"Yet Another" Designer Thread

RyanSean97

RyanSean97

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Jan 24, 2018
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680
Hey guys, I don't want to start this off or make this another one of those usual "how do I get my knife made" threads, but I wanted to introduce myself formally to everyone and just get some feedback, help, advice, tips, critiques, anything I can from anyone would help tremendously.

My name is Ryan Toone and I've loved knives my entire life like all of you. This isn't a back story but it's just a preface so it doesn't seem like I'm just a guy wanting to bring a random design to market. I've always loved "designing" and drawing knives for as long as I can remember. I never was good at picturing things 100% in my head so a few weeks ago I decided to learn CAD and from there, Fusion 360. (I've wanted to do this for a while but thought you needed to go to school for it, and then I decided to teach myself). I've become decently proficient at it, at least for the 2 weeks I've been doing it I feel like.

I have plans to get a 3D printer and print the models out, test them, prototypes and all the fun stuff. They're fixed blades and folders, but I learned CAD mainly for the folders. The fixed blades were good practice though. Ideally I want to make these myself one day, all from start to finish but at this point in time I have no means to do that, which is fine, im working towards that though.

Currently though, I would love to be a designer for others: companies, makers, smaller production deals, etc. I basically want to do any and everything I can to get my name out there to anyone who cares to see it, get to know makers, people in the industry, and other designers even. I want to be familiar with everyone I can and even just make some friendships. I'm trying to not make this sound like I'm trying to use anyone because that's not the intention. Just want to try and get a good direction going you know?

I'll post pictures of my work up to date and see what you guys think so far. Thanks for reading and any questions and comments are very much welcome. I know this isn't new and I don't expect it to be easy, but it's just something I've wanted for a long time. Thanks guys!
 
Being a knife designer pretty much means being a knifemaker. While you can do all sorts of things in CAD 3D, and even 3D print them out, there may be a lot that isn't right. Add to that, it is really hard to come up with a NEW design, especially if you are working from all the knives that you have seen from others. With no name recognition, experience, or actual products to show, most manufacturers or other knifemaker will not be interested. Ken Onion esigns knives and does not have to make them, but he is Ken Onion. Ryan Toone might be a really nice guy and designs a neat knife ... but he is Ryan Toone ... who????
Not saying it can't be done, but it will be a really hard road t travel.

I look forward to the photos and details.
 
I encourage you to throw everything you have at it. Designing knives is a hugely rewarding thing to do. The thing I love the most about it is knowing there are a lot of people out there whose lives are made a little easier through the use of a knife bearing my designer's mark.

You have to give yourself away in your design work, and that means being true to your own vision regardless of what other people are doing. Somewhere I read that Ken Onion said 'when everyone turns right, hang a left'

I got my start by getting to know makers via this very website and was able to get my foot in the door that way- and there was a fair amount of luck involved. In my experience, good luck comes with hard work, sacrifice and enthusiasm!

If you are willing to pay someone to make a knife to your design, and are able to find someone willing to be true to your vision, you will learn a lot more about design than spending that money on shop tools, imo. It's good to branch out with different makers so that you can broaden the scope of your design language.

Computer aided design is not my forte, definitely something I need to learn- I'm old school with paper, pencil and eraser. You can't beat CAD for slick presentation, but good drawing skills will provide a lot of extra opportunities for getting your ideas out so you can see them.

If you want this bad enough, you can make it happen. Like anything.
 
There is a nice guy on the forums and FB who"designs" knives much as you wish to do. His designs are for automatics.
While they look good, those of us who actually make the knives saw much that simply would not work. When we told him, he really got offended.
3D printing the fixed blades is a good idea-and it might work with folders, but you need an experienced maker in your corner to advise you.
This is not meant to discourage you-but to help you bypass a couple of things that can set you back.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Being a knife designer pretty much means being a knifemaker. While you can do all sorts of things in CAD 3D, and even 3D print them out, there may be a lot that isn't right. Add to that, it is really hard to come up with a NEW design, especially if you are working from all the knives that you have seen from others. With no name recognition, experience, or actual products to show, most manufacturers or other knifemaker will not be interested. Ken Onion esigns knives and does not have to make them, but he is Ken Onion. Ryan Toone might be a really nice guy and designs a neat knife ... but he is Ryan Toone ... who????
Not saying it can't be done, but it will be a really hard road t travel.

