so many types of tangs...so many questions

S

SkaerE

Joined
Sep 9, 2001
Messages
428
i understand the full tang. very strong. heaviest tang type correct?

a hidden tang is the stick kind w/the threaded bit on the end? not very strong? but makes a nice handle of stacked this or that.

what on earth is a tapered tang?, a half tang? (guessing its a full tang cut in half? :))

anyhow, could anyone show me the types/tell me advantages/disadvantages of each?

also, are some heat treated differently (ie, stick tang not hardened to prevent being brittle or something like that)

thanks
 
Properly constructed hidden tangs or "stick" tangs can be just as dependable as a full tang models and yes the tang is not generally heat treated except on stainless steel models where the whole knife must be put in an oven to heat treat. On plain high carbon steel models the tang is usually left soft or they even have mild steel tangs welded on.

A tapered tang is a full tang construction (you can see the metal all the way around the handle) but the thickness of the tang is thinner at the heal of the handle (the tang is thickest at the guard/ricasso area and "tapers" in thickness to the butt end.) This does two things, it significantly lightens the knife and shifts the center of balance towards the area of the knife nearest where the index finger grips the handle. The same thing can also be achieved by "skeletonizing" the tang by drilling lots of holes in it.
 
The half tang is where the tang does not extend the full length of the handle. You see this alot on common kitchen knives, and many cheaper knives.

n2s
 
I forgot all about the half tang question! Many stick tangs, especially on Scandinavian knives are "half" tangs in that the tang is cut so that it doesn't extend all of the way through the handle. Often notches are filed into the tang to allow an epoxy grip on the tang when the handle is glued up. This type of tang can also have a pin through it to further secure it. On most Scandinavian knives the stick tang extends through the handle and is peened over a washer. This common with khukris also.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top