- Joined
- Aug 13, 2002
- Messages
- 5,703
I am building a Kukri for a good friend and since you guys said that you liked WIPs, even long drawn out ones, here goes. I just want to warn you that I will take the opportunity to talk about a few things I've been meaning to post about so this may get wordy. 
I'll do my best to be as clear as possible but my grasp of the english language (or even French for that matter) is not the greatest so feel free to let me know if I don't make any sense or if you have questions.
Design Phase
This may be the wordiest part. I want to talk a little more about this part because I heard some very good makers say that they lack creativity. Guess what? I am not that creative myself, not in the almost magical Simple pen and paper, Leonardo DaVinci/Michelangelo way. I have to work at it. I just can't draw something from scratch. First I use a general profile of a knife I like. I don't worry about copying someone else because by the time I am done it will look nothing like the original. But I need this first canvas, most of the time anyway. I prefer to get started this way.
On a side note here, that first canvas doesn't necessarily have to be a knife. A sculpture, an architectural feature, anything really can be used as a basis for your design. As long as something about it inspires you.
Using computer assisted drawing programs (I like Inkscape the best) http://inkscape.org/ I modify the drawing and refine it until I get something that I think could work. I said think cause most of the time it doesn't. Which brings me to my first picture.
(Note, you can see the rough profile of the next Persian I want to make. Should be a fun one.)
I first print the design on paper, actual size, and cut it out. This is fast and easy to do and gives me right away an idea of what works about it and what doesn't. I don't even bother with moving up to the cardboard cutout since I usually have to go back to the designing board sometimes as much as a dozen times or more to fix the visuals, ergonomics or size of it. I eventually get it right and then make a cutout of the profile using thick box type cardboard. This gives be a better feel in the hand than paper and lets me iron out flaws that might have not been apparent with the paper model. When I am satisfied with the model, I'll leave it around the house for a few days to look at it and handle it some more. After working a lot on a design you can convince yourself that it looks or feels good. Putting it aside for a while let you get a more objective view the next time you pick it up.
Ok, time to start this build. Not sure what thickness of stock people usually build Kukris out of but to make sure that I have enough meat for any design elements I want to do on the blade, I went with some 1/4 thick 5160 from Aldo.
Profile cut out. That thing is a beast. Weighs about 34oz at this stage. Feels about as fast as a crowbar.
Now time to refine the profile. This is a step that sounds simple but it is important get it right before you move forward. Especially when it comes to the different curves of the knife and how they blend together.
A little anecdote before the next pics. My Dad was a sheet metal worker and did some sculptures as a hobby. I remember when I was little, watching him dish some copper or brass and then planishing it over a mushroom stake. He use to ran his hand over the rounded shape and show me where there were still flat spots. Of course the shape already looked perfect to me and I never saw what he was talking about. But he still went back to the stake and hammered on the piece until he was satisfied that it was perfect. Well after all these years, I finally understand what he meant. He is no longer with us but I am sure that he is smiling up there seeing that I finally got what he was trying to teach me.
Which brings us to the next pics. The profile is done but upon closer inspection you can see a flat spot between the 2 black lines. By flat I mean flatter than the curves on either sides. It might not be evident looking at it from the side but sighting down the blade will reveal much more.
So to get this to blend together better, we flatten those curves on either sides. Using the biggest wheel you have on the grinders helps keeping transitions smooth.
And end up with a perfect curve.
More to come...
I'll do my best to be as clear as possible but my grasp of the english language (or even French for that matter) is not the greatest so feel free to let me know if I don't make any sense or if you have questions.Design Phase
This may be the wordiest part.
I want to talk a little more about this part because I heard some very good makers say that they lack creativity. Guess what? I am not that creative myself, not in the almost magical Simple pen and paper, Leonardo DaVinci/Michelangelo way. I have to work at it. I just can't draw something from scratch. First I use a general profile of a knife I like. I don't worry about copying someone else because by the time I am done it will look nothing like the original. But I need this first canvas, most of the time anyway. I prefer to get started this way.On a side note here, that first canvas doesn't necessarily have to be a knife. A sculpture, an architectural feature, anything really can be used as a basis for your design. As long as something about it inspires you.
Using computer assisted drawing programs (I like Inkscape the best) http://inkscape.org/ I modify the drawing and refine it until I get something that I think could work. I said think cause most of the time it doesn't. Which brings me to my first picture.
(Note, you can see the rough profile of the next Persian I want to make. Should be a fun one.
)I first print the design on paper, actual size, and cut it out. This is fast and easy to do and gives me right away an idea of what works about it and what doesn't. I don't even bother with moving up to the cardboard cutout since I usually have to go back to the designing board sometimes as much as a dozen times or more to fix the visuals, ergonomics or size of it. I eventually get it right and then make a cutout of the profile using thick box type cardboard. This gives be a better feel in the hand than paper and lets me iron out flaws that might have not been apparent with the paper model. When I am satisfied with the model, I'll leave it around the house for a few days to look at it and handle it some more. After working a lot on a design you can convince yourself that it looks or feels good. Putting it aside for a while let you get a more objective view the next time you pick it up.
Ok, time to start this build. Not sure what thickness of stock people usually build Kukris out of but to make sure that I have enough meat for any design elements I want to do on the blade, I went with some 1/4 thick 5160 from Aldo.
Profile cut out. That thing is a beast. Weighs about 34oz at this stage. Feels about as fast as a crowbar.
Now time to refine the profile. This is a step that sounds simple but it is important get it right before you move forward. Especially when it comes to the different curves of the knife and how they blend together.
A little anecdote before the next pics. My Dad was a sheet metal worker and did some sculptures as a hobby. I remember when I was little, watching him dish some copper or brass and then planishing it over a mushroom stake. He use to ran his hand over the rounded shape and show me where there were still flat spots. Of course the shape already looked perfect to me and I never saw what he was talking about. But he still went back to the stake and hammered on the piece until he was satisfied that it was perfect. Well after all these years, I finally understand what he meant. He is no longer with us
but I am sure that he is smiling up there seeing that I finally got what he was trying to teach me. Which brings us to the next pics. The profile is done but upon closer inspection you can see a flat spot between the 2 black lines. By flat I mean flatter than the curves on either sides. It might not be evident looking at it from the side but sighting down the blade will reveal much more.
So to get this to blend together better, we flatten those curves on either sides. Using the biggest wheel you have on the grinders helps keeping transitions smooth.
And end up with a perfect curve.
More to come...
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