Many high end kitchen knives have tapered tangs and tapered blades seperated by an oval bolster. Since grinding this complex combination of shapes is time consuming, the knives are made from round (usually stainless) bar stock which is heated and smacked in a die in a drop hammer. The blades are usually flat ground. The resulting knives are strong in the middle and weaker toward the ends because there is less stress at the ends. The weight of the knife is reduced, and every part of the knife has the proper strength for load being applied.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Am I the only one in the world who hates tapered tang knives?
- Thread starter LARRYZ10
- Start date
I have an early R.J. Martin hunter with a beautifully done tapered tang. Wonderfully balanced knife. But of course, R.J. Martin probably doesnt know much about making quality knives.--KV
I just remembered that I have a photo stored on the internet of an RJ Martin hunter from 1991:
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2001
- Messages
- 8,968
I don't like tapered tangs done by stock removal. It is a totally useless step for fitting scales. Drill holes, skeletonize, or hollow grind the tang. Any of those will remove weight just as well. Tapering with forging is ok by me, it is an old technique to save steel, which is generally the practical point of forging to begin with.
Morrow
Don't make this weird
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2007
- Messages
- 27,773
If he upgrades his membership to Knifemaker he can post all the pictures he wants of his knives. Until then, I wouldn't recommend any further promotion of his business.
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 71,494
Terrible, what a bunch of Nazis! Sounds almost like living in a concentration camp.
Yeah, I see that. A man's only as good as his words isn't he?
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2010
- Messages
- 1,427
I was just trying trying to have a little fun with my comment on tapered tangs knives but it seems some of the readers are taking this too seriously. I am sorry I posted my opinion. Comments like " I would never buy from you" and suggesting that I am a "JERK" OR "A-HOLE" really shows how tolerant some of you guys are. By the way I just finished a tapered tang knife knife this morning. I won't be posting anymore comments . No room for humor on this site. Larry Lehman
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2010
- Messages
- 1,427
I agree with the Bob Loveless WIKI bio. This is well known.. But Loveless said that a tapered tang was the one thing he could do to a knife that a customer could see and he could charge more money for it. I paraphrase his actual quote. This whole post started as a provocative question with a little humor. I am sorry I ever brought it up. Larry Lehman
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2010
- Messages
- 6,852
For starters, welcome to Blade Forums. If you're a maker, and planning on promoting yourself, you might consider buying a makers membership. Regardless, you may also want to visit the shop talk subforum. Hope you enjoy your stay here. By and large, I think most of the folks here are very good natured and generally good people all around.
However: jokes are one thing. But it's pretty unprofessional to insult your customers or otherwise put a segment of the population down. Also rather uncool to come on here promoting your site without paying attention to the site rules. The problem with calling things gay is that it's intolerant--funny because that's exactly what you're accusing us of being to you. I have gay friends, and I can't say as how I would want to do business with someone who compares them to things he doesn't like. I expect that from high school kids. I don't expect it from people who I would want to do business with. Perhaps you might consider altering your brand of humor slightly, if you're going to post online eh?
On topic. Tapered tangs, when done WELL, can be very attractive, and demonstrate a makers skill. You may not like the aesthetic, but there are plenty of good reasons to use a tapered tang. Yes, you can nominally accomplish the same task with skeletonizing, etc, or drilling several holes. But, consider that drilling holes takes no skill. Tapering a tang just the right amount to achieve the desired balance takes a lot of skill and knowledge. Anyone can swiss cheese a tang. That's like saying, a plain jane straight plunge accomplishes the same task as a sweeping plunge, and I think sweeping plunges look stupid. Or, I hate file work, it's dumb. (I don't actually believe either of those comments, by the way). Others, clearly, won't share your aesthetic. Do you actually have a good, practical reason to dislike a tapered tang? Because I think there are many more reasons to prefer a tapered tang to a skeletonized one, unless it's for a neck knife. It puts your skills on display, while hollow grinding the tang or skeletonizing it, or drilling holes, is a sloppy way to achieve the same end.
I honestly don't see what the point of this is. There are any number of features that you may not like. I hate American tanto points, for instance. Yet they're very popular among many people. I choose not to make blades with tanto points. That's my prerogative as a maker. If you don't like tapered tangs, you could exercise the same prerogative. But it doesn't behoove you to insult your customers (or potential customers) by saying that their preferences are stupid, gay, or whatever other derogatory comment you consider humorous.
And again, since I'm sure that came off way more negative than I really intended, let me conclude by again saying, welcome to Blade Forums. I wish you nothing but the best in your endeavors, and I look forward to seeing you get a makers membership so I can check out some of your work. Good luck to you!
However: jokes are one thing. But it's pretty unprofessional to insult your customers or otherwise put a segment of the population down. Also rather uncool to come on here promoting your site without paying attention to the site rules. The problem with calling things gay is that it's intolerant--funny because that's exactly what you're accusing us of being to you. I have gay friends, and I can't say as how I would want to do business with someone who compares them to things he doesn't like. I expect that from high school kids. I don't expect it from people who I would want to do business with. Perhaps you might consider altering your brand of humor slightly, if you're going to post online eh?
