Redmeadow Wild Cards

John, it's been a spell - you have any Wild Card ideas that are jostling around in that dome of yours?
 
A paring knife would definitely be cool and will probably be next, maybe a few.

Another idea I've been rolling around in my head is a notebook cover with a thin handled knife sheathed in the cover somewhere. I've been trying to design one based on the small field notes size but am going to have to move up to a size larger to get anything that resembles a functional knife out of it. I think we're going to switch to the Cahier notebooks from Moleskine. They seem to be a better quality and have a few sizes to choose from. I have some of the small ones but need to order one size up. What do you guys think of that idea in general?
 
Something similar to the old Buck Paklite series would fit in a flap diagonally inside the cover. It's a very capable design in a small package. If you angle the knife so the handle end is toward the spine and the tip is pointing outboard, it would be held and retained automatically when the cover is closed. If you did away with the front outside slant pocket, you could use that thickness for the welt of the sheath inside the front cover and not grow the overall thickness of the notebook, and maybe not even use any more material per notebook than you're currently using. I don't use the outside slant pocket flap or the pen clip slit - instead, I clip the pen inside the spine of the cover. Just thinking out loud here in response to your question.
 
Culprit99 said:
Something similar to the old Buck Paklite series would fit in a flap diagonally inside the cover. It's a very capable design in a small package. If you angle the knife so the handle end is toward the spine and the tip is pointing outboard, it would be held and retained automatically when the cover is closed. If you did away with the front outside slant pocket, you could use that thickness for the welt of the sheath inside the front cover and not grow the overall thickness of the notebook, and maybe not even use any more material per notebook than you're currently using. I don't use the outside slant pocket flap or the pen clip slit - instead, I clip the pen inside the spine of the cover. Just thinking out loud here in response to your question.
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Good idea, I considered doing a simple forged blade without scales but thought something slim and classy might fit the bill better. If I can design something scaleless like the paklite that is interesting though that might work.

Thinkin out loud is exactly what the subforum's for, I appreciate the suggestion.
 
Been many years since I've made one. I use to call this a Vaquero Ultralite.

GPemB0i.jpg


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Had to go clear back to page 158 of my 208 pages of Imgur to find a pic even, been so long since I've made one. Something like that might fit the bill for the notebook. Sometimes I would bevel the holes in the handle:

a1om9Gy.jpg
 
Horsewright said:
Been many years since I've made one. I use to call this a Vaquero Ultralite.

GPemB0i.jpg


9bZPbvh.jpg


xSb6lbL.jpg


Had to go clear back to page 158 of my 208 pages of Imgur to find a pic even, been so long since I've made one. Something like that might fit the bill for the notebook. Sometimes I would bevel the holes in the handle:

a1om9Gy.jpg
Click to expand...

Something like that would fit the bill nicely Dave, simple and useful.

Speaking of simple and useful, I ground out this little paring knife and mocked up a handle with some never-dry clay.

Took the plunge into the ricasso and tapered the blade out really thin. Gonna take it just above a zero grind and shallow the scales for a pinch grip. Will probably go with Richlite scales and nickel silver pins. Might be a handy addition to a kitchen.

(Scales are a clay mock up in case ya missed that part)
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Comprehensivist said:
^ Oh Yeah! That is a nice looking paring knife profile. I’ll be watching for more news on this one. Way to go John. 👍

Phil
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Thanks Phil. I'll put it to the test in the kitchen and if it works out well we'll make a few of them.
 
cbach8tw said:
like the look of that one, would a little more belly be an advantage in the kitchen? Just curious.
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I'm definitely no student of kitchen knives or the kitchen but I would think more belly would mean less contact with the cutting surface. I think the point being forward and lower would keep your hand at a more natural angle when piercing something, say cutting into the middle of a bell pepper, you don't want to push the belly through, you'd want to perforate it first. That was my thinking and could be way off. The straighter edge might also help getting all the way through your cuts against a surface. All that makes sense in my head but I could be way off!
 
Yeah any knife I've seen or used that's a "paring" knife has very little belly. The blades on the 2 we have actually look more like John's Zulu profile...more curve on the spine than the edge.
 
jlauffer said:
Yeah any knife I've seen or used that's a "paring" knife has very little belly. The blades on the 2 we have actually look more like John's Zulu profile...more curve on the spine than the edge.
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That makes sense , maybe that is why a santoku almost has a straight edge but you get a point too.
 
A chef you see on TV once in a while is a good friend of ours. I've made her many knives over the years. She designed this paring knife and had me make her a couple.

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She had one of my designed paring knives and wasn't happy with it. Too small.

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My design (the third pic) is 7"oal and hers is 8". So not a huge difference but her design is just beefier overall. Might give ya some thoughts on your paring knife design
 
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Horsewright said:
A chef you see on TV once in a while is a good friend of ours. I've made her many knives over the years. She designed this paring knife and had me make her a couple.

mdTTphH.jpg


GuFv5qr.jpg


She had one of my designed paring knives and wasn't happy with it. Too small.

9LdXRq6.jpg


My design (the third pic) is 7"oal and hers is 8". So not a huge difference but her design is just beefier overall. Might give ya some thoughts on your paring knife design
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Those are really nice Dave. Found a picture of one I made a long time ago. Similar to the top one you have pictured. It turned into an all around kitchen and steak knife. May have to design one again outside of the Wild Cards.
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