Blacksmith knife bent backwards?

[Nick Owen]

Hi, 

Just getting to towards the end of my first knife. Needs heat treat and grinding, I was intending on bending the handle forwards and curling it under the finger as normal but then I think that the blade would be too shallow for chopping then. 

I've looked around at hundred of images of blacksmith knives and I can't find any pictures where the handle is bent upwards into where the palm would be. It would look odd but probably make the blade more useful. 

Has anyone got any pictures of a blacksmith knife curved that way to base a plan off? Otherwise I'll just go for the traditional look and try to draw the blade depth down a little next time. 

 

 

[JHCC]

It's YOUR blade, Nick -- make it the way you want it! Even (and especially!) if that's different from how everyone else does it!

Worst case scenario, you hate it and say, "Well, never doing that again!" Best case, you love it and it becomes part of your signature style. Who knows?

[Latticino]

What John said.  For example, check out Lin Rhea's "X-rhea" style integral "blacksmith" knives and the ones done by his students using his signature style.  Yes that is an integral rivet as well

[Nick Owen]

5 hours ago, JHCC said:

It's YOUR blade, Nick -- make it the way you want it!

Pretty much how I was thinking.. I couldn't find pics of ones in a different style but as Latticino posted (thank you!) they clearly exist  Can't help thinking how much my blade looks like a butter knife compared to the others with such a stubby point but it's modelled after a kitchen knife I really like using... less likely to severely pierce myself as well  

[ThomasPowers]

There are a number of "traditional" blades that had the stick tang justified to the top, (look at gaucho knife for a few examples.) However I don't remember any with the tang curved up.