hiden tangs

D

Dakota 11

Joined
Apr 14, 2006
Messages
252
hello all,

I have been having a problem with knifes that are hidden tang. Before i started forging i did stock removal and did full tang knifes and got really good at putting those toghter. since i started forging and doing hidden tangs i cant do the style handle i like. i like my handle to sweep downward at the back end and my last 2 attemps have resulted in epoxy pocket showing in the bottom part of the handle. with that happening i have ground off the wood and started over but it just seems to be such a pain to do.

So with that being said what is considering like a standard length and wide for a hidden tang say on a knife that is 3-4 inches in the blade and maybe a 1 inch wide. I make hunters and skinners so havent had the need to go over those sizes. part of the problem is drilling a curved hole i know i could curve the hidden tang but how on earth does one drill a curved hole? i just dont se that as being to fesiable. so on a blade like that what size hidden tang would you make. Thanks Pete
 
I don't mean this to sound like a smart-ass question, but why don't you make full tang knives when forging, if that is the style you like? They are no harder to forge than hidden tangs,(probably easier).

I'm not sure I understand what is the exact problem with the hidden tang you are having? Maybe you could post a photo or two of the blades and area on the handle that is causing the trouble.
I think you are saying that the hole gets ground into when shaping the handle, and the epoxy shows? Careful planning of the hole placement will prevent that.

The tang does not have to curve or extend the entire length of the handle, either.
A tang that has a good shoulder at the ricasso, and drops back to about 1/2 the blade width usually works fine. They can be just a round rod once they get about 2" from the blade in many cases.

If you are talking about a through tang ( which is different from a hidden tang) ,which has a pommel nut,the "curved" hole is drilled from both ends, with the two holes at an angle to each other. This is how curved stag crowns can be done with only a perfect fitting hole in each end. The tang is often shaped to go through the hole after the hole is drilled ( the tang is often left unhardened, or drawn to a soft temper).
Stacy
 
A good method for opening up a hole in a bowie block for stick tang is by using a knifemakers broach(after first drilling a starter hole). I've attached a few pics of some broach's that forum members have posted here before. If I remember, the 2 broach's that are among the hand tools are TomKreins. The other 2 are Nick(the Wizard)Wheelers ;).

I have 4, right now, that are partially finished. One for a bud of mine (and yours ;)) here in ShopTalk :o I really need to finish them up as my improvised broach is on its last leg. I've got a lot of broaching that needs to be done on some stick tang knives that I'm finishing up.

Sam, you got nothin' on me when it comes to unfinished projects around the shop :D
 

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If you are doing wood you can also cut the pieces with a thin bladed saw. make a groove to fit the tang and glue with Gorilla glue. The seam is nearly undetectable if done correctly. You can also put a spacer material between the halves. The best was is as Stacy says. Also drill a couple holes undersized and use a hooked scrapper to make it fit where the tang is wide. Don't just drill a Big hole.

Ah, I see I have poor post speed on the broach/scrapper part:D
 
Stacy, the reason i dont do a full tang is that with a hidden tang i feel like i geta better looking guard out of the deal. with 416 ss i cut a slot and slide the hidden tang up that to the ricasso shoulder and solder. with full tang that isnt an option, or at least not with the tools i currently own. I realize if i used brass guard material i could notch and braze brass in and get a 1 piece look, but with 416 i dont think that is possible.

What i have been doing is measuring the widest part of the tang with calipers and used like a slightly larger drill bit down the center of the handle. i center everything up with calipers. I know think that my hidden tang is to long i been making it the length of the blade and tapering it from back to front.
 
A full tang knife can still have a slip on guard. The shoulder does not have to be more than 1/16". That allows the handle to be virtually the same size as the blade at the ricasso. If the blade drops down from the ricasso ( as in a bowie), this is not an issue at all.
Stacy
 
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