Honing In On A Design

Kevin Zito

Kevin Zito

KNIFE MAKER
I just wanted to show a couple pics of a new drop point I’m working on. It’s really light and thin. This is pretty much all we use around here as big game in Louisiana runs pretty small. I’m hoping that my knives are maybe starting to have a look. I love the look of a 1970 Chevelle .... kinda “jacked up” in the back and low in the front. I try to use that as inspiration. I still have a ways to go as I struggle with handle design, but it sure is fun working on it. I also put some file work on this blade just for practice and fun. It’s pretty neat that practicing file work helped me get the whole plunge line deal somewhat in order. Thanks for looking and please critique and help me improve. As always it’s greatly appreciated.


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Man I use to live in Sheveport and my old friend shoots some BIG bucks.He sent me pics of one and my buddys wife thought it was a elk.But that is a very nice looking blade.
 
Rick Otts said:
Man I use to live in Sheveport and my old friend shoots some BIG bucks.He sent me pics of one and my buddys wife thought it was a elk.But that is a very nice looking blade.
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Thank you, sir! I’ve cleaned a many a 200 pounders with knives just like this one.... but I’d hate to fool with a moose or grizzly with it lol.
 
It takes some people a long time to realise that it doesn't take a big knife to dress out big game and that blade will certainly cover the majority of hunting needs for the majority of people. The rest is down to slight design differences and style preferences of each maker.
 
I have to agree with Mr Gruff for the most part those big knifes are good for the movies!You can do anything you want with a 4" blade dressing out wild game plus it's easier doing the inside work with one.
 
Big knives are for camp choppers, hand to hand combat, and looking good in the picture!!!

However for skinning give a 4" blade, that is just about right and a 6" blade is about absolute top of that scale. Anything over that is way overkill. Truth be told most times when skinning out game you are only using the tip of the blade anyway! When you skin you helping the critter out of his coat, those tight area need a little more finesse and a big blade means you are now choking up on your grip in an effort to not cut thru the skin!! A large knife means you are choking up to the blade and asking to slice off some your skin!!! :)
 
I love that blade shape, I have drawn most of my drawings of knives I want to make with that shape of blade 3” on up to about 4-5/8” long. Lots of different grinds for lots of different purposes, my biggest fault in design of the knives I’ve made is handle size and geometry, I keep making blades I like with handles I don’t like so much, someday I’ll find the winning combo. Yours looks beautiful
 
I generally use a Havalon knife to field dress and skin deer, heck I even skinned most of my coyotes with mine, swapping blades is faster than sharpening, plus I prefer a not so sharp blade for doing the majority of the skinning, less holes in the hides that we have to sew later
 
JJB11B said:
I love that blade shape, I have drawn most of my drawings of knives I want to make with that shape of blade 3” on up to about 4-5/8” long. Lots of different grinds for lots of different purposes, my biggest fault in design of the knives I’ve made is handle size and geometry, I keep making blades I like with handles I don’t like so much, someday I’ll find the winning combo. Yours looks beautiful
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Have an idea for you. Why don't reverse engineer your blade? Design a handle to fit your hand and then add a blade?
 
JJB11B said:
I love that blade shape, I have drawn most of my drawings of knives I want to make with that shape of blade 3” on up to about 4-5/8” long. Lots of different grinds for lots of different purposes, my biggest fault in design of the knives I’ve made is handle size and geometry, I keep making blades I like with handles I don’t like so much, someday I’ll find the winning combo. Yours looks beautiful
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Make tons of cardboard or supawood knives... that is the fastest way i know to fix that...
Make tons of cardboard
 
springer82 said:
Im waiting to see it finished with scales.
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Me too. I just have to wait for HT. :mad::mad::mad: It takes forever ... here lately it’s been almost a 3 week turn around. But I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you lol. I’ve been keeping track and there’s a 1 in 157,266 chance that the knife will come out like I want it haha.
 
JJB11B said:
I love that blade shape, I have drawn most of my drawings of knives I want to make with that shape of blade 3” on up to about 4-5/8” long. Lots of different grinds for lots of different purposes, my biggest fault in design of the knives I’ve made is handle size and geometry, I keep making blades I like with handles I don’t like so much, someday I’ll find the winning combo. Yours looks beautiful
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Thank you very much!
 
Kevin Zito said:
Me too. I just have to wait for HT. :mad::mad::mad: It takes forever ... here lately it’s been almost a 3 week turn around. But I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you lol. I’ve been keeping track and there’s a 1 in 157,266 chance that the knife will come out like I want it haha.
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Kevin what are you using for steel?? You can build a 1 brick forge with a torch for under 50 bucks and if you have a decent torch under 10 bucks!! Cheap used toaster oven to temper and no more waiting!!
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Something like this! Works good for Heat treating and won't over heat blade unless you totally ignore it. Just a thought.
 
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Gliden07 said:
Kevin what are you using for steel?? You can build a 1 brick forge with a torch for under 50 bucks and if you have a decent torch under 10 bucks!! Cheap used toaster oven to temper and no more waiting!!
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Something like this! Works good for Heat treating and won't over heat blade unless you totally ignore it. Just a thought.
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What steels work best with that setup... I have all of those supplies laying around. Might just have to try this. That’s very neat! I currently use cpm 154 cm, and nitro v mostly.
 
Kevin Zito said:
What steels work best with that setup... I have all of those supplies laying around. Might just have to try this. That’s very neat! I currently use cpm 154 cm, and nitro v mostly.
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I have been using 1080, 1084 and 01 with great success with this set up. The brick is a lightweight refractory brick. You can do all the holes in it with paddle bits and a rasp. I imagine for what your using you could get a HT thermo couple to track the temp
 
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