Extended Tangs...what's ya thoughts ?

[JCavSD]

For the most part I like them. Have used them for tapping in tent pegs, cracking stuff, scraping tool, etc. Once I did have to strike the butt of a knife quite hard to help dislodge it from a particularly knotty chunk of oak, and the extended tang protected the scales. Don't ask how it got that way...drinking was involved. Never had one get in my way.

 

[Rockywolf]

I like them on some knives. I own several with and many without. Does that put me on the fence? Lol

 

[baldtaco-II]

I've tapped pegs in with pommels before but that's it. Extended tangs make sense to me on the F1 and so on because they allow more survival type use. But that was exactly one of the reasons I prefer my Boker's handle though – it is more comfortable for most utility use when I don't need a single knife solution. I can get behind the knife with it into the palm. I like that better.

 

[udtjim]

This debate is the exact reason that it makes a lot of sense to purchase custom knives, Everyone can get just what they want.

The more that I use my knives with extended tangs, the more uses I find for it.

 

[Bruce Culberson]

This debate is the exact reason that it makes a lot of sense to purchase custom knives, Everyone can get just what they want.

You hit the nail on the head Jim! They are custom knives because the customer can ask for what they want. I'm personally not a big fan of extended tangs, finger choils, or thumb grooves......in the next month I'm making a knife that has all three

In all fairness though I have never used a knife with an extended tang or finger choil - maybe they are the cat's meow. I never used to like wharncliffe style blades either - then I tried one and I do like them for certain tasks.

I'm not a fan of gut hooks on knives either...but that doesn't mean I won't make one.

 

[Brad "the butcher"]

You just have to make sure that you don't carry your favorite walnut stocked hunting rifle on the same side as your exposed tang! I had to refinish one.

I feel your pain. Was wearing my manix front right pocket skeet shooting a few months ago and the metal clip scratched the hell out of my fairly new CZ over/under!!!!!
Just going to use it until it gets beat up more before refinish.

I like my exposed tangs, rats, kabar's, becker's and fallkniven s-1 in my collection

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I don't care either way as long as it's done intelligently.

 

[Foilist]

I can't think of a disadvantage of having one, so why not? Might be useful someday.

 

[kgd]

I kind of like the extended tanks with the lanyard hole for the main reason it is a lot easier to thread paracord through a tang hole then a full handle. I'm more on the fence about lanyards. At first, I always had a lanyard on a knife, now more often I take them off. I put them back on, then I take them off again. So when its easier to thread, I'm happier.

If its a pretty knife I'm more likely to have it left off. If its more on the tactical side or micarta then I sometimes like the look of them. Nick's knife life damn fine with that extended tang to me.

 

[mcjhrobinson]

im not a fan of them....if i need to pound with something ill just grab a rock or a tree branch.

only knife i pound with was my SOD and i used the broadside of the blade...

and i dont see myself having to break windows while im out...sure i might need it....but i might need ALOT of things

 

[jw2n]

I own knives with and without. I like them, if they are profiled correctly. They protect the rear of the slabs from damage and with one I had, I used a modified detent pin to hold the knife in the sheath by snapping the pin thru the lanyard hole. Pin is attached to the shealth with a short lanyard.

 

[fujita yuji]

Not sure it is to be called an extended tang.
Just to make it easy to access lanyard hole as kgd mentioned, and for some aesthetics, not for ponding things.

 

[mtwarden]

I'm thinking about getting a LEO knife made up- ~ 2.5-3" blade, 6"-ish overall w/ a glass breaking extended tang- similar to the RC-3 one (semi-pointy)

would wear it as a necker and tuck it into the front pocket on my vest

one of those things that makes sense on some knives, not so much on others

 

[tonym]

The only benefit I see is that you can strike a firesteel with the knife still in its sheath. But if the sheath is on your belt......

I prefer my knives simple and with out them.

 

[mymindisamob]

I prefer them on my hard use knives, but don't need them on anything else.

 

[koyote]

I often find them, if they extend downward at all, uncomfortable for extended use. if the project rearward only, on a large chopping style handle, they are fine and can have a place.

I don't like them at all on smaller knives as it makes some grip positions just unbearable quickly.

On larger knives, I prefer a 1/8 to 3/8 inch projection- more of a nutcracker than a real prying or wedging tool.

 

[TwinBlade]

If it is extended to allow for a lanyard hole or slot, it is pretty nice on some knives. If it is meant for breaking windows, I don't want my hand anywhere near where it will get cut. That is a little too upclose and personal with glass. that is why there are rocks everywhere. Throw one of those and save the hand.

We all saw how well it worked out for that dude against Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid. Hands and glass don't mix...

 

[Switchblade61]

I like them slightly extended. For instance, I can hammer with it and hammer on it.
But, I don't like the pointy ones, they are uncomfortable (or even downright painful) in some grips.

 

[Wabajack]

They're not my kind of thing, but I can sort of see why someone might like them. I just couldn't see myself actually applying it though. My Fallknivens have a protruding tang but it doesn't really come in use with me.

(Plus I sorta' think they look right ugly )

 

[Big Mike]

No extended tangs for this knife user. :thumbdn:



As my hand moves around the handle in use,

…a protrusion like an extended tang (think BR Bravo-2),

…or even a lanyard loop (think BR Fox River),

…tend to interfere with my interface a bit.


A cut away in the scales to provide access to a lanyard hole is preferable to me.


If I had a knife like the Rat RC-5 SERE, I would have to grind down the tang extension; that things scares me.




Big Mike