opinions on 'smasher' pommels

H

Hesparus

Joined
Oct 31, 2004
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There are a few knives on the market that have a portion of the tang that extends beyond the scales on the bottom that is intended for pounding stuff (e.g. the Fallkniven F1 and A1). What are people's thoughts on this feature?
Thanks,
Chris
 
I like it, but not to smash stuff. I use it as a way to hammer the knife into something and not smack the handle. (Wood to break apart, mainly) I've never actually used it to hammer anything.
 
Not used as lot but it does not take up extra space so might as well have it for when the time is right.
 
I love an exposed tang/pommel, to me its serves the hammer like a spike function but would definatly give someone a head brache. I thinking of exposing a bit of tang on my TOPS power eagle, but dont own the tools to do so.
 
Here are a few examples

I have never used them to pound into anything--but they do protect the handle if you have to pound on the pommel without risking damage to the handle as was stated above

Picture456.jpg
 
If theres something that needs hammering (a tent peg is the only thing i can think off), ill use a stick/baton instead. Ive never used the exposed tang for hammering, and ill probably never will.
 
I like them as long as they are flat and simple. I learnedly to gather acorns and other foodstuffs which need cracking and smashing to prepare as food. Good for roots and mashing fibers as well. Better to have the feature and not need it, IMO.
 
I like the extended tang if it has a lanyard hole in it, where it's out of the way. Using the pummel as a hammer is not of much use for me, but it's an extra function without carrying extra gear, so why not.
 
CWL said:
I like them as long as they are flat and simple. I learnedly to gather acorns and other foodstuffs which need cracking and smashing to prepare as food. Good for roots and mashing fibers as well. Better to have the feature and not need it, IMO.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. :):thumbup:
 
As long as they are rounded and smooth so I can drive the tip into my work using the palm of my hand as a hammer I like them.
 
I love them. An exposed tang is invaluable for prying the tops off of beer bottles without risking a cut to the finger. I use one every day.
 
sutured said:
I love them. An exposed tang is invaluable for prying the tops off of beer bottles without risking a cut to the finger. I use one every day.
Click to expand...

I use a bottle opener. Or I have knives with a bottle opener built in. I use a hammer for a hammer, or a stick or stone for field substitutes.
 
As long as the exposed tang has no edge or point on it, I find it to be a good addition to a woods knife for reasons already mentioned.
Busse SAR5 is a good example.
 
Thanks for the comments, everyone. The reason I asked is because I'm working on a bushcraft knife right now that was inspired partly by the knives I mentioned in my original post. Like those knives, I put a small, rectangular smasher on the pommel. I'm getting close to the point of no return for the profile, and I was starting to get cold feet about it. I'm more confident about keeping it on, now.
Thanks,
Chris
 
+1 for the lanyard being on an extended tang. It does make a good nut cracker too.
 
I have used my BK&T extended tang for batoning when knife was stuck in the wood, opening beer bottles/soda, & for cracking walnuts once.
 
Having been a mechanic for over 50 years and technical instructor teaching new folks how to be a mechanic, I always stress use the right tool for the job at hand ,if needed skull crusher tangs will marginally do the job of a hammer. I have about 7 different hammers that might get called to duty but not a single hammer can deliver what the end of a knife can be used for as a thin/smallish butt. or dull stabbing component. pain
 
I like an extended portion of the tang beyond the handle/scales for driving the knife *into* something - not driving something with the knife.

I had a Buckmaster back in the day and used it's heavy-duty, all-steel butt-cap to drive small nails for trip-wires/signaling devices and it worked OK, but a rock was always felt safer....
 
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