Students crooked knives

[StJon]

Crooked knives
As a project for my students in modelmaking I set a brief for them to make crooked knives. This had a number of elements, apart from the skills in modelmaking, it had ergonomics and anthropometrics, multi-cultural studies and citizenship in getting them to look at knives as tools not a chib to carry in the city centre. The models were made using blue foam (usually used as insulation) for the handles and acrylic for the blades and fixed with hand made twine. No students were hurt in this project.
Thanks for looking,
jon

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for posting, this has got me inspired. My son is 5, and I have been thinkig about making him some toy tools, which would be ergonomically authentic yet safe enough to bash about without me (or his mam...) worrying about removing fingers/toes etc. I was thinking of like a kiddie sized axe and adze but with wood "blades" (or as with your knifes a plastic blade) and let him chop into lumps of clay, at last to develop strength and coordination and creating a form, a bit like practising forging with plastercine....

 

[Tengu]

Ah, a typial modern scholars project.

They plan and make mock ups of the item, but never `actually` make the real thing.

 

[Toddy]

Interesting take on the handles there Jon
Was there any kind of concensus on the most comfortable ?
Seems that with so many different ones you'll have had the best opportunity to assess than any of us.

Tengu, where Jon works, trust me, making 'real' knives that they can take away is not going to happen........Strathclyde polis would be down on him like a rugby squad tackle two feet from the line

cheers,
M

 

[StJon]

As I said in my post, no students were hurt in this project, neither were any members of the public! This project was much more than making knives. Young people in Glasgow, and in other areas of the UK, view knives as either a weapon or status symbol, we meed to act as educators showing them that the majority of knives are tools, designed for specific purposes. This could be a way to break the circle of violence on our streets and stop crazy legislation that will put me in jail because I carry a knife to sharpen the leadholder I use daily.
It also introduced a new culture to them, First Nation People of the Americas. This is an important area of education, cultural diversity, showing people of the world in a context which the student will respect and hopefully make them think of what people have to offer.
As Toddy said, thanks for the support Mary, I work in an area which regularly has mobile knife detectors set up in the stations and streets to combat knife crime, I'm not wanting to put blades on the streets. Please also note I picked a working knife that due to ergonomics would be viewed not as a stabbing or slashing tool.
Mock up is also an important stage in the design process.

Yes Mary we were able to handle them and asses their usability. For me the two shown worked. The common traditional style with the elongated thumb rest and a rounded bulbous one which I felt I was able to manipulate the blade angle thus giving a wider verity of cuts.
Just my thoughts, remember design can change the world, act local, change global...

 

[Tengu]

Im sorry to sound so cynical.

But Im doubtful about this educational method of saying knives are not weapons.

or status symbols (why do we spend so much time and money on them here then??)

Id rather start out with something more positive. Say, a discussion on various designs, and what they are used for. steer clear of the weapon aspect at all. and if some one suggests it, say that is a different design altogether.

 

[2168robertson]

To be honest i am well impressed as that as a school project that’s brilliant if school work can be made relevant and interesting then it’s really worth while i wish i had had this opportunity at school.
and on the subject of knife perceptions good thinking on the crook knife no stabbing opportunities.
as to say that members of britshblades use knifes as status symbols i would have to disagree if i start a project to make a knife its to solve a puzzle of how can i improve my skills and designs.
finally most but not all young people have the new lets stab each other mentality there are still some proper scouts out their

 

[FGYT]

Good job on an interesting blade type

blades are upside down tho

and tounge in cheek but sadly tru if a knife is made from non metalic its a stealth knife so completely illegal ie more so that a real metal one

you mentioned radar detectors this is why they are on the offencive weapons act even the plastic lettuce knives are covered by this and you can get a good sharp edge on accrilic
hope they dont say to a Cop we are learning to make plastic knives at school or a reporter

ATB
Duncan