I think this is my first actual post, even though I've ghosted the forums for a year. Recently, I found a veteran knifemaker a couple hours away from me and spent a few days learning how to make handles from natural materials. This is the result of the lessons, and I'm very happy with the end result! I'd like to get some opinions from people with a more critical eye than mine, though.
What would you have done differently?
What could I have done better (besides learn how to photograph in places that aren't my kitchen counter...)?
Information on the knife: it's 9 1/4" long, with the blade making up just under 5" of that (Yeah, the handle is dinky!). Blade is 1095, handle is a pattern burnt bamboo. The two copper domes are soldered to brass tube running through the handle, with the tang epoxied into place inside that tube.
Now here's hoping I figured out the image upload within the forum limits!
Edit: I didn't. Oops.
Original post edit: My image was still too large and had to be taken down. Reposting it so that it's resized to forum guidelines. Sorry, mods!
It looks like you're off to a good start.
Thanks, Lin!
Michael,
Interesting knife design. It shows that you have creativity. That's a valuable asset, in knifemaking.
I don't think that a 4 1/2" handle is too short on a smaller knife. I see more knives that I think are ugly because the handle is too large, rather than too small. Handle dimensions are as much related to the intended purpose of the knife, as they are the blade length. You don't need a camp knife sized handle on a hunter, or light use knife.
Steve, thanks for the tip on the handle. Dimensions and scale is always something I struggle with in a project, and I too often feel like I should make the handle a bit bigger, only to find myself thinking that it's uncomfortably large. With this one, my hand partially overlaps the turk's head wraps, but it doesn't FEEL too big or small.
One day I'll learn to trust my instincts and not ruin projects by fiddling too much!
