Knife Handle Poll: What Type Do You Make?

What kind of knife handles do you prefer?

  • I prefer Scales

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I prefer Hidden Tangs

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I prefer some other type of handle

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I have no preference

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
Hidden tang all the way. +1 on all that Nick said earlier.

I noticed when I did the cutting competitions, where handle vibration really, really matters in the 2x4 cut, that I could actually feel the full-tang steel whacking against my hand. When I made one with a hidden tang with horse-stall mat all the way around it worked much better for me and there was no more vibration or slipping.

In my kitchen knives, I really like having the minimal amount of metal exposed. Just seems cleaner and more hygienic.
-M
 
Now that we have quite a few answers and the trend is pretty well established, I'll tell you why I was curious. I've noticed it's harder to find dealers that offer supplies for those making hidden tang handles than for those using scales. I had a sense there were more makers using scales than blocks, but I didn't have a sense for what the breakdown was. Preliminary results seem to suggest that there are 2.5 times as many makers producing scaled knives, which supports the business decision by supply providers to focus on scales.

Thanks for your help, everyone.
 
You might take into account that many of us with the proper equipment prefer to buy blocks even if we know it'll go on a full tang knife. It's easy enough for me to cut a block into scales and I can and have used a pair of scales for a mortise tang, but blocks are more flexible for me.
 
Isn't the question really "What kind of knife do you prefer to make?" Kitchen knives are more likely to have scales. Japanese knives and bigger hunting knives seem more welcoming to a block and hidden tang. Smaller hunting knives seem to have scales more often. Almost all folders have scales. It seems that smaller hunting knives are the most common, therefore scales are the most common. I buy blocks, knowing that I can cut them in half or quarters for even thinner scales.
 
Most of the knives I've ever made have been full tang, but the ones I've been making in my current phase have all occupied that grey area that Rick was talking about (which I suppose I'd call closer to full tang). I've tried doing hidden tang and it didn't go well for me. I plan to try again some time.

- Chris
 
zaph1 said:
Isn't the question really "What kind of knife do you prefer to make?" Kitchen knives are more likely to have scales. Japanese knives and bigger hunting knives seem more welcoming to a block and hidden tang. Smaller hunting knives seem to have scales more often. Almost all folders have scales. It seems that smaller hunting knives are the most common, therefore scales are the most common. I buy blocks, knowing that I can cut them in half or quarters for even thinner scales.
Click to expand...

Not to be disagreeable--- but this just goes to show how we all have different views and approaches to ALL of this. Michael Rader is known for his very high end kitchen knives, and his are hidden tangs. :)

Greg- now seeing what you were thinking about--- I'm in total agreement with Dan P. I like blocks as I can make them into scales. I have a ton of scales that I can use for mortise tangs, framed handles, and the occasional full tang that I make.... but I prefer to have blocks--- BIG BLOCKS. :) :D
 
Same here, I make mostly full tangs yet most of my wood supply is in blocks. They're just more versatile.

Think of it from the suppliers' point of view... if they cut their wood into scales, they've immediately eliminated a big chunk of their potential market, and a bunch of the rest will say "dang, those are too small/thin whatever". On the other hand, the vast majority of people who go looking for cool wood will have some way to cut it however they want. Win-win!

Many of the specialized suppliers will also cut blocks down for you either for free or for like $1 a cut. If you see some wood you really like, it doesn't hurt to ask.
 
Not disagreeable at all, Nick. I was attempting to say that knives with guards often have hidden tangs, knives without guards have scales. A quick glance through the gallery shows far more knives without guards than with. Yes, there are definitely exceptions, but that's the general rule. Bolsters are a third category. Some use blocks, some have scales.
 
It depends on what type of knife I am making and how I want it to look. Some of it depends on the handle material. If I have a nice fit my hand chunk of horn or say fossil walrus ivory, I am not going to split it. I am going to built a knife around it. Most of my hunting knives are scaled. Smaller simpler and lighter with drilled out full tangs. Bigger fighters and bowies that are going to have a guard, I go with a hidden tang. The way I have been making my hidden tang guards of late, I believe you would be hard pressed to prove them weaker than a full tang. It takes more time to do a hidden tang. But, if I was in a hurry, K Mart has knives premade for just $16:jerkit:
 
I prefer making hidden tangs for all of the reasons already stated.... the handle becomes a sealed unit.
 
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