Design a custom knife

[anne99]

Does anyone have any idea how do i make  custom  survival knife design and implement it?  I'm taking ideas from this blog commercial url removed per rule 2.7  is it enough?

Edited October 17, 2018 by Phi for All
No advertising, please

[mistermack]

5 hours ago, anne99 said:

Does anyone have any idea how do i make  custom  survival knife design and implement it?  I'm taking ideas from this blog commercial url removed per rule 2.7  is it enough?

There are loads of people doing that on youtube if you want inspiration. But really, "custom" and "survival" are opposites. Custom means designed for one particular job, whereas a survival knife is the exact opposite, a jack of all trades. Any knife is a survival knife, if it's all you've got. There are loads on the market, and you can get used ones a lot cheaper. There's very little point in making one, except sentimental reasons.

[iNow]

I know the OP was just spam, but I did enjoy this episode of a Craftsman's Legacy about knife making:

http://www.craftsmanslegacy.com/legacy_society/episodes/season_1/The-Knife-Maker

[Sensei]

1 hour ago, mistermack said:

But really, "custom" and "survival" are opposites. Custom means designed for one particular job, whereas a survival knife is the exact opposite, a jack of all trades.

"Custom made thing" means it is made by you or made specially for you. Thing that is not available in retail shops. e.g. custom car, custom software. They're often very special, with unique in the world features.

 

[StringJunky]

30 minutes ago, Sensei said:

"Custom made thing" means it is made by you or made specially for you. Thing that is not available in retail shops. e.g. custom car, custom software. They're often very special, with unique in the world features.

 

"Custom" is a marketing term that can mean anything the seller likes but usually implies it's exclusive or rare in some way

Edited October 17, 2018 by StringJunky

[mistermack]

22 minutes ago, Sensei said:

"Custom made thing" means it is made by you or made specially for you. Thing that is not available in retail shops. e.g. custom car, custom software. They're often very special, with unique in the world features.

I suppose in the end, it can mean whatever you want it to mean. If you view a knife as a tool, then in the world of tools, custom means specially made for a specific job. Custom tools are used all the time in industry. A one off tool for a one off job.

In the sense of customised, it's as you say, produced to a customer's individual wants, it's less of a survival tool sense and more of a fashion item, much of the value being in the "one off" nature of production to make it exclusive, like a Dior dress. 

[iNow]

3 hours ago, mistermack said:

But really, "custom" and "survival" are opposites.

Not to pile on here, but I took issue with this, too. This is plainly inaccurate.

I have a custom spear. It's for survival.

I have a custom trapping cage. It's for survival.

I have a custom insulated jacket. It's for survival.

I have a custom fire starter. It's for survival.

I could go on...

[mistermack]

Things in Iowa must be getting tough.   

But now I think about it, I have custom keys to my front door. They are for survival too.  

[mistermack]

On knives in general, I just read that the first "Swiss Army Knife" was actually made in Germany, for an order from the Swiss Army in 1891. And it was hardly a new design even then. This is the "Norfolk Knife" (made in Norfolk Street, Sheffield) dating from 1851. A little over the top, in my opinion. 

 

[Phi for All]

10 minutes ago, mistermack said:

A little over the top, in my opinion. 

Pockets were obviously much bigger in 19th century Sheffield. And hopefully not in the front.   

 

 

I made a small Bowie knife from a pattern-welded, full-tang steel blank, a brass crossguard and pins, and scales made of thin woods of varying colors laminated together. The blade is beautiful, and holds a great edge, but I sanded too much away from the scales trying to get a better pattern, and the haft never fit my hand well. If I made another, I'd focus more on feel than looks. 

[mistermack]

The Bowie Knife style actually dates from the Stone Age, or at least the Copper Age. The characteristic "clipped" end design has been seen in knapped stone blades dated from 7,000 years ago.

Bowie became famous by killing a man in a brawl with a probably ordinary butcher's knife, and the Bowie Knife style is named after the knife made for him following the incident, which he always wore visibly afterwards. (he never used it in a fight)

There's something really satisfying about the shape. I have no idea why. I used to practice knife throwing as a kid, and teenager. We used to play "splits" where you stood opposite each other and threw the knife to stick in the ground, and your opponent would have to put his foot on the spot where the knife stuck in. If you couldn't reach, you lost. Sticking your knife between your opponents feet meant you could put your feet back together.

[StringJunky]

27 minutes ago, mistermack said:

The Bowie Knife style actually dates from the Stone Age, or at least the Copper Age. The characteristic "clipped" end design has been seen in knapped stone blades dated from 7,000 years ago.

Bowie became famous by killing a man in a brawl with a probably ordinary butcher's knife, and the Bowie Knife style is named after the knife made for him following the incident, which he always wore visibly afterwards. (he never used it in a fight)

There's something really satisfying about the shape. I have no idea why. I used to practice knife throwing as a kid, and teenager. We used to play "splits" where you stood opposite each other and threw the knife to stick in the ground, and your opponent would have to put his foot on the spot where the knife stuck in. If you couldn't reach, you lost. Sticking your knife between your opponents feet meant you could put your feet back together.