I look forward to the photos and details.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, and im not trying to really create the newest designs, just really designs that I like, that work well for people who want to have those designs in their tools. The best designs that I can create really, and people who share the attraction for them as I do. Like I said I plan to make them myself eventually and be a full maker, but im at the very beginning stages and just want to put myself out there and be a sponge to this industry.

Lorien said:
I encourage you to throw everything you have at it. Designing knives is a hugely rewarding thing to do. The thing I love the most about it is knowing there are a lot of people out there whose lives are made a little easier through the use of a knife bearing my designer's mark.

You have to give yourself away in your design work, and that means being true to your own vision regardless of what other people are doing. Somewhere I read that Ken Onion said 'when everyone turns right, hang a left'

I got my start by getting to know makers via this very website and was able to get my foot in the door that way- and there was a fair amount of luck involved. In my experience, good luck comes with hard work, sacrifice and enthusiasm!

If you are willing to pay someone to make a knife to your design, and are able to find someone willing to be true to your vision, you will learn a lot more about design than spending that money on shop tools, imo. It's good to branch out with different makers so that you can broaden the scope of your design language.

Computer aided design is not my forte, definitely something I need to learn- I'm old school with paper, pencil and eraser. You can't beat CAD for slick presentation, but good drawing skills will provide a lot of extra opportunities for getting your ideas out so you can see them.

If you want this bad enough, you can make it happen. Like anything.
Click to expand...
I really love this response and I share all of those same sentiments as you do. I follow your designs along in the CPK forums and you're really great at what you do. So are they. You guys make a great team and honestly I'm pretty jealous. I'm about 2 1/2 hours from Nathan and the gang and I really would love to go down there and see him some day. As for designing, I really enjoy seeing what i have in my mind come out on paper or in this case on the screen and see what it could be. And knowing that others will find it as rewarding in use makes it all the while for me. I've also wanted to meet and talk to a lot of makers as humans for a very long time. I'm familiar with that quote by Ken Onion, and he's the very first designer I ever discovered and has been one of my favorites since that day. He really kicked this all off for me years ago.

Bill DeShivs said:
There is a nice guy on the forums and FB who"designs" knives much as you wish to do. His designs are for automatics.
While they look good, those of us who actually make the knives saw much that simply would not work. When we told him, he really got offended.
3D printing the fixed blades is a good idea-and it might work with folders, but you need an experienced maker in your corner to advise you.
This is not meant to discourage you-but to help you bypass a couple of things that can set you back.
Click to expand...
I'm not here to get offended at all, I was hesitant to put myself out here just because of the fact so many others have, but no offense to anyone else I really just see a pattern in those threads and people and it just seemed like they were missing something. Not saying I'm better, or different for that matter, but I know how bad I want it. As corny as it is lol

Here are some different models I've done up over my time and some are still being tweaked and tuned to this day. Actually some are updated but I don't have current photos of them. I can point out the differences though if anyone sees things they don't like that may have been changed already. It's a lot, so I put them into an Imgur link so you should be able to swipe through each group respectively:

https://imgur.com/a/8QUoEpv
 
All of us here are knife designers in one shape or another.....

Advice I give is to Buy Lots of knives.....
Some times I buy styles, sometimes it's handle shape. Maybe sheaths.
Learn everthing you can.
Learn what you like. Learn what Others are making...figure out WHY they are designed and made not how You'd like them???

I design my own, started actually making them too.
I personally struggle with why the knives (I want to buy) don't exist????
I feel that I'm Forced to make them.
I'm not even sure IF I wanna make knives yet..... But people aren't making what I want..... It's a struggle I have to deal with.

