Hidden Tang (Where to start?)

[Outdoor Gear Dad]

Ive been wanting to try a hidden tang knife for awhile now. I understand the concept and have been around enough to understand how it works.

What YouTube videos or tutorials are your favorite on getting started with a hidden tang?

Any and all resources are welcome.

 

[Blackdirt cowboy]

I just did my first hidden tang. It’s really not as intimidating as it seems. If you have a basic understanding of knife making, you can work your way through it pretty easily. I don’t have any specific resources to give you. Just get after it and have fun!

 

[TheEdge01]

Be sure your tang is at least 3/4 the length of your handle, and it should have a snug fit in the handle before gluing. Other than that, as Blackdirt cowboy said, have fun.

 

[Outdoor Gear Dad]

Be sure your tang is at least 3/4 the length of your handle, and it should have a snug fit in the handle before gluing. Other than that, as Blackdirt cowboy said, have fun.

What other tools do I need? I need a broach tool right?

 

[TheEdge01]

What other tools do I need? I need a broach tool right?

Yes! You can easily make one out of a sawzall blade if you can’t find one online. Long drill bits are also helpful with getting your handle started.

 

[Ron Raducanu]

 

[eric brinkerhoff]

Also the bits used in rotary zip tools such as are used for cutting out sheetrock are very handy. They are designed to cut sideways whereas a drill bit is designed to cut on the end.

 

[Robert Erickson]

It all starts with the guard and there's no better tutorial than Nick Wheeler's.
Here's the link:

He also has great videos on handle shaping as well.

 

[Hengelo_77]

You need either a broach or a handle with a pommel.
If you choose thw latter, you can drill the material between the pommel and blade from both sides.

Step 1: make a drawing
Step 2: collect the materials
Step 3: just go for it and enjoy the process

 

[Busto]

Check out this WIP...Lots of GREAT Tips & Tricks...Working from a drawing really helps.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/introduction-and-a-wip.1082411/

 

[HSC ///]

Depends on what kind of knife you want to make. Guard? No guard? outdoor or kitchen knife?

For me it’s much easier/faster to split the block in half and chisel out the space for the tang. Glue the 2 halves together and then Burn in the tang.

never liked the deep hole drilling and broaching.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Here is another fantastic WIP tutorial.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/wheelers-steel-stuck-in-the-metal-with-you.808140/

 

[755]

i have made several of these over the years, i got a router atachment for my dremel tool and use that to get the openings close then file to finish fitting them up I bookmark the handle material with a bandsaw then flatten on a plate with sandpaper before inletting ,after getting all this done i glue them up and finish from there. hope this helps

 

[A.McPherson]

Here is another fantastic WIP tutorial.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/wheelers-steel-stuck-in-the-metal-with-you.808140/

I've got that one saved as a pdf somewhere...
It's even got all the pics!

 

[C_Claycomb]

I've got that one saved as a pdf somewhere...
It's even got all the pics!

You did rather better than I did, I have it on about 26 PDFs, one per page of posting! Also have all saved as HTML with associated pictures, saved in the days before Photobucket messed things up and Lorien had to reconstruct the thread!

Also I have a PDF of Terry Primos tutorial on morticed tangs...but he cheated and used a mill for both flattening and routing out the tang channel.

I think that what method you find easiest for making a hidden tang is very much dependent on the tools you have and the materials you work with. With only a Japanese pull-rip saw and no power sander or mill, splitting stabilized burl blocks accurately and flattening wasn't fun, but it was better than trying to drill deeply with a dinky drill press that had only 2" of travel, and no drill vise. When a bigger drill, and a vise came along, the race evened up some, but drilling straight and deep with a 5/32 drill, then trying to file the slot bigger was still not great. A 7mm pen drill (mine is Colt, but Fisch do one too) with a special tip ground for end grain and acrylic, along with a couple of home made broaches made the drill and broach method much easier than the saw and flatten mortice, even with a 9" disk sander.

Now I have a band saw, and power router type things, as well as much better chisels, so the race might still be on!

 

[Outdoor Gear Dad]

i have made several of these over the years, i got a router atachment for my dremel tool and use that to get the openings close then file to finish fitting them up I bookmark the handle material with a bandsaw then flatten on a plate with sandpaper before inletting ,after getting all this done i glue them up and finish from there. hope this helps

So you actually split the scales and hollow out the tang slot then glue them back together?

 

[A.McPherson]

So you actually split the scales and hollow out the tang slot then glue them back together?

you can... I think the most common approach is to drill out the tang shape, then finish it up with files and/or a broach.

 

[Jesse Latham]

I've got that one saved as a pdf somewhere...
It's even got all the pics!

I went a little farther. I copied and pasted "Stuck in the metal with you" eliminating all of the comments, emojis and made all of the pictures the same size. Then printed it double sided and bound it. It's a great reference. On 8.5x11 paper it's about 5/8" thick!

 

[A.McPherson]

I went a little farther. I copied and pasted "Stuck in the metal with you" eliminating all of the comments, emojis and made all of the pictures the same size. Then printed it double sided and bound it. It's a great reference. On 8.5x11 paper it's about 5/8" thick!

nice! I need to do that!