The things we do for money

[Faye 323]

So a friend from church asked me to make a self defense knife of his design. There is a specific name for it but I don't remember what it is. The only thing I enjoyed about this build was the challenge of forging the handle to shape.

I put some Indian rosewood scales on it and had it nice and shiny when he said he planned to paint the handle with truck bed liner to make it 'grippy' and 'non reflective'.Oh the self control it took not to tell him what I thought of that. So after a long internal struggle, instead of letting him bastardize a knife with my makers mark, I painted it myself and gave it a patina to tone down the reflectivness. 

Despite my qualms about the knife, at the end of the day the customer is happy and I have gas money to go to my ornamentation class. I don't plan on adding this one to the portfolio I show to other customers though. It's part of my skill set now, but not my kind of style.

Edited April 18 by Faye

[Joshua States 2,573]

I don't know what to say, other than good self-control not telling him you needed to test it, and then sticking him with it.

Tapering full tangs is notoriously difficult to get even, without a mechanical means like a surface grinder. How did you do this one? 

The blade design is unusual. Is it double edged? 

[Faye 323]

23 minutes ago, Joshua States said:

Tapering full tangs is notoriously difficult to get even, without a mechanical means like a surface grinder. How did you do this one? 

A shop magnet and my 72" belt grinder. It's not as centered as it should be, I didn't think to mark the center until I realized it was off center.

Only the top is sharpened. The 'spine' has a false edge. It is supossedly a design developed by an undercover narcotics cop for tight quarter combat. The idea is pulling a blade up to make a wound bigger is easier because it uses stronger muscles than pushing down or sideways.

[Doug Lester 414]

Nice to see you back.  I think that the handle looks great.  We all have to do what we think is right but if I had a friend who approached me with making a knife like that for him I think that my answer would have been no,  Same as with a plunge dagger.

 

Doug

[Joshua States 2,573]

14 hours ago, Faye said:

It's not as centered as it should be, I didn't think to mark the center until I realized it was off center.

I noticed that. It's why I asked. Lesson learned and a mistake you won't make again.

The important part is that you saw it, you recognized how it happened, and you know how not to do it again

 

Edited April 18 by Joshua States

[Gerald Boggs 310]

I'm confused. There appears to be some dislike for the knife. Is it because the knife is intended for self-defense or because of the design?

[Brian Dougherty 1,422]

OK, it isn't about the knife, but I have to say the pic on the frozen puddle is a cool idea. 

 

I'd say the execution of the knife design is quite good.  I'm not really qualified to comment on the design, but if it is what the owner wanted, then so be it.  (Within reason  )

[Joshua States 2,573]

11 minutes ago, Gerald Boggs said:

I'm confused. There appears to be some dislike for the knife. Is it because the knife is intended for self-defense or because of the design?

I never said I dislike the knife itself, or the design. I think the distasteful part of it was this

 

19 hours ago, Faye said:

I put some Indian rosewood scales on it and had it nice and shiny when he said he planned to paint the handle with truck bed liner to make it 'grippy' and 'non reflective'.

 

[Bruno 103]

Nice work on the knife Faye.

I totally understand about the distasteful part.  Sometimes, I think it's about knowing your customer, so as to avoid unnecessary effort in widdling wood when a leather wrap would have been plenty.

 

I think the guy copied this knife...

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-fex90914pb/images/stencil/2048x2048/products/390/2564/wps-clinch-pick-2.0__54743.1649429806.jpg?c=2

 

Here is an interesting vid on the theory of the design, for those interested.  It's a very purpose built knife. No hijacking intended.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwNFvOaqh94

 

[Faye 323]

7 hours ago, Gerald Boggs said:

There appears to be some dislike for the knife. Is it because the knife is intended for self-defense or because of the design?

The paint on the handle was the biggest dislike. Design and use don't bother me, but the finish totally killed my artistic side. I like making pretty knives, with complementary colors and shiny finishes. This one seemed totally bland and turned an enjoyable new project into something I just wanted to be done with. Just personal preference.

 

6 hours ago, Brian Dougherty said:

I have to say the pic on the frozen puddle is a cool idea. 

That almost backfired. The knife was warm enough that it started to melt the ice, and the ice was pretty thin so the photo session ended very quickly.

[Gerhard Gerber 482]

Basically a clinch pick?
 

[Faye 323]

4 hours ago, Gerhard Gerber said:

Basically a clinch pick?
 

I believe that is what he called it.

[Gerhard Gerber 482]

The dude that introduced me to them ankle carries a .38, a wave-deployed folder (Spyderco) in each pocket, and a neck knife.

He is quite tactical and it sucks when he starts demonstrating (on me)

He is also South African, and has had to go all tactical when trying to open his gate and a few other occasions.

[Christopher Price 59]

As someone in an among real-life fight experts, that's not a great design, as it isn't long enough to penetrate any vital organs in the torso.

You want at least four inches, six is preferable, and as far as the handle goes... pour a pint of vegetable oil over it in your hand, and if you can still control it, then you have a decent design. To my eye, this design is not good for that.

No criticism of Faye's work mind you... which was excellent execution of what was asked for before the paint... but the customer clearly doesn't know what they need for real work.

[Jerrod Miller 600]

2 hours ago, Christopher Price said:

As someone in an among real-life fight experts, that's not a great design, as it isn't long enough to penetrate any vital organs in the torso.

You want at least four inches, six is preferable

Except there may be legal reasons why they cannot have that long of a blade (I've seen many places with laws limiting blade length to sub 4", or even sub 3").  Some people also prefer to have something easier to conceal, and actually "less likely to kill".  The legal and conceal aspects are the most sound reasons in my mind for going shorter than 5".  Better to actually have something less than ideal than to not have anything.  

[Christopher Price 59]

18 minutes ago, Jerrod Miller said:

Except there may be legal reasons why they cannot have that long of a blade (I've seen many places with laws limiting blade length to sub 4", or even sub 3").  Some people also prefer to have something easier to conceal, and actually "less likely to kill".  The legal and conceal aspects are the most sound reasons in my mind for going shorter than 5".  Better to actually have something less than ideal than to not have anything.  

You're correct, if people want to carry a knife that abides by the law, then blade length needs to be respected.

I stand by my comments on the overall design, though, and reiterate that it's no critique of Faye, but the buyer, if that's what they asked for in a "fighting knife." I'd rather use something like a bodice dagger with proper grip and less length, than what looks more like a skinning knife with no appreciable grip when slippery wet.