On topic. Tapered tangs, when done WELL, can be very attractive, and demonstrate a makers skill. You may not like the aesthetic, but there are plenty of good reasons to use a tapered tang. Yes, you can nominally accomplish the same task with skeletonizing, etc, or drilling several holes. But, consider that drilling holes takes no skill. Tapering a tang just the right amount to achieve the desired balance takes a lot of skill and knowledge. Anyone can swiss cheese a tang. That's like saying, a plain jane straight plunge accomplishes the same task as a sweeping plunge, and I think sweeping plunges look stupid. Or, I hate file work, it's dumb. (I don't actually believe either of those comments, by the way). Others, clearly, won't share your aesthetic. Do you actually have a good, practical reason to dislike a tapered tang? Because I think there are many more reasons to prefer a tapered tang to a skeletonized one, unless it's for a neck knife. It puts your skills on display, while hollow grinding the tang or skeletonizing it, or drilling holes, is a sloppy way to achieve the same end.
I honestly don't see what the point of this is. There are any number of features that you may not like. I hate American tanto points, for instance. Yet they're very popular among many people. I choose not to make blades with tanto points. That's my prerogative as a maker. If you don't like tapered tangs, you could exercise the same prerogative. But it doesn't behoove you to insult your customers (or potential customers) by saying that their preferences are stupid, gay, or whatever other derogatory comment you consider humorous.
And again, since I'm sure that came off way more negative than I really intended, let me conclude by again saying, welcome to Blade Forums. I wish you nothing but the best in your endeavors, and I look forward to seeing you get a makers membership so I can check out some of your work. Good luck to you!
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
- Messages
- 26,193
Forging also enables the forming of particular shapes or construction styles that would be extremely unrealistic to produce thought stock removal.
- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Messages
- 316
It appears that you can't keep your word on something this simple.
Good to know that you agree with common knowledge.
So is damascus steel in blades and fittings. So is the inlay of precious stones, for that matter, so is excellent workmanship. This has nothing to do with the discussion that you started, it's just a diversion.
You stated your opinion. Others stated theirs.
I think that your sense of humor is a bit "off" and, it would seem, I'm not the only one. You could have asked your question without the offensive statement, but you chose not to. Your continuing support for that comment, instead of apologizing to those whom you offended, tells me all I need to know about you. As with another member here, I like for my custom knives to have a story. That story will never be about you.
You're not the only one.
james terrio
Sharpest Knife in the Light Socket
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2010
- Messages
- 22,618
OK, gentlemen. Inappropriate things were said and apologies were offered. Let's move forward, shall we?
I do take issue with the sentiment that tapered tangs are just something a maker slaps on real quick to add perceived value. One could make the argument that grinding a straight, even isosceles triangle 3/16" wide by 1.25" tall (like a typical FFG blade) is a good deal easier than grinding one 3/16" wide by 5" long, and takes the same or less time. I certainly wouldn't go to the extra effort of tapering tangs if I thought it was just for looks.
I do take issue with the sentiment that tapered tangs are just something a maker slaps on real quick to add perceived value. One could make the argument that grinding a straight, even isosceles triangle 3/16" wide by 1.25" tall (like a typical FFG blade) is a good deal easier than grinding one 3/16" wide by 5" long, and takes the same or less time. I certainly wouldn't go to the extra effort of tapering tangs if I thought it was just for looks.
Last edited:
Morrow
Don't make this weird
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2007
- Messages
- 27,773
Awesome. Feel free to put a link to your website in your signature. You can also sell your work on the site. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll help you however I can. You can update your user group settings by following this link.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/profile.php?do=editusergroups
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2010
- Messages
- 6,852
Awesome! Pop into your profile and you can make yourself orange and stuff. Update your profile and stuff too. What kind of knives do you prefer to make?
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 71,494
With respect James, I don't think that's the case (and I've read post 49 as I have the other posts on this thread). It was quickly apparent that the OP's use of language - rather odd and stupid use of language in my opinion - had caused offense to some other posters. He could have apologised and edited his post, substituting a more appropriate word for the one that had caused offense. In my opinion, this whole thread is a bit stupid, but it could have been easily sorted out. We shouldn't be having this sort of discussion in 'General', in my opinion this is a 'Whine & Cheese' thread.
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 71,494
Mr Lehman, you might benefit from reading the forum rules here (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Don-t-get-mad-at-me-if-you-ignore-these-RULES) from which the abbreviated quotes below are taken:
Posters are expected to be nice and post with respect...
Political topics will not be tolerated in the General Knife Forums...Use the political forum for those types of comments, trolling and insults are not acceptable in the knife discussion forums.
If you desire to make inflammatory posts we have a place for that called Whine & Cheese...The same goes for posts that come across as having the intention of or resulting in stirring the pot in an inflammatory manner (I.E. trolling).
We want you to relax, enjoy yourself here and make friends...
Posters are expected to be nice and post with respect...
Political topics will not be tolerated in the General Knife Forums...Use the political forum for those types of comments, trolling and insults are not acceptable in the knife discussion forums.
If you desire to make inflammatory posts we have a place for that called Whine & Cheese...The same goes for posts that come across as having the intention of or resulting in stirring the pot in an inflammatory manner (I.E. trolling).
We want you to relax, enjoy yourself here and make friends...