Tang length

[unky_gumbi]

Being that I don't have the ability to HT or anneal right now and seem to like making through tang bowies at the moment, I have decided that till I have the ability to do those things I should just do the keyhole and threaded rod for now. This brings up the obvious question of just how long should the tang part of the actual knife be, assuming that the finished handle length will be in the 5" range? I am thinking that I wouldn't really want to have more than 1" of threaded rod used so that would put me in the 4" range from shoulder of the blade to the end of the tang.

Since I don't do my own HT I am limited 12" overall length on my oil hardened steels, so I think this may be an opportunity for me to make a bit larger knife, and to be a little easier to clean out tang holes in the handles material. You know I have to look at the bright side and advantages of my situation

Any how, what would be your minimum safe tang length? Keep in mind I like to error on the safe side, so I will probably add a bit to the suggestions just for my own peace of mind

Thanks for the input

George

 

[ernestrome]

What are you planning to do with the knives?

A chopper would require more tang than a kitchen knife.

It would also depends how many pins you want on the handle.

For most knives a tang projecting to the second pin of three, Ie 3" or just past the middle of the handle would be sufficient, Imho.

Otoh many like a knife to be over engineered though.

 

[unky_gumbi]

Oh I like a good study knife I can rely on, but I am talking about through tangs so no pins. At 3" I would be past the middle of the handle.
As I said in th OP that I don't do my own HT and I don't currently have the ability to anneal the end of the tang to thread it after HT. I know I can thread before HT, but in my mind it makes for a stress riser. I also epoxy my knives because I don't feel I have the precision to do take downs yet.

 

[Carl_First_Timer]

Not sure what you mean by keyhole and threaded. If you mean a hole in the shape of a keyhole, than from what I have read the threaded rod to a hole acts as a full tang.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I am by no means an expert but here's my 2c:
It also depends on the handle material. If you make the handle out of one solid and strong block of material (say wood), my common sence says that less tang is needed then for a stacked handle. (or different bits of wood together) The wood itself offