Thought I would get on here early. http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac201/Shawn_David_May/image_zpsemjoerkr.jpeg This is my first design try. I used a template (thanks Dan) and modified the shape. Blade is 5/8 thick and around 3 3/4 long. It will be 1/8 1084 with Dymond wood scales. I am going to try some more tomorrow. I don't like how the choil looks. When I get it exactly how I want it I will put up a clean copy. Beside it is the "inspiration" behind it; an old plastic handled Victoronix paring knife that I love to use, chipped blade and all. Please let me know what you think. I am really open to suggestions. Thanks Shawn
Good call! My first attempt failed and it was midnight so I didn't go any further. I am going to have the others fixed.
Thanks guys. I got my steel and wood for my scales today. I am going to try to get my filing setup done this weekend. I also have a set of French curves coming so I might play with it a bit. I found out I can draw a straight line way better then a curved.
Welcome to the club! I have a series of different sized ovals that I shaped from lightweight plywood. They can be used in any orientation to produce interesting, repeatable curves. http://dcknives.com/public/downloads/Oval Patterns - DanCom-2014.pdf Looking forward to seeing the progress. Dan
Finally got out to do some work today. Knife profile almost done but the rain got to be too much and my arms were hurting from using a hacksaw and files that I'm not used to. I will post some pics of the progression later. They are on my phone.
Got the blank all shaped and ready to get on with the rest. I know this is a different pic then my first, but I came up with this one all myself. I will build the one based on Dans design later. I smoothed everything out with eighty grit and got all the file marks off the spine and pretty close on the rest of it. I figure the rest will come out in finishing. Now I am wondering about placement for the plunge line. Should I go closer to the handle so I you can sharpen all the way back without need for a choil, or leave it choil less? My original design had a back sweeping plunge but I thought " Shawn this is your first go at this, don't make it any harder then it is". I am doing this one with files and a little help from an angle grinder. I am going to do another like it with the 1 x 30 sander that I have coming. Whichever looks the best I will KITH and the other will stay with me. I need a new paring knife in the kitchen. Sorry kind of long but any critiques would be very appreciated. Thanks for looking, Shawn.
Hi Shawn. Good start. I am not sure which line is depicting what. IMHO I would make the plunge a little ways (say 3/16") away from the front of the handle. One reason is that it won't interfere with sharpening. If the the bevels are cut too close to the handle one's finger may not like sliding up on that sharp V. Or the handle can have some kind of guard which prevents slipping you hand on to the sharpened edge. Dan
I won't be putting on a guard as I am not confident in my skill to get it right the first time. The thin line was so the blade could be sharpened all the way back and not have to cut a choil, the thicker was option two. I think for getting the handle right and having it look correct the thicker line is where I will go unless any one has any smashing ideas. Thanks Dan.
I see. Having the handle come that far forward (thicker line) offers the protection like a guard. Then the actual grind will be done ahead of the handle so it will clear the stone when sharpening? Dan
I understand what you are getting at. Would it be better to cut in a choil or leave it the way it is?