Whatever you do...... Keep your word! Stay true, and be honest.
We are Only as good as our word......and our last sale.
Word of mouth will make or break you on social meadia. People talk.
I've stopped buying from Jerk makers/designers....

Knives are Just sharp edged materials..... Designed and made a certain way.
We don't really Need what we Want.
Often what people are Paying for is to be part of something.....

The knife industry is very Cult like.
People get drawn into various personas. You will see their fanboys here.
It's ok, I guess. But silly. You will learn who is in the "in crowd". Haha

How are YOU different?

Looking forward to seeing what you got. Design wise.

To answer your question.....
Seek, and talk to David Mary David Mary .
He's a designer/maker here on BF.

He's capable of working with your CAD designs, and make what you want. With a variety of materials, and ways of manufacture.
He has Tons of "street cred" here.
Eventually he will be a Big Name, and rightfully so.

I've used him for prototypes before, and will continue to do so.
He has a very good design mind. He comes up with all sorts of things.
you can trust him.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
All of us here are knife designers in one shape or another.....

Advice I give is to Buy Lots of knives.....
Some times I buy styles, sometimes it's handle shape. Maybe sheaths.
Learn everthing you can.
Learn what you like. Learn what Others are making...figure out WHY they are designed and made not how You'd like them???

I design my own, started actually making them too.
I personally struggle with why the knives (I want to buy) don't exist????
I feel that I'm Forced to make them.
I'm not even sure IF I wanna make knives yet..... But people aren't making what I want..... It's a struggle I have to deal with.

Whatever you do...... Keep your word! Stay true, and be honest.
We are Only as good as our word......and our last sale.
Word of mouth will make or break you on social meadia. People talk.
I've stopped buying from Jerk makers/designers....

Knives are Just sharp edged materials..... Designed and made a certain way.
We don't really Need what we Want.
Often what people are Paying for is to be part of something.....

The knife industry is very Cult like.
People get drawn into various personas. You will see their fanboys here.
It's ok, I guess. But silly. You will learn who is in the "in crowd". Haha

How are YOU different?

Looking forward to seeing what you got. Design wise.

To answer your question.....
Seek, and talk to David Mary David Mary .
He's a designer/maker here on BF.

He's capable of working with your CAD designs, and make what you want. With a variety of materials, and ways of manufacture.
He has Tons of "street cred" here.
Eventually he will be a Big Name, and rightfully so.

I've used him for prototypes before, and will continue to do so.
He has a very good design mind. He comes up with all sorts of things.
you can trust him.
Click to expand...
That's my main goal in this little journey. I want to be a person people can trust and have faith in that no matter what they'll get something real and honest every single time. That's always been a philosophy of mine through life and it will always be.

I also just recently got a maker to make one of those designs for me that I linked above. I found that I had made the handle too long, and that was a good learning experience for me. All I need to do is shorten it and round it off where the length is good, and it'll be great. I'm not doing that right now though. But anyway, that's been an approach I've had in mind since the beginning. Thanks for the supportive words!
 
Look, I know you think you want to make knives for ecommerce. Lots of upstarts think the same, but they never get any good advice, so I'll help you out.

First, you go get yourself 500 railroad spikes, a coal farrier's forge, and a 3 lb ball peen hammer, a good pair of vice grips, 500 lbs of coal, and a piece of railroad mainline.

You take those railroad spikes and you start forging them into knifes, one by one. Forge them completely to the final knife shape, none of this sissy grinder nonsense. Keep forging until every spike is a knife.

Then you take the knife billets and you start heating them up until they glow enough to where a magnet doesn't stick to them anymore, and dunk it in the creek. Do this for all 500 of them.

Then, maybe, just maybe, you'll be ready to make a knife worth a darn.
 
Mecha said:
Look, I know you think you want to make knives for ecommerce. Lots of upstarts think the same, but they never get any good advice, so I'll help you out.

First, you go get yourself 500 railroad spikes, a coal farrier's forge, and a 3 lb ball peen hammer, a good pair of vice grips, 500 lbs of coal, and a piece of railroad mainline.

