Post here for design critique.

Daniel, the only concern I may have is that with a plunge-less grind ( which I do think will look best) that little point at the end of the blade that sort of turns back toward your hand will more than likely end up as pointy as the tip. It may never be a problem in use but it more than likely will end up pointy. It looks cool with the design though.
 
Dan do you have a set of French Curves for making templates? I find them extremely useful. I am wondering if other knifemakers here use specific drawing tools or even computer programs?
 
I just want to make a generalized suggestion to everyone as they come up with new designs, and that is to simply make a mock up before you make the real thing. It can be a cardboard cutout of the design, or a wooden model of the 3 dimensional piece. Anything that you can actually hold in your hand will give you a real feel for how the finished knife is going to feel.

A few years ago at the start of my knife-making adventures I made a kitchen knife for my sweet wife. I drew up the design that I had in mind and even used CAD to draw it out. I printed out the new pattern, cut out the steel and built the knife. Once it was finished I took it into the kitchen to give it a go. I found that the handle was too short, the back of the handle dropped so far that it forced me bend my wrist at a weird angle, and the worst part was that my knuckles banged on the cutting board when trying to chop vegetables. All in all, it looked good on paper but performed poorly in the real world. Had I taken a few minutes to make even a cardboard mock up I would have caught the flaws and made the modifications before spending hours on a knife that never gets used.
 
Daniel, the only concern I may have is that with a plunge-less grind ( which I do think will look best) that little point at the end of the blade that sort of turns back toward your hand will more than likely end up as pointy as the tip. It may never be a problem in use but it more than likely will end up pointy. It looks cool with the design though.

^ Heed this. Those rearward points look dramatic and very pretty to the eye, but they will bite the #### out of you until you get so mad after the 20th time that you take it to the shop and grind it off with gritted teeth and hate in your eyes.

A rearward curve is fine, but you really want to blunt anything that isn’t an intentional cutting edge.
 
I am wondering if other knifemakers here use specific drawing tools or even computer programs?

I have two different CAD programs I use. I have been using CAD/CAM in general for over 30 years...

Here's the best advice I can give on using CAD programs....DO NOT jump into the CAD program until you have a finished sketch. Otherwise that stupid CAD program will lead you by the nose...and you will become a run of the mill designer....without even realizing who's boss in your design environment. Serious.

Sketch...and sketch...and sketch some more. Learn to see how changing a subtle curve by a pencil width changes the look of the blade...it's drastic. But only when you learn to "see" it. Erase...sketch...erase...sketch...wax on...wax off...

learn how to shade the details of your sketch for the 3-D parts...handles, bolsters, knife bevels, etc. You should have a very definite design intent before using your CAD program...and that comes by sketching. There are some guys that are blessed with "seeing" in 3-D...and get away without sketching...but then they don't need a CAD program either...lol.

I know I am coming on strong here...but I have seen CAD programs turn guys into sloppy lazy designers...CAD programs can be EVIL...lol!

Remember...they are meant to make things EASIER...which is almost always the antithesis of quality.

Rant over....
 
Dan do you have a set of French Curves for making templates? I find them extremely useful. I am wondering if other knifemakers here use specific drawing tools or even computer programs?

I have some French Curves that I use at times when I'm drawing free hand. I've found a very simple 2-D program that I use most of the time now called Inkscape. It has it's quirks but so far it gives me the starting point I want.

To me 3-D programs require too much of a learning curve. However they're nice if you already know how to use them.
 
View attachment 66943 This a design I have came up with. What do you guys think?
I like the way it looks, simple and clean. The hump for the finger choil might push your fingers back towards the heel some, making the handle feel shorter then it is. Make a template and see how it feels. Some times it looks good on paper but in real life it is uncomfortable.
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Here's one I designed had approval from the customer. We were both excited. I made a template, and it was just to uncomfortable in the hand to proceed.
 
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