Stacked Leather Handles and Narrower Tangs?

psy-ops

psy-ops

Joined
Sep 27, 1999
Messages
3,164
I am going to buy another compact survival knife. I have a bunch of great choices. I keep coming back to Marbles stacked leather sport model.

Q One: Would the smaller tang be an issue with regards to batoning and other harder uses in a survival situation?

Q Two: Would the stacked leather be a concern for durability?


Thanks

Chris
 
Both the Ka-bar and pilots survival knife are made with stacked leather handles on narrower tangs. I've never heard (or had) handle issues with either. In fact I've never given it a thought. Mac
 
Marbles knives are pretty proven outdoor knives. I would imagine if durability was an issue, they wouldn't have been around so long.

That Sport is a nice traditional looking knife. I like it, though I suppose there are plenty of other full tang "less traditional" compact knives out there like RATs.

Tough, but fun, choice!
 
With that knife (Marble's Sport), I doubt it wil be an issue. The blade is 3.75" long, so I doubt you will be using it to split sizeable pieces of wood. Think about what you're batoning and your batoning technique when you are doing the deed, and you'll be fine. I don't think you need to worry too much about the leather handle breaking down. If you live and use the knife daily in a hot and humid environment, that may cause faster wear and tear.

On a side note, I think all the Marble's Classic series pieces are handsome knives.
 
Men went into battle with "narrow" tang swords for millenia. They had more at stake than getting firewood and seem to have been satisfied.

The same arrangement was used for knives when they were an imporatant weapon, secondary weapon, or critical tool (Think Bowie.).

An important issue is whether there is a square shoulder where the tang meets the blade. The corners should be radiused to maximize strength.
 
IMO, no and no. Stacked leather is very durable. And stick tangs don't make knives weak. JMHO.
 
A square shoulder at the tang/blade junction would create a stress-riser.

Some really cheap knives have rods welded to the blade to create a tang, and that can be a problem.

Speaking generally, they do NOT make the knife/sword/khukuri weak. For that, you have century after century of "testimony" from makers and users --and the arachnid vote. :D
 
I have hunting/fieldcraft knives from every decade beginning in the 1890's until now, and all of them are still quite servicable. My circa 1915 Marbles Woodcraft and my Remingtons and Western States still have another hundred years left in them if they wind up in the hands of people who know how to use knives properly and properly maintain them.

Many full tang knives are actually weaker than a well made hidden tang knife. Notching the blank to receive a guard and lack of annealing of the choil/tang are two more reasons a tang might be weak.

This pattern was notorious for breakage at the tang.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Michaels-lost/pages/160OT_Blank.htm

These were not.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Michaels-lost/pages/L-88_-_Woodcraft.htm

Codger
 


Feel better now? :D

All we could do is to show our own personal favorites which may or may not suit you and your expectations for a knife. This is my favorite. Full tang, 5 1/4" 1095HC carbon steel sabre ground trailing point. Brass and nickle silver furniture, textured Delrin handle covers. I've used this pattern for well more than a quarter of a century without any issues.

Your needs and the look (traditional or tactical) you expect may or may not be met by this knife. It suits me.

COdger
 
Chris...I'd be curious to know what your other compact survival knives are. I've been looking for a general purpose/survival/bushcraft knife (I know it doesn't exist!) in the 4 to 5 inch range, myself.

Thanks!
 
I wouldn't worry about either the thinner tang or the stacked leather. Marbles makes a very nice stacked leather knife and they are a real value. For a litte more you could get a Bark River....and that would be my choice. :)
 
I have absolutly no problems with knives like Buck, ka-bar Coldsteel's tang knives. Never had a doubt in my mind that they work for me. You've all seen what ka-bars are capable of, just as the Bucks. Dont sweat it, they're nice knives and will work great.
 
Choices in order of preference:
1. Rat-3
2. TAK-1
3. Rat-5
4. F-1
5. Marbles Sport, It is the odd man out but there is something about a stacked leather knife with a oiled leather sheath that keeps it on the list.

I like all those knives alot. But there is one thing missing with them all.
Either they are a great knife with a crappy sheath or a good knife with a good sheath.

One key factor in this is have to keep the whole package under $100. I need other gear as well. I wish makers would not include a sheath at all but offer a few names that they would directly send the knife to to have a sheath made.
 
Bark river is a great knife the Fox Run or North Star are what I would choose but at 130-ish with a leather pouch sheath doesn't work for me. I'd have to buy a new sheath, then we are talking about 175-200.
 
I have a Fallkniven Idun that is laminated VG10 with a stacked ox hide handle. I use it for a field knife during the bow season. Light skinning and quartering duties. Over the past few seasons the handle has taken on a nice color and it is very comfortable and non-slip. All the Northern Lights come with ox hide handles and in a variety of blade designs. Check them out.
 
I'll make it easy get a SOG seal pup and don't look back.I use mine
as my small survival blade I've used it in hawaii as a dive knife in
Oregon were I live as a river knife/and fishing, desert hiking and forest
as well it hasn't failed me yet as a multi use survival blade;)

tyrantblade
 
The smaller tanged Ka-Bar tested by Noss4 (youtube search this name) showed that smaller tangs always kaput faster/easier compared to full tangs especially during batoning (which is one of your concerns i think).

I'm not too knowledgeable about knives but I rememebr the video and thought you should know.
 
Cotherion said:
The smaller tanged Ka-Bar tested by Noss4 (youtube search this name) showed that smaller tangs always kaput faster/easier compared to full tangs especially during batoning (which is one of your concerns i think).

I'm not too knowledgeable about knives but I rememebr the video and thought you should know.
Click to expand...
Did the Ka-Bar tang have square shoulders?

(Moreover, not all users, or more than a tiny minority, are deliberatly trying to destroy a knife.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top