You take those railroad spikes and you start forging them into knifes, one by one. Forge them completely to the final knife shape, none of this sissy grinder nonsense. Keep forging until every spike is a knife.

Then you take the knife billets and you start heating them up until they glow enough to where a magnet doesn't stick to them anymore, and dunk it in the creek. Do this for all 500 of them.

Then, maybe, just maybe, you'll be ready to make a knife worth a darn.
Click to expand...
I feel like I've heard this advice before, lol :)
 
1632785585904.png

Just a comment on the image you drew.

That three bevel blade looks really cool, But I bet most togishi wouldn't attempt that grind and polish for any amount of money. A classic example of what looks great in CAD but is nearly impossible to create in real life. If the blade was 1/2" thick, you might get that easily, but even at 1/4" thick ( which is REALLY THICK) it would be difficult. At .125" ( the most likely max thickness for a knife like that) it would be a very complex grind to mass produce.

Not sure what the extra lines on the top and bottom of the handle are?
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
View attachment 1649202

Just a comment on the image you drew.

That three bevel blade looks really cool, But I bet most togishi wouldn't attempt that grind and polish for any amount of money. A classic example of what looks great in CAD but is nearly impossible to create in real life. If the blade was 1/2" thick, you might get that easily, but even at 1/4" thick ( which is REALLY THICK) it would be difficult. At .125" ( the most likely max thickness for a knife like that) it would be a very complex grind to mass produce.

Not sure what the extra lines on the top and bottom of the handle are?
Click to expand...
That's just one whole flat bevel grind, the way the sweep function carried out in the program left those lines in the blade for whatever reason. I'm not a fan of weird funky grinds personally, so all of my designs so far are all flat grinds. I like hollow grinds but I haven't done any with them yet. If you see the top view of that model, you can see the taper of the tang from ricasso to tip as one continuous taper if that helps!

The lines on the handles are the same story, those are just rounded edges, filleted in the program but when it rounded the handles it left those lines. Most likely from where the original sketch lines met.

I try to design everything as close to the finished product as I can get in CAD, not just concept sketches. That's why I'm still fixing them and tuning them every day as well.
 
I think I have to respectfully disagree with Mecha Mecha (so much respect and admiration for what you do in the niche market of titanium badassery). He not trying to be the next Andy Alm. Many knife makers have never forged a thing and I don’t see that in RyanSean97 RyanSean97 either.

RyanSean97 RyanSean97 I'm not entirely sure of your intentions but I envision most of you handles in milled tumbled titanium and I like it.
 
3fifty7 said:
I think I have to respectfully disagree with Mecha Mecha (so much respect and admiration for what you do in the niche market of titanium badassery). He not trying to be the next Andy Alm. Many knife makers have never forged a thing and I don’t see that in RyanSean97 RyanSean97 either.

RyanSean97 RyanSean97 I'm not entirely sure of your intentions but I envision most of you handles in milled tumbled titanium and I like it.
Click to expand...
I actually would love to forge someday, but admittedly that isn't the path I was wanting to start on. I have indescribable respect and admiration for guys that forge knives start to finish because they truly are masters of the craft, and it will always be a marvel to me. One day I hope to get to some level of that skill as well, or a fraction of it.

For the folders, they are designed as solid titanium handles currently yes, but I was looking at them today and I can easily inset liners into the show side of the scales and turn them into replaceable scales to be used from g10, micarta, carbon fiber, etc. Both models are easily adjusted for both.
 
Ryan that is a great looking design that reminds me of my favorite folding knife, the Spyderco Resilience.

RyanSean97 said:
every opinion is welcome here to me as long as it's productive
Click to expand...

Then, if I may, the only things I can see that would make the knife "better" are extending the handle scales a little forward at the bottom/front in order to hide the "choil" so it doesn't snag on paper, cardboard, fabric, etc. And, of course an opening hole. ;)
 
Everyone here would tweak the designs you posted based on their own preferences. There is no such thing as the perfect design, except the KaBar of course.
Me personally, when looking at your designs I would prefer the blades to have less belly and be more pointy. But that's just me.
 
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