Knife Drawing

[CRW]

I had a skin cancer treatment on my face today and there was a little over an hour wait for the medicine to take so I had some time on my hands, I found a cheap knife in my truck and borrowed a pencil and following Carl Bleile and Steve Lindsey's suggestions I begin to sketch. After I got home I refined the sketch and did a little shading. But all I had was a sharpie, which is a little large.
Enough on the equipment. I would like some input on the drawing and layout, I drew the pins in after I got home and arranged the drawing the best I could around them. 2 of them are smack dab in the wrong place.
Steve I hope you don't think this is too much of a copy of your work, because it is really the style I would like to pursue.
All of you, give me your thoughts.

[Winstonklein]

Very Original .I Like it, I'm Looking forward to see the final product.

[CRW]

Thanks for the reply. I know its going to take me some time, but I am going to get there, because I have the will power and stamina. Don't know how long it will take, but I am not a quitter, and I really have a passion for metal engraving. It is all that is on my mind, I am eat up with it.
Thanks
Carl

[sam]

Carl, you're a man after my own heart. I draw constantly when I'm not at my bench. It seems like there's always a sketch book nearby.

As for your layout, I would like to see a bit more looping and intertwining elements in your design. I think it'll be much more interesting. As it is now, I find the large leaf element to be a bit overpowering.

Keep up the art work...it will pay off handsomely.

~Sam

[CRW]

Thanks Sam
Coming from you I find this a great complement. I do see where the large leaf is overpowering and will work on it before I start cutting. I need to find my repidiograph to practice the shading. I have one with a 00 tip if I can locate it. It has been put up for several years and I am not sure where I put it. I am sure others do not have this problem of finding things:D I can only get better and will as time goes on. Like I said previously, I have the determination.
Thanks for the post Sam
Carl

[KCSteve]

One minor thing - you might want to look at having the flow go toward the tip of the blade when the knife is open. It looks to me like the scroll is flowing away from the blade (but that's a guess based on the shape of the bolster).

Amazing how much fun sitting around making a bunch of scratches on some metal is, isn't it?

[CRW]

Steve,
Thanks for the input, and it is a bunch of fun as well as fascinating. :D
The flow is going toward the open knife, the notch in the drawing is for opening the blades (2) On the other side of the knife there is a Fid that opens the other way. Therefore the big nose on the bottom of the knife is for the hinge of the Fid. Let me explain for those who don't know a Fid is a tool for splicing rope in the marine industry, I may have the spelling wrong, but that is the way it is pronounced. It is round and tapered to open the loops in a rope.
This is a cheap and ugly knife that I have had for years, but it is smooth and will make a good practice piece.
Thanks again, I always enjoy input from you pro's
Carl

[KCSteve]

Good!

That's why I mentioned I was just guessing based on the shape - didn't know it was a linesman's knife.

In Carpentry they say "Measure twice, cut once". In Engraving it's more like "Draw 20 times, cut once" (although over time experience will let you 'reuse' some of your old drawing ideas).

I keep an eye out for the really cheap 'counter' knives at hardware stores and such, Someone on the forums pointed out that if you can find the metal handled ones they often make good cheap practice plates. If they cut well and come out good you've got a nifty little gift for when you need it. If they cut like mud, or just come out bad, well, they only cost a buck or two so it's not that bad a loss.

[CRW]

My thinking exactly Steve. Thanks, I enjoy the comments.
Since I worked on water a number of years, when I saw this knife while working on the Mississippi River in Iowa, I saw this knife in a hardware store and had to have it. I think I gave about 6 bucks for it. I had never seen one with a Fid before, or since.
You have a great evening Steve.
Carl

[Powderhorn]

CRW:
They are called a Boatswains knife and are available at some of your better ship candlers. The US Navy still issues them to to Boatswains Mates ( aka Deck Apes, or Anchor Cankers ).