If you could have anything in a brand

[Willison_Knives]

What would it be?
If you all could vote on a style, what would be your favourite.
I'm talking shape, length, geometry and steel.
This has probably been covered, I'm just trying to start a conversation that might help me with a blade I'm working on.

[J david]

KS profile, 240+, 50+ tall, s grind with a thin tip, something blue.

[Willison_Knives]

KS profile, 240+, 50+ tall, s grind with a thin tip, something blue.

I have to get a big stone or something to figure out s grind! but that sounds awesome

[Ourorboros]

So many great smiths, most of which I have never and won't be able to experience.
So at the moment: a rather flat profile, not too tall or thick, a thin agile tip, medium weight, and a white taken to 63-65 HRC.
A gyuto then, about 48-51 mm tall at the heel. About 6 ounces. I just happen to not have a white at the moment, I do like blue super too. A high hardness because I like the edge and am not particularly chip prone. I think the tip is self explanatory.

On the EDC side, for a gentleman's knife: A Japanese (Moki) made front flipper Thiers knife with a front or mid-lock and pocket clip. Preferably with a 3"-3.25" blade. No file work necessary.
Moki, simply because they make some of the best F&F production knives and the pivots are all smooth. Front flipper because any other one handed opening method would ruin the lines of the knife. Lockback because they don't have half (and more) stops common to slip-joints and because it closes easier than French slip-joints. The combination of front or mid-lock and flipper because it is a shame to have such a smooth pivot and not be able to experience it more. I also fall on the pocket-clip side of the argument because I like the option of not having things floating around in my pocket.
This is also well within the company's capabilities, as they make Al Mar front locks and Spyderco mid locks. The Thiers knife has similar lines to Jess Horn designs & they've been making variations of that for themselves & others since the '70s. I assume they can do a front lock, which seems to be just an exposed tang with texture.

[jason]

Isn't this going to generate posts about individual preferences? Are you looking to make a product that has mass appeal or something that's distinct and uniquely identifiable? If the latter then brands like masakage and sukenari do this well imho. Individual blacksmiths i would say dalman scorpion forge nguyen knives

[Klotf]

A honyaki 270mm Kato. Then I could die a happy man.

[pleue]

Bill Burke dragon's breath 265 gyuto, whatever grind he wants, same-ish profile as a spear-tipish fowler I own.

[jprezfe]

I have only tried a handful of makers so I'm not going to make a wish list besides affordable I was told that an scientists, innovators, investors, engineers, etc, they either come up with something new never seen before or they find something good and make it better.

[Willison_Knives]

Bill Burke dragon's breath 265 gyuto, whatever grind he wants, same-ish profile as a spear-tipish fowler I own.

wow! his work is awesome!

A honyaki 270mm Kato. Then I could die a happy man.

When i look up kata i see two different shapes. I assume you mean the shorter, flatter?

I have only tried a handful of makers so I'm not going to make a wish list besides affordable I was told that an scientists, innovators, investors, engineers, etc, they either come up with something new never seen before or they find something good and make it better.

Haha, If I can come up with that, I think most people will be interested:P

Isn't this going to generate posts about individual preferences? Are you looking to make a product that has mass appeal or something that's distinct and uniquely identifiable? If the latter then brands like masakage and sukenari do this well imho. Individual blacksmiths i would say dalman scorpion forge nguyen knives

I'm trying to just start a conversation that i might be able to learn a bit from.

[Willison_Knives]

So many great smiths, most of which I have never and won't be able to experience.
So at the moment: a rather flat profile, not too tall or thick, a thin agile tip, medium weight, and a white taken to 63-65 HRC.
A gyuto then, about 48-51 mm tall at the heel. About 6 ounces. I just happen to not have a white at the moment, I do like blue super too. A high hardness because I like the edge and am not particularly chip prone. I think the tip is self explanatory.

