Hey Steve, I did not take it that way, I know that all the advice that I get is what I need to hear to better myself. After looking at the handles, the pictures show what seams to be a line of flatnest and it is flater then it should be but not as bad as the pictures show. Some may think there are dumb questions, but if you don't know, you don't know. I have gotten alot out of this thread and hope other new guys have also. Thanks again for all the advice and stright answers I've asked.

Dana

Dana

You are asking good questions. This is why we have the ABS Forum available for our members. I appreciate our more experienced members taking the time to share their knowledge as our founder Bill Moran did.

|quoted:

Dana

You are asking good questions. This is why we have the ABS Forum available for our members. I appreciate our more experienced members taking the time to share their knowledge as our founder Bill Moran did.

You betcha...I concur...thanks one and all!!!

I know this thread is a little old, but what the heck.

First off, you've gotten some GREAT advice and ideas from some GREAT smiths!!!

Second, design is ALWAYS subjective. I think if you took a knife made by one Ms, showed it to another Ms and got a TRULY brutal "gut reaction" from him/her, you'd probably get something like, "Well, I'd have made the guard a tad thinner, or dropped the handle a bit more, or raised the tip." My point is just that everybody likes what they like.

Okay, so here's my little speal on MY PERSONAL take on knives in general.

I feel a knife's appeal boils down to a few basic elements-

1.) Overall lines

2.)Shapes and textures

3.)Color combination

4.) Finish and fitment

And not necessarily in that order for everyone.

I strongly believe in shooting for flow and curves, but think you have to be careful with the notion of "there are no straight lines in nature."

Namely, because we are not building nature. A higher power did that, and to a level that we can never replicate. We are building things with our hands that should have form and function... we're not building a mountain or a forest. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> There are MANY man made things in this world with straight lines that people would be quick to say are at least aesthetically pleasing, if not even beautiful---- homes, cars, boats. The catch is that they have the right combination of those 4 things above.

More specifically in a knife, I think the combination of mostly curve, with a bit of a straight or semi straight line here and there, can work very well.

Back to those 4 things.... I think a good comparison is CARS. Pick your favorite--- WHATEVER it is '62 Corvette, '58 Apache pickup, '69 Shelby Mustang GT500, '82 3/4 ton p-u with 6" lift and 36" tires, Ferrari.... WHATEVER rig turns your crank. Think about WHY it does.

Unless you're a MOPAR man <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//tongue.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':P' /> The overall lines of the car or truck are what initially grabbed your eye and drew you in. I think it's the same with a knife. The initial overall lines of the knife are what catch a person's eye. (I jest about MOPAR only because there are a lot of examples where they put power and feel way ahead of looks on their list <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> want an example? My friend owns a Dodge Dart with 600 HP <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//blink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' /> ) Okay, back to the point here...

All of the other things are pretty much icing on the cake as far as the visuals go. Take a knife by you very favorite maker, and you could boil it down to a cardboard cut-out of the knife, and you'd still see it as having attractive lines.

Shapes and textures are of course blended together with the lines, but they are more in the third dimension (handle shapes, contours, etc).

Color combinations---- Most folks would be drawn to something like a damascus blade with damascus fitting and an ivory handle. The colors compliment each other. Put a splotchy etched damascus blade with a pink plastic handle, and it just aint gonna lood good together. Just like with cars... this is sort of icing on the cake. If you already love that '69 Mustang you're going to like it whether it's red, blue, or gray. You'll LOVE it more if GunMetal Gray is your favorite color, and the only way to make you really dislike it is if theyy painted it something dumb like green with pink spots. If it's an ugly car, it doesn't matter if it has a $30K pearlescent paint job... it's still an ugly car with a fancy paint job.

And finally finish and fitment. If the knife has already drawn your eye in- you probably picked it up. If the shapes and textures are right, it will feel good in your hand (balance, handle ergonomics, etc.). You like the colors of the blade, guard, and handle together. Now you want to really look at it and see how well the details have been put together.

