Roach Belly?

JK Knives

JK Knives

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Mar 6, 2001
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Just wondering why this model never took off, never got a single order for one. :confused: I thought it might make a good addition to my line, but should I drop it?

fz6d09.jpg
 
IMO - it doesn't look like something that would I could use for a myriad of tasks and be happy with. It looks cool, but impractical. Just my opinion.
 
myright said:
IMO - it doesn't look like something that would I could use for a myriad of tasks and be happy with. It looks cool, but impractical. Just my opinion.
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That`s the type of answers I`m looking for. I`m going to be reducing my models in the near future, and need to know what goes, and what stays.
 
I've found this pattern to be VERY practical for food prep. It makes a great camp knife and I'll just bet that many Backwoodsman readers will feel the same way. Keep it at least for a while before you decide.

Jeff
 
I have not taken any models off my website! I was just wondering why such a low interest here.
 
John in my humble opinion the Roach Belly is one of the nicest looking blades you have done and that along with your Hudson bay is on my wish list. I think your lack of sales is just because most of us are broke or at least finacially challenged when it comes to new knife purchases !
I'd definitely keep it on your website now you have an ad in Backwoodsman !!!
 
myright said:
IMO - it doesn't look like something that would I could use for a myriad of tasks and be happy with. It looks cool, but impractical. Just my opinion.
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Just out of curiosity, can you elaborate a bit on that? What about it makes it appear to be less functional than other blade designs? That would be some nice info to have.

Thanks.
 
I think most guys prefer a drop point for all around use, which means they will not like what I`m working on now. ;)
 
I would like to add one sometime to my historic JK Collection. As someone else said, times are a little tight right now, many who were not caught up in the rotten economy before might be starting to feel the bite a bit more.

We got the word that no cost of living from SS for two years because energy costs were down, What a joke I would like to have a glance at their crystal ball that shows low energy costs for two years. They don't even know about next week let alone two years. I suppose the Senate and House will not get any pay raise either Huh? Fat chance.
 
If I had it my way, I would order at least one of every JK knife model, but my custom knife budget is sensitive to fluctuations in the economy. I buy what I can, when I can.

I think that the roach belly is a neat design, and I definitely have one on my 'to get' list (with torched oak and brass pins, to match my HB!). Having such a fine point on a knife can be extremely useful, and the simple handle design is surprisingly comfortable for woodworking tasks. I posted this pic in Pitdog's W&SS thread, just to show the resemblance between a JK Roach Belly and my EDC knife. Great minds think alike!

roachbellies.jpg


All the best,

- Mike
 
It looks like it would work out as a great food prep/camp knife, but it doesn't trip my trigger. I would rather get a small hudson bay, which is more versatile(and you make a great looking one).
 
I actually think the roach belly is one of the best designs for a backwoods knife. The shape handles all of the possible chores/uses I might ever have for a knife. I suspect the trappers and fur traders carried roach bellies because they worked!

Your design looks very nice! I'd keep it in your line up.

AJ
 
C Bryant said:
Just out of curiosity, can you elaborate a bit on that? What about it makes it appear to be less functional than other blade designs? That would be some nice info to have.

Thanks.
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For food prep, yes, it would work well for me.

I should have probably prefaced my post by stating a little more clearly that my opinion is that of how I use my knife and not what I think other's would use it for. Most of the tasks I use my knives for while out and about are very utlitarian in nature, like stripping bark, fuzzies, opening packages, messing around in the garden and the like. Over the years I've come to like a knife that has a well defined straight portion of the blade before it makes it's sweep towards the edge. (I really like wharnies but I'm leaving this out of this discussion since it's irrelevant here). IMO having a blade that is pretty much a quarter of a circle doesn't leave me much room to make a wide, straight cut through a length of material. I hope that makes sense, it does in my head.

I'm not hating on the knife by any means, I've never handled it. I think the craftsmanship on it is great and it can be useful for a lot of people. I appreciate all knives for the work of art they are and would never tell another person that a knife is just flat out useless because I don't think there is such a knife.

Stomper - thanks for creating these knives for us to play with and love!
 
myright said:
For food prep, yes, it would work well for me.

I should have probably prefaced my post by stating a little more clearly that my opinion is that of how I use my knife and not what I think other's would use it for. Most of the tasks I use my knives for while out and about are very utlitarian in nature, like stripping bark, fuzzies, opening packages, messing around in the garden and the like. Over the years I've come to like a knife that has a well defined straight portion of the blade before it makes it's sweep towards the edge. (I really like wharnies but I'm leaving this out of this discussion since it's irrelevant here). IMO having a blade that is pretty much a quarter of a circle doesn't leave me much room to make a wide, straight cut through a length of material. I hope that makes sense, it does in my head.

I'm not hating on the knife by any means, I've never handled it. I think the craftsmanship on it is great and it can be useful for a lot of people. I appreciate all knives for the work of art they are and would never tell another person that a knife is just flat out useless because I don't think there is such a knife.

Stomper - thanks for creating these knives for us to play with and love!
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That kind of explanation is what I was looking for. Thanks for that. :thumbup:
 
I like the roach belly, I especially enjoyed watching it take shape on the fourm with the help of the forum members that was an awesome display of knife nuts doing what they love.
 
Stomper said:
Just wondering why this model never took off, never got a single order for one. :confused: I thought it might make a good addition to my line, but should I drop it?

fz6d09.jpg
Click to expand...

I actually really like this knife. Good period piece.

Would make a nice cowboy EDC.
 
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