On the EDC side, for a gentleman's knife: A Japanese (Moki) made front flipper Thiers knife with a front or mid-lock and pocket clip. Preferably with a 3"-3.25" blade. No file work necessary.
Moki, simply because they make some of the best F&F production knives and the pivots are all smooth. Front flipper because any other one handed opening method would ruin the lines of the knife. Lockback because they don't have half (and more) stops common to slip-joints and because it closes easier than French slip-joints. The combination of front or mid-lock and flipper because it is a shame to have such a smooth pivot and not be able to experience it more. I also fall on the pocket-clip side of the argument because I like the option of not having things floating around in my pocket.
This is also well within the company's capabilities, as they make Al Mar front locks and Spyderco mid locks. The Thiers knife has similar lines to Jess Horn designs & they've been making variations of that for themselves & others since the '70s. I assume they can do a front lock, which seems to be just an exposed tang with texture.

Thanks for the great response! Front flipper eh? I personally love folders. Been racking my brain as to how i could make one with my set up. I can probably do friction folsders but I want to make one with a lock. Front flippers are cool, and I didn't even think of them really. I use a zt 0450 as my EDC, so its hard for me to even try and make a flipper and be happy lol

[Klotf]

A honyaki 270mm Kato. Then I could die a happy man.

When i look up kata i see two different shapes. I assume you mean the shorter, flatter?

I have both the standard and the workhorse. I would say profile-wise, the workhorse is more to my liking, although the standard profile is just perfect too. Splitting hairs really.

[Ourorboros]

Thanks for the great response! Front flipper eh? I personally love folders. Been racking my brain as to how i could make one with my set up. I can probably do friction folsders but I want to make one with a lock. Front flippers are cool, and I didn't even think of them really. I use a zt 0450 as my EDC, so its hard for me to even try and make a flipper and be happy lol

As I said, it's about the lines. For a hard use knife, tactical knife, or general use knife this is largely irrelevant.
But regular flippers are tricky, needing a nice detent so the blade just fires out. This is one of the ways which the Boker Urban Trapper fails. A shame, the knife has potential. To different degrees Spyderco Byrd, Kizer, WE Knives and others show that you can get quality from China, but too many companies just go for cheap.
A front flipper, like a hole or thumb stud, doesn't need that initial resistance to ensure the blade fully deploys. The user maintains contact throughout. I think only Kizer, in an upcoming model, & Benchmade are making production front flippers. I'm looking forward to the day it becomes more prevalent.

I've read good things about the ZT flippers. I've been thinking of getting one, but I do have a bunch of tactical-ish folders & have mainly been expanding my office/gentleman's knife collection.

[Willison_Knives]

Thanks for the great response! Front flipper eh? I personally love folders. Been racking my brain as to how i could make one with my set up. I can probably do friction folsders but I want to make one with a lock. Front flippers are cool, and I didn't even think of them really. I use a zt 0450 as my EDC, so its hard for me to even try and make a flipper and be happy lol

As I said, it's about the lines. For a hard use knife, tactical knife, or general use knife this is largely irrelevant.
But regular flippers are tricky, needing a nice detent so the blade just fires out. This is one of the ways which the Boker Urban Trapper fails. A shame, the knife has potential. To different degrees Spyderco Byrd, Kizer, WE Knives and others show that you can get quality from China, but too many companies just go for cheap.
A front flipper, like a hole or thumb stud, doesn't need that initial resistance to ensure the blade fully deploys. The user maintains contact throughout. I think only Kizer, in an upcoming model, & Benchmade are making production front flippers. I'm looking forward to the day it becomes more prevalent.

I've read good things about the ZT flippers. I've been thinking of getting one, but I do have a bunch of tactical-ish folders & have mainly been expanding my office/gentleman's knife collection.

I actually have detents to! but haven't invested time into flippers or folders at all yet. Kizer makes the gemini which is apparently similar in size to the 0450 but more gentlemanly

[Ourorboros]

I've read good things about Kizer flippers, but most of their blades are too tall for my tastes. I do like their quality though, I have a Sunburst & Begleiter.

I also wish EDC makers would use Ginsan steel instead of whatever new 'supersteel' pops up. I value the ability to sharpen more than I do increasing numbers in a steel's name, though I understand that a lot of the knife buying public does not agree. At least not those who own large numbers of knives.