Space is defined as the distance
or area between or around things. When designing a knife, space may be
last thing on one's mind. (Depends on what you smoke!) Actually, it plays
a very important role in all design work, from magazine layouts, interior
decorating to photography and posters. If you surround a word with lots of
white space on a piece of paper, the eye is immediately drawn to the word.
Space also provides resting points
for the eyes, and it organizes visually.
How does all this relate to knife
making? Say you received some exquisite mosaic pins for your birthday from
a distant cousin who heard that the knife bug has bitten you…Gold, silver
and uranium to glow in the dark. You really want to show off those pins.
Ivory might be the answer; lots of white space that draws the eyes to
those special pins.
When you etch or stamp your logo
on the blade, you automatically position it so that there is space around
it. You want it to be seen as it serves as identification.
When using a Damascus blade and
handle materials with a strong pattern, one uses the bolster to create a
space between the two.
By varying the length of the
bolster, and thereby in- or decreasing the space between handle and blade,
the whole look and feel of the knife can be changed.
Space is also used as borders
around engraving or scrimshaw.
