WIP on two new designs

Von Gruff

Von Gruff

KNIFE MAKER
I had a chap contact me about a pair of my buffalo sknners and when we had worked through the details over the next 4 days he asked about the overall length and thought it was too big and could I cut it shorter. I had ground and HT them but then so they have gone in the ready drawer and I set out to design up something that was more in line with what he was wanting. He did mention that he couldn't visualise things so in the end with just a length of round 9 - 9 1/2 inches overall and traditional style he left it to me so have come up with what I call the old western skinner and cut out a thinboard pattern to see how it felt in hand. Will cut out a paur for him next week and a couple of spares for the ready drawer.
And a few weeks back my agent had someone ask about the J T Ranger but wanted a shorter blade so this afternoon I spent some time and made a heavy cardboard mock-up for a shorter and trimmer knife in that style and will call it the pocket ranger and will cut out a couple of them as well.
Both are in the 9 1/4 to 9 1/2 inch OAL
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There may well be minor changes before the pattern is finalised with the end of the finger guard on the old western skinner being reduced to be more like the pocket ranger to make for a more compact knife.

I still cant edit any of my posts as the edit link is no longer available to me
 
Von Gruff said:
...
I still cant edit any of my posts as the edit link is no longer available to me
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Von Gruff, have you mentioned this to Tracy? I'm wondering if your profile got reset somehow. If so, he should be able to change it so you can edit your posts.
 
It can be difficult for a maker to carve out a particular style for themselves.

For instance, many people can tell a Michael Burch or Todd Rexford or Todd Begg knife from across the room.

I think you've done that quite nicely. I can definitely tell a Von Gruff design when I see it.

BTW of the two, I like the top one best but I'd be happy with either.
 
Nice designs! I like how you incorporated your makers mark into the pins on your bolsters, I had never seen that before.
 
Motor City Mike said:
I think you've done that quite nicely. I can definitely tell a Von Gruff design when I see it
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agreed!

On those two the bottom is my favorite. If the top did not have quite so much drop to the rear of the handle it might be my favorite...lol. It has a very clean linear look to the blade design. Saying this is like nitpicking...Von Gruff's designs are so clean that there isn't error...only opinions...lol.
 
Smallshop said:
agreed!

On those two the bottom is my favorite. If the top did not have quite so much drop to the rear of the handle it might be my favorite...lol. It has a very clean linear look to the blade design. Saying this is like nitpicking...Von Gruff's designs are so clean that there isn't error...only opinions...lol.
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I found over the years that this particular handle shape with the dropped birds beak takes away the hot spot from the rear of the palm when extended knife use is required. I remember a couple of times when I had to butcher and dress multiple animals. 21 goats between two of us, numerous times when there were up to 7 animals but probably the main decider on this particular design was near 40 years ago when 2 of us had 11 sheep had to be got freezer ready and I did the lions share simply because the knife I had made fit my hand with the other chap mentioning his knife didn't work so well. Afterwards we went through the design differences and he indicated that a handle more like mine would have made all the difference to his days efforts.
My bushcraft hunter design has an straighter handle (by request in the design process) but this adds a 1/2 inch to the handle length and consequently to the OA Length and this pair of knives above was requested with a compact length
P14u9p5l.jpg
 
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Von Gruff said:
I found over the years that this particular handle shape with the dropped birds beak takes away the hot spot from the rear of the palm when extended knife use is required. I remember a couple of times when I had to butcher and dress multiple animals. 21 goats between two of us, numerous times when there were up to 7 animals but probably the main decider on this particular design was near 40 years ago when 2 of us had 11 sheep had to be got freezer ready and I did the lions share simply because the knife I had made fit my hand with the other chap mentioning his knife didn't work so well. Afterwards we went through the design differences and he indicated that a handle more like mine would have made all the difference to his days efforts.
My bushcraft hunter design has an straighter handle (by request in the design process) but this adds a 1/2 inch to the handle length and consequently to the OA Length and this pair of knives above was requested with a compact length
P14u9p5l.jpg
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Apart from the usability that you've proven with the other handle...this handle on the upper blade shape would be amazing to the eye. More as an outdoor EDC...
 
I got a few blades cut out today and added a pair from the ready drawer for this weeks orders although I am waiting on some blaze orange and tan liners for some of them so it may be a coupe of weeks till it arrives.
From the top there is a safari knife, a light hunter, mini skinner, 3 of the new old western skinners, 2 pocket rangers and a J T Ranger
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The blades have had the preliminary grind, been heat treated, had the final grind and hand sanded, so all ready for the bolsters on the ones I can finish for now.
This is the difference between the J T Ranger and the Pocket Ranger on the left and on the right is the Old Western Skinner compared to the Buffalo Skinner. The two longer knives are in the 10 1/2 inch length bracket while the two smaller blades are in the 9 1/8 to 9 1/4 inch long and being a bit smaller may suit a different user group.
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