Question for Stick/Hidden Tang Builders

C_Kyle

C_Kyle

Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
1,086
I'm working on a stick tang knife. The blade is 8" and 1.75" tall, 3/16" O-1. The tang is 5/16" X 3/16" X 3.5", so I guess it's more a 3/4 hidden tang.

My question is will the 5/16" tall tang be strong enough? It just looks small compared to the blade, like it's going to snap under chopping.

I'm not sure if more info about the knife is necessary, but it's a big spear point, camp-type knife, with a titanium spacer against the ricasso, lignum vitae block handle w/ SS pins.

P1010096Medium.jpg

P1010097Medium.jpg


Thanks!
 
I think you really should round the corners where the tang starts inside the guard for now on. Square sharp corners could be your weak point there. You might not have enough left to do this now though. I've never worked with O-1 but I edge or clay quench all my hidden tangs to keep the hardness out of the tang. Good looking knife so far.
 
when properly assembled a stick tang is as strong or stronger that a full tang knife. to prove this get a small piece of small diameter cable 1/4 inch or so then bend it pretty easy huh? now get apiece of wood and drill a hole in it. Fill the hole with epoxy and glue the cable into the hole. after the epoxy sets now try and bend that same cable.
though overly simplified this is the same sort of thing that happens with a properly constructed stick tang knife.
 
Thanks for the replies. I am going to move the shoulders/choil/thumb rise forward maybe 1/4", and radius the tang/shoulder transition.

This is m first knife started with the KMG.
 
C_Kyle said:
Thanks for the replies. I am going to move the shoulders/choil/thumb rise forward maybe 1/4", and radius the tang/shoulder transition.

This is m first knife started with the KMG.
Click to expand...

1/8" should be enough to give you a decent radius, if you want to minimize changes to the design.
 
I try to think of the way a file is made for my tang radius,round corners are stronger. Think of a bag of chips,try to open from the side...no way...but start a tear at those little v grooves on top and you tear the whole bag in half!! That is the best analogy for stress risers I can think of.
 
I think I made a mistake. I already JB Welded my Ti spacers together. I wanted to heat color the Ti, but I just read that around 600 degrees is required before the Ti starts to change color, and that's the max temp range for JB Weld.

Maybe I should heat the Ti hot enough to get the varied coloring and melt the JB Weld, separate the spacers, and re-JB Weld them together.

I'm going to taper the tang, also. Thanks Don.
 
Use a pin in the handle,get every thing up tight then drill for the pin.Then assemble and get your handle and spacer finished together,take it apart and heat color the spacer,if it seperates from the heat just superglue it ack together then glue up the knife and final finish.
Stan
 
5/8" would be strong enough for a sword. You have nothing to worry about.
 
Measure twice....cut once.

5/8 is plenty strong. But, like has been said, make the transitions an arc, not a 90 degree angle.
 
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