Hidden tang length

[Natlek]

I understand if the handle is wood , longer tang support wood . But if we use Westinghouse linen Micarta or G10 for handle why to waste steel ? What do you think , how long tang is enough ? I think that two inch is more then enough ? And if we use pin + .......And it is much easier to make shallow hole for the tang .

I think that I cut little this tang , but it is still more than 3 inches and it's no easy to make good fit hole , take more time then to make blade ... at least to me

I think that if I try to break this knife in vise , will break steel somewhere on the blade under assumption that tang is only 2 inch ?

 

[JTknives]

But you could also look at it completely different. Steel is cheep compared to the finished knife so why risk it.

 

[Natlek]

I do not know, it s not only about the price of steel .... weight , more easy to make hole ? I look like this ...when you weld two steel pipe /one pipe enters the second pipe inside / there is no point to put pipe inside more then Dia. ? Phenolic resin linen Micata , G10 are very strong material ...

 

[BKT]

2/3 the length of the handle. Wasting steel or less work are not reasons to take a chance on critical failure. Build the knife as sturdy as possible instead of theorizing on if it will be "strong enough".

 

[john april]

for a small knife, i make the tang long enough so when gripping it, at least 3 fingers cover the tang. on large ones i go for all four fingers. you can buy extra long drill bits to make the job faster and easier.

 

[rustyrazor]

2/3 the length of the handle. Wasting steel or less work are not reasons to take a chance on critical failure. Build the knife as sturdy as possible instead of theorizing on if it will be "strong enough".

^this.... I've always had the opinion of overbuilding a piece so it's at least as strong as it can be. I'd rather take the extra hour and know I have done all I can than to take a shortcut in the name of making the knife easier to construct only to have it fail someday under relatively normal use. I say relatively because all of this is relative to the type of knife you make and your customers. I will do a thinner/shorter tang on a hunter than a combat knife for instance as I know the intended use of each and the likelihood of abuse assumed in each knifes intended use. for me it all comes down to what I want to deliver to the people buying my knives and how it may affect my reputation should one be less than someone would reasonably expect.