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For me it’s a no. Seems like it would not be ergonomic. Curious to know others’ thoughts on it though.
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Proud tang. Why or why not?
- Thread starter David Mary
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Jsega51
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I bought my Buck 121 when I was 10. Yep, a lot of knife for a 10 year old. I fell in love with Buck's ergos!
My next favored fixed blades:
2. Microtech Socom Alpha Mini.
3. Hinderer Emmett.
4. Bradford 3.0
So, the fit and finish really would be a less obvious tang. If I understand your meaning correctly.
My next favored fixed blades:
2. Microtech Socom Alpha Mini.
3. Hinderer Emmett.
4. Bradford 3.0
So, the fit and finish really would be a less obvious tang. If I understand your meaning correctly.
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Proud tang, lessens the beating the handles take while batoning. Properly executed it is equally as comfortable to me as finished even with the handles.
SwissHeritageCo
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Aesthetically I'm not a fan but I've yet to try one. If it's a knife you don't plan to baton with then I really don't understand the purpose at all.
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This is a good point, not every knife needs a proud tang. I will say not proud edges out proud in terms of aesthetics, though for me not that much of an issue.
I HATE them. More specifically, my fingers HATE them.
I've owned two knives where the full-tang extended beyond the handle scales, and with both knives the meat of my fingers got uncomfortably pinched between the tang and handles when gripping the knives. So I ground the tangs flush with the handles on the finger side on both knives.
Without such modifications the knives would have been worthless to me. After modification, they felt great.
I've owned two knives where the full-tang extended beyond the handle scales, and with both knives the meat of my fingers got uncomfortably pinched between the tang and handles when gripping the knives. So I ground the tangs flush with the handles on the finger side on both knives.
Without such modifications the knives would have been worthless to me. After modification, they felt great.
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I had a Bark River neck knife with a very proud tang. Somehow, I doubt that it was intended for batoning. Very uncomfortable. I have several neck knives with naked steel handles that are much more comfortable.
Some Benchmades have bumpy proud tangs. I avoid that, too.
Some Benchmades have bumpy proud tangs. I avoid that, too.
DocJD
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Depends on the knife and how well done . Edges should not be sharp on the tang .
Most knives probably don't benefit at all .
Helps protect the scales from damage from baton or pommel hammering . Throwing , dropping etc .
Can also help secure the grip from rotating .
Bit hard to see on the Warcraft below :
Most knives probably don't benefit at all .
Helps protect the scales from damage from baton or pommel hammering . Throwing , dropping etc .
Can also help secure the grip from rotating .
Bit hard to see on the Warcraft below :
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Nope!
It seems like a bug someone is trying to sell as a feature.
"Hey look! We can save time and money by not worrying about scale fit. Just under size the scales, slap them on, and tell people the 'proud tang' is good for something! Then sell more scales to people can swap them out! Then sell limited edition scales! Then create a false rarity and sell SUPER limited edition scales! Then create a false secondary market where a subsidiary of our company opens up under a name that makes it seem like they're not related to us and creates ULTRA HIGH END custom scales!"
It seems like a bug someone is trying to sell as a feature.
"Hey look! We can save time and money by not worrying about scale fit. Just under size the scales, slap them on, and tell people the 'proud tang' is good for something! Then sell more scales to people can swap them out! Then sell limited edition scales! Then create a false rarity and sell SUPER limited edition scales! Then create a false secondary market where a subsidiary of our company opens up under a name that makes it seem like they're not related to us and creates ULTRA HIGH END custom scales!"
abbydaddy
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The proud tang can help a little bit with grip (but not as much as simply good ergonomics), and it can help with indexing the blade (but not as much as simply good ergonomics), and some companies (like CRK) can do the proud tang very well. I'm a Bill Harsey fanboy, and I have handled a number of Chris Reeve Harsey knives (Green Beret, Pacific, etc.) and they all feel good, but I prefer the Spartan Blades Harsey knives, largely because the tangs are not proud. I only have one proud tang knife, the Gerber Larsen Harsey Reeve, and it is a fine knife, but I do not love the proud tang.
Edit to add: Photos make every thread better. Just as a visual aid, these are all Harsey designs, but only the LHR (second from right) has a proud tang (the Nessmuk is ever so slightly proud, but not noticeably in the hand).
Left to right: Boker Applegate Fairbairn 5.5, Boker Applegate Fairbairn 5.5, Spartan Harsey Nessmuk, Spartan Harsey Difensa, Gerber Larsen Harsey Reeve, and Spartan Harsey Model 1
Edit to add: Photos make every thread better. Just as a visual aid, these are all Harsey designs, but only the LHR (second from right) has a proud tang (the Nessmuk is ever so slightly proud, but not noticeably in the hand).
Left to right: Boker Applegate Fairbairn 5.5, Boker Applegate Fairbairn 5.5, Spartan Harsey Nessmuk, Spartan Harsey Difensa, Gerber Larsen Harsey Reeve, and Spartan Harsey Model 1
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I prefer orange tang.
OK, I'll see myself out...
Honestly, I think it depends on what you are doing with the knife. Chopping I would want slightly proud to reduce stress on the handle. Otherwise, if its a general use fixed, I'm fine with whatever.
OK, I'll see myself out...
Honestly, I think it depends on what you are doing with the knife. Chopping I would want slightly proud to reduce stress on the handle. Otherwise, if its a general use fixed, I'm fine with whatever.
I have owned a few (including a beautiful CRK) and they usually felt fine until really working the knife like butchering hogs, or doing any sort of carving (I won’t say the dreaded bushcraft word
), where I find that it is just a hot-spot waiting to happen. I prefer smoothed tang/handle other than an extended pommel.
), where I find that it is just a hot-spot waiting to happen. I prefer smoothed tang/handle other than an extended pommel.