I think it's almost easier to tell a guy who's not real happy with his work what to avoid than it is to say what to shoot for.

-Not heavy

-Not clunky

-Not chubby

-Not too thick

-Not too straight.

<img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Sorry that wasn't supposed to be a book!!! Just put some of my personal thoughts down about it. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Thanks

-Nick-

Great advice Nick!! Why don't we have a thumbs-up emoticon?

Hey Steve-

I need the foot in mouth icon... I remember being in awe when we saw you climb into that beautiful Dodge truck on your way home. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//ohmy.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

I've got a dozen friends that would kick me in the head if they saw my smart-alac remark about some of the 50-80's Mopar rigs, but they would also be the first to say their car is "Go and show," not "Show and go." So for them, "feel and balance" always goes first on the list. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

Actually Dodge makes for a neat comparison here... in the last several years they've done an awesome job of combining beautiful lines with power and feel. Just like a great looking, great feeling knife. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//cool.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' /> <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

-Nick-

LOL!!! Yea, my Ram is a pretty sweet ride! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

I've always been a Mopar fan. But I admit too, that I've always been blinded by horsepower. Some of the Mopars that I've owned weren't too stylish, but they all were fast. Coming in second place wasn't pretty to me. However, my 650 hp '71 Charger RT looked good with the front wheels in the air!! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//tongue.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':P' />

Styling and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Form should always follow function, but not necessarily at the cost of aesthetics. Maybe I'm still blinded by horsepower today. But, I could be happy driving a Viper…… <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

Hi Dana,

As others have stated, it is all about flow. When I stated out, I made good ugly knives.. A good friend gave me honest critique and stated that they lacked flow.. I went off for about 3 months and studied knives that I liked and figured out what I liked about them.. what made them look appealing.. It really boils down to the flow of the lines and how the lines transition between the components of the knife..

IMHO your knives are pretty close to having the right characteristics and with a little awareness and attention to flow I think you'll see big improvements. So, here are my recommendations based on what I see in the photos:

If you look at the spine line and see how it transitions across the guard and into the handle.. It appears in the photo that this is not straight.. the line seems to dip at the guard.. This dip breaks up the flow. IMO it should be flat through the guard with a slight drop in the end of the handle for that knife type.

Look at the bottom of your ricasso. Based on what I see in the photo's it doesn't quite line up with the line of the handle again breaking up the flow. For this knife type you can get away with it a bit however on a other knife styles such as a bowie with a plate guard it is critical that the ferrule/handle align with the top/bottom of the blades ricasso..

The blade is next.. The proportions look fine to me.. clip is placed well.. I'm not sure if it is just the photos but the blades seem to lack a crispness.. I cant tell if it has been over buffed or perhaps you ground on a slack belt but the lines and crispness of the flats seems to be washed out..

Guard - As a previous poster mentioned.. It will help to add some additional thickness to your guard to aid in the transition to the handle wood. The transition is a bit abrupt as you have it. Simply add an additional piece of stock behind the guard and blend it in or get thicker stock so that you can file in more transition..

All this I have mentioned does not require fancy tools or supplies.. Even with high dig materials knives can be ugly so focus on design and execution..

I hope this helps.. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work..

Cheers,

Jerid

I'm pulling this thread back up because it's been on my mind. This thread actually prompted me to write down some of my observations on the subject. I gathered a few photos to illustrate my point and sent it to Blade Magazine and guess what! It got published! I think this subject could go on and on and not be too much.

Great points Nick!

Lin,

Congrats on getting an article published!!! Can't wait to read it!

What issue?

October, just got mine in the mail. Very informative and well written article Lin!

Very good article Lin. Read it twice today. I remember B.R.' s talk well and try to use the advice in every knife. And like Lin, I must say a drawing pad is a very important tool for the maker.

Well done Lin.

Brion