I like the tanto shape of Samurai swords in a knife.

[Phi for All]

15 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

I like the tanto shape of Samurai swords in a knife.

The traditional shape, or the American angled chisel shape? I have one of the latter I use for digging dandelions, and the point slides nicely into the ground. Other than that though, it's a pain to sharpen, and I use knives for cutting more than stabbing. The chisel tanto is great for starting holes to cut sheet metal, where I'd usually use a screwdriver and a hammer to knock a hole for my tin snips.

[StringJunky]

17 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

The traditional shape, or the American angled chisel shape? I have one of the latter I use for digging dandelions, and the point slides nicely into the ground. Other than that though, it's a pain to sharpen, and I use knives for cutting more than stabbing. The chisel tanto is great for starting holes to cut sheet metal, where I'd usually use a screwdriver and a hammer to knock a hole for my tin snips.

 

 

It just seems a really versatile shape

 

Edited October 19, 2018 by StringJunky

[Phi for All]

3 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

 

 

It just seems really versatile shape

 

If you're willing to sharpen two different edges, it does give you lots of versatility. The secondary edge shouldn't be as steep as the primary edge. You don't want the tip razor sharp or it will just lay over when you poke something. This is an Americanized version of the tanto, and it does have some nice advantages. It would be a great can opener for a suit of plate armor.

[StringJunky]

2 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

If you're willing to sharpen two different edges, it does give you lots of versatility. The secondary edge shouldn't be as steep as the primary edge. You don't want the tip razor sharp or it will just lay over when you poke something. This is an Americanized version of the tanto, and it does have some nice advantages. It would be a great can opener for a suit of plate armor.

I shall bear that in mind. It's a useful evolution of the original in utility terms.

[Moontanman]

I'm rather fascinated by obsidian or glass knives. Modern napers  are making some wild knives in the style of our ancient ancestors. Some really wild knives are showing up made from modern materials like bottles or plate glass. I think the transparent "aluminum" would make a great blade material. 

 

 https://pin.it/frf5tctdzijzzq

Edited October 19, 2018 by Moontanman

[Phi for All]

5 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

It's a useful evolution of the original in utility terms.

It's easier to sharpen a knife/chisel hybrid than it is to sharpen a knife/saw hybrid. Cutting bread is the only thing I use a serrated blade for. 

15 minutes ago, Moontanman said:

I'm rather fascinated by obsidian or glass knives. Modern napers  are making some wild knives in the style of our ancient ancestors. Some really wild knives are showing up made from modern materials like bottles or plate glass. I think the transparent "aluminum" would make a great blade material. 

 

 https://pin.it/frf5tctdzijzzq

Those are beautiful, but do they have any practicality? A knapped edge can make a very rough cut.

I think if I made something like that, I'd display it rather than use it.

[studiot]

Any sign of Anne here?

You say you want to make a knife.

The important thing is to get the blade or at least the edge hard enough to take an edge.

The harder the steel the more brittle it is in general.

So quality tools and equipment are subject to particular heat treatments during their manufacture.

Are you prepared for this?

[Moontanman]

15 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

It's easier to sharpen a knife/chisel hybrid than it is to sharpen a knife/saw hybrid. Cutting bread is the only thing I use a serrated blade for. 

Those are beautiful, but do they have any practicality? A knapped edge can make a very rough cut.

I think if I made something like that, I'd display it rather than use it.

I agree but after reading about ALON I see it can be formed much like ceramic knives are and if I understand it correctly it is stronger and harder... 

[Phi for All]

1 hour ago, studiot said:

Any sign of Anne here?

Anne99 was most likely spamming for a blog.

1 hour ago, studiot said:

You say you want to make a knife.

Where is the best place to dig for the iron? 

[Moontanman]

11 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

Anne99 was most likely spamming for a blog.

Where is the best place to dig for the iron? 

I've seen some pretty neat knives made from files, very hard material, difficult to really work with grinders and such. There are some interesting material on youtube where various ammature smiths make blades out of things like steel cable as well... 

[studiot]

3 minutes ago, Moontanman said:

I've seen some pretty neat knives made from files, very hard material, difficult to really work with grinders and such. There are some interesting material on youtube where various ammature smiths make blades out of things like steel cable as well... 

In the days when we had an engineering industry, one of the first things an apprentice would make would be as scraper out of an old file.

These days files are often case (surface) hardened so grinding of the teeth removes all the suitable hard steel.

[Moontanman]

11 minutes ago, studiot said:

In the days when we had an engineering industry, one of the first things an apprentice would make would be as scraper out of an old file.

These days files are often case (surface) hardened so grinding of the teeth removes all the suitable hard steel.

I admit the ones i saw made were 50 years ago in shop class, they seemed pretty hard to sharpen and held a good edge, took a lot of grinding, saw several grinding wheels ruined doing this. I always prefered my case brand pocket knives, a lot more practical.. I do have a case XX Bowie knife i bought 40 some years ago, I've used it as a dive knife, fish cleaning, cutting fire wood while camping and it is still like new... This is the knife I have.

 

Edited October 19, 2018 by Moontanman