" handle is just fine. For me I'd like at least 4-1/2" handle (I wear XXL gloves when I can find them). I've come to feel a 3" to 3-1/2" blade works good for skinner, but you're wanting hunter in there also, so expect 4-1/4" blade is best.

You're off to a good start.
 
Thank you all! I agree with every critique. The pic and especially the drawing are terrible. I refined the drawing and made some changes. I’ll upload pic when I get home. I’m going to try to really pin down a nice design so a template can be made. The problem is that I’m SUPER particular... none of them have been good enough.
 
With just a little more length to the handle that is a knife I would use on the hill if there was just a fraction more nose to it. Just a 1/16 to 3/32 but otherwise that is a very good design and wouldn't look out of place among my patterns
 
Von Gruff said:
With just a little more length to the handle that is a knife I would use on the hill if there was just a fraction more nose to it. Just a 1/16 to 3/32 but otherwise that is a very good design and wouldn't look out of place among my patterns
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Awesome! Thank you, Garry! Will do.
 
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