100 Series tang design?

TAH

TAH

Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
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Not that I'm worried about any of my 100 Series knives failing, but out of curiosity, are the tang shoulders radiused or square? How important is a radius when considering stress risers?

From these photos, it appears the tang has squared shoulders, but it's hard to tell.

s-l500.jpg


s-l500.jpg



A quick internet diagram for reference...

making-the-tang-of-the-sword.jpg
 
Just found this photo in the archives. I assume not having a radius is no big deal?

28c8z.jpg


One more photo for reference...

WoodBuck1.jpg
 
Of the ones I've taken apart to give a new handle to. They are square with one hole in the end. No taper. They have good strength as I've pushed and pulled around on mine. Either something was weak on that 119 or they were malleting it. DM
 
Oh, I agree. That 120 was abused. I was more curious if there is really an advantage to radiused shoulders over squared.
 
I would think that the radiused shoulder would have more strength. Besides having more material, there is no "narrowest" point in the transition between blade and tang until you get to the actual tang. The square cut tang transitions from blade width to tang width at a very precise point which happens to be where the guard is. Since most applied pressure is at that specific point between handle and blade, I would expect that to be the weakest part of the entire knife.

That being said, I don't think a person could put enough downward pressure on the handle with the blade in a solid to break the tang as designed. I think that failure more often than not, comes from abuse like chopping. I don't think batonning would do it alone.

But what do I know...
 
Thanks Pokt. It would be interesting to hear Buck's thoughts on this and why they use square shoulders.
 


Crude sketch...

Identical models except for the transition from blade to tang. The transition with the radius has more material at the guard versus the square cut.

The 1/2" and 1 1/16" measurements are at the center of the guard.

A generic exercise in this theory would be cutting drywall. You score a straight line and it will break along that straight line. Score opposing curves with the purpose of making a straight break and it's not going to break straight across.

I'm not suggesting that the purpose of this design was so that if it fails, it breaks cleanly.

I'll go back to my statement about the likeliness of failure of the straight cut design for the knife's intended purpose is minimal if not virtually non-existent. I don't think there's anything wrong with the square cut design.

I was merely offering my opinion on which is stronger, and why.
 
Ok, thank you. I get what you meant by 'tapered tang'. Thanks for this clear drawing. Yes, that sweeping radius at the tang would make this junction stronger. However, who ever broke the model 120 above, I doubt this radius designed tang would have saved that knife. DM
 
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