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Tang construction, Gil Hibben tundra bushcraft knife

VorpelSword said:
Looks like just two spot welds old it together. . . .and maybe a decorative pin. I have always had higher confidence in a full tang.
So, is this construction technique cheaper to produce in some way?

I can imagine out-sourcing the handle assembly. Perhaps the saving in blade steel makes a difference in volume production.

Samuri swords have a stub tang. Many bronze age swords had the grip p;ortion riveted onto the back of the blade.
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Just a guess but i wouldn't be surprised at all if the blade blanks for that knife were off cuts from blanks from some other production.
Essentially off cut scraps.
Near free steel for the blade would explain the economy in the added complexity of the build.
 
I don't understand why go through all the trouble and cost to create an illusion of a full tang when you could have just--- made a full tang?
even a rat tail tang Would have sufficed sufficiently
 
deltablade said:
looks like I paid 50 bucks for a piece of junk. wish I had waited to order til I got this info. wonder why Gil Hibben would put his name on this type construction. Thank you all for the nfo and photos
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Chalk it up to lesson learned. Use if you want, hang it up if not. Lots of great knives available that are not expensive and that will stand up to harsh use.
 
China knows American market wants full tang.

Full tang = more sales.

Full tang with guard/sculpted handle= not feasible.

Fake frame handle knife = illusion of best of both worlds.

Fake frame handle knife= Win for China.

Sam⚔️⚔️

ShaiHulud said:
I don't understand why go through all the trouble and cost to create an illusion of a full tang when you could have just--- made a full tang?
even a rat tail tang Would have sufficed sufficiently
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The original knife if there was one would have had a complicated way to fasten the guard and I'm sure was full exposed tang. When they go to make a production version they can't make the guard the way it was intended so they figure out the easiest and cheapest way to get the look and feel without the work or time.
 
knarfeng said:
"There Is Nothing in This World That Someone Cannot Make a Little Worse and Sell a Little Cheaper" -- J. A. Richards

"All goods worth price charged." New England Hardware store.
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This.

Buy what you can, use what you buy.

[Do not complain if a cheap knife disappoints you.]

[The OPs knife looks cool, I'd use it as a beater on cheap materials that I need to cut.]
 
beeinak said:
Chalk it up to lesson learned.
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This /\

Educate yourself don’t buy junk.

Even a minimal search of Gil Hibben reveals they are fantasy pieces. Avoid BudK

Now you know. You paid tuition and graduated from knife collecting 101

The obsession with full tangs is ridiculous anyway. Buck and Randall use mostly full length stick tangs and rarely break.

I guess I need to add fake full tangs to my list?

IMG_3124.jpeg
 
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Good point with those sketches. A skewed way to look at the knife the OP bought is that he saved $200+ over a fancy OTF knife that would have about the same structural integrity when deployed.
 
eveled said:
Educate yourself don’t buy junk.

Even a minimal search of Gil Hibben reveals they are fantasy pieces. Avoid BudK

Now you know. You paid tuition and graduated from knife collecting 101

The obsession with full tangs is ridiculous anyway. Buck and Randall use mostly full length stick tangs and rarely break.

I guess I need to add fake full tag to my list?

View attachment 2881392
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Yes!
I have full length and width solid and skeletonized, various knives from 1/2 to full length hidden tang, all of them are robust.

I think the reason for such fake width tang is:

1. That frame is make of super cheap and soft material. The cost of machining them is significantly reduced in mass production vs good hardened material.

2. The scales are made in a separate production line. Making 2 slabs of material is cheaper for machining vs 1 piece. Since each slabs can be placed 1 side flat to the milling table, which is difficult to do with 1 piece where you need to machine every sides then put a precise hole.

For hand made handle, either take about as much time and effort as each other since you stick the handle block to the tang before sanding either way.
 
It should be OK for those tasks. I wouldn't baton with it or do anything that's going to put stress on the handle.
 
I wonder if I removed the handle and replaced it with a solid piece of micarta fitted to the stub tang , epoxyed onto the stub tang and anchored with a pin thru the handle and tang, if that would make a stronger handle?
 
edgelion said:
Good point with those sketches. A skewed way to look at the knife the OP bought is that he saved $200+ over a fancy OTF knife that would have about the same structural integrity when deployed.
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what is a OTF knife?
 
I totally get the OP on this one. I'd be upset too.

If I was in a market for a tough knife right now - I'd probably just spend 10-15€ on Hultafors GK or Mora robust and call it a day...

Or if I want a really a true full tang, tougness, warranty and whatnot - I'd go for ESEE 3/4... or even ESEE5 if I really want toughness over everything else.
 
deltablade said:
I wonder if I removed the handle and replaced it with a solid piece of micarta fitted to the stub tang , epoxyed onto the stub tang and anchored with a pin thru the handle and tang, if that would make a stronger handle?
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Not in any substantial way. You must really love this knife with the amount of time and effort you're looking to put into it.

IMO, it's like trying to turn a Kia into a Porsche.
 
deltablade said:
I wonder if I removed the handle and replaced it with a solid piece of micarta fitted to the stub tang , epoxyed onto the stub tang and anchored with a pin thru the handle and tang, if that would make a stronger handle?
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easier and makes more sense to just use it til it breaks loose......if it does, and then modify it if ya want.
 
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