D. Martell Dave Martell Knives - 1st run

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Any negatives? Anything at all! Please speak up before I spend big bucks to get them ground out. :)
 
Looks good, like the direction you took with it, I shoulda grabbed one of those as well. Not sure if you remember but you sharpened a Takeda gyuto for me back in Jan, you remarked it was one of the nicer profiled Takeda's you've seen, this would have been a nice partner for it. Any pics of the suji or is that gonna be a suprise?
 
Dave, the edge profile looks much better. However, now when the blade is flat on the board, the choil actually curves back (the heel is behind the bolster transition). I would increase the radius of the choil and put the heel in front of the bolster.
 
2 things: I actually liked the first version better, but I am strange that way, several gyutos are too flat for my taste. Something in the middle between the two would also work for me. The other thing: you still need to grind that handle-shaped metal away, so I can stick a wa handle on it :D

Stefan
 
Audi's or knives said:
Any pics of the suji or is that gonna be a suprise?
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This suji is meant to be able to be both in the air and on the cutting board if you should desire.

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I like the blade shapes on both the Suji and the Gyuto. If it were me I would do something with the handle shape. How many western knives have that shape? I think it's boring and too common. I really like the Nenox or Glestain handles with the end caps and slightly different shape. They just seem much more distinctive and classy. I also think the straight choil is also too common and that the Nenox/Hattori FH curve is much nicer. Maybe there is something in the middle that is different than the normal but also hasn't been done yet.

To me, little touches like these would help differentiate your knives.

Sean
 
I agree with Sean, a slight drop to the end of the handle adds to the look, as well as adding a sense of security to the grip, I would think.
Just don't do an "Onion"!!
 
Today I did a bit of re-shaping to the ass end of the handle, just trying to make it a bit sleeker and to match it more with the western suji handle shape. I think it made a slight difference.

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Also, note that I've drawn in the wa tang to show what that blade will look like.
 
I think making the end of the handle look more like the suji was a good idea. I like that sleeker, more acute angle on the curve of the handle butt. I like the profile as well, unique shape. It threw me off at first because usually the flat part of the belly is nearly parallel to the spine. My only question would be, when standing at a working height counter with a cutting board on it, blade on edge, resting the knife at "full stop" with the heel on the board, is the handle butt angled up too much? Is it uncomfortable or kinda in the way if you are using a pinch grip? I would think its okay, and I like the way it looks, just something to double check.
 
JohnnyChance said:
My only question would be, when standing at a working height counter with a cutting board on it, blade on edge, resting the knife at "full stop" with the heel on the board, is the handle butt angled up too much? Is it uncomfortable or kinda in the way if you are using a pinch grip? I would think its okay, and I like the way it looks, just something to double check.
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This is what I was waiting to hear someone say something about. :)

It looks like it has the possibility of being a problem yet no one seems to have it hit their arm/wrist or any weird feeling about it being off at all. I've had 4 different height people test with me observing every little movement critically on different height working surfaces and it all seems good.

The one thing that could be a problem for me is does it appear to be an issue? I'm not tryng to re-invent the wheel here or to convince the masses it's the next best thing. I need a design that suits most people from a stylistic standpoint but also works great.
 
:idea: I just had one of those moments.

I re-drew the design taking the new belly and adding it onto the old template but then adjusting the spine and handle direction to be better in check with what we'd normally see and to remove the handle pointed too far up issue. I think the result is fantastic - a complete fresh design but with classic looks.

I'm going to send the design off tomorrow to get it drawn into a CAD program and cut again for a sample and see how this goes. I apologize for the extra time this is taking folks, I just want to get it right and not compromise.

Thanks for all your help here. :)

Dave
 
So basically the spine is not straight from tip all the way to the handle? The handle has a bit of a "reverse alton's angle" where the handle meets the blade? I actually thought of this and that it would be interesting when I was composing my previous post. You would only need a slight angle and with a classically shaped handle you would avoid a ken onion type design. Cant wait to see it.
 
The spine still travels straight from the handle down about 1/2 blade then starts to ever so slightly make a drop (this is so slight that you need a straight edge to see it - your eye won't catch it) then it gets to drop to the tip at the normal place. This looks just like any other knife. What this slight curve allows for is to drop the heal of the handle by about 1/4" from what you see on the blanks above.

So the new flatter belly is retained while no adverse effects are created. :)
 
There is nothing wrong with a curved spine. A basic Western Kramer characteristic is the tall heel and narrow tip giving an almost triangular aspect. he curves the spine all the way from the tip to the base of the handle to keep it ergonomic.

The other way to make this adjustment is to reduce the height of the blade at the heel. I think the flat profile works best on narrow blades, that is why so many flat-is-better guys say they use a suji as their primary knife.
 
Dave:

I can't wait for my suji now!

I really like the direction you took with the gyuto too. I would really like to see an AEBL version of it on the 2nd run. If you do, count me in.
 
Dave Martell said:
:idea: I just had one of those moments.

I re-drew the design taking the new belly and adding it onto the old template but then adjusting the spine and handle direction to be better in check with what we'd normally see and to remove the handle pointed too far up issue. I think the result is fantastic - a complete fresh design but with classic looks.

I'm going to send the design off tomorrow to get it drawn into a CAD program and cut again for a sample and see how this goes. I apologize for the extra time this is taking folks, I just want to get it right and not compromise.

Thanks for all your help here. :)

Dave
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No cardboard visual? I am a visual type of guy, what can I say. But it sounds cool.:smile1:
 
The tweaked gyuto designs went off to the waterjet place today. I really feel this is going to be a good knife, it just feels right. I'll post pictures of the samples that will follow.
 
dave...i appreciate all the work you're doing in the early stages.....you have probably held more knives than almost anybody and i know you know what a good one feels like....you might not cut too fast ....or accurate!....but i think this one is gonna be a winner.....can't wait to see it finished!....ryan
 
The new revised gyuto samples are on the way to us, should be delivered on Thursday! Wooooo-doggie! :EDance2:
 
New samples just arrived but they still need tweaking. The belly isn't quite right, it's functional but not to my standards. I'm sending back a tweaked sample for them to trace - we're getting closer!

What do you guys think in general?

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