Recommendation? Slight thinning in tang

[Givinitashot]

I have a knife I’m making where the last 1/2 inch of the tang is thinner than the rest. I’m trying to do a full tang style but when I put the scales on, it left a gap at the point where the tang is thinner. I’ve tried leveling it out but I’m afraid to take too much off the tang, any suggestions?

 

[Nick-D]

Go to a full taper on the tang

 

[A.McPherson]

Hey a surface plate of some kind and sand until your tang is flat!

 

[Hubert S.]

You might get some more detailed advice if you can provide a bit more information. Is it heat treated already? Did you drill holes in the tang? Do you have a grinder? How did it get thinner in the first place, and how much thinner is it? Do you have a picture?

I've messed up blades in similar ways and will probably do it again. If you're a beginner, the tapered tang might be tricky to pull off, it certainly would be for me. Depending on whether you've drilled pin holes already, a hidden tang could be another option, but that makes the handle construction a bit more complicated. Another good option, especially if the gap is not too big, might be to use black handle material (e.g., micarta or G10) and use epoxy dyed black to fill the gap. Call it a learning experience and do better on the next knife. I have a drawer full of learning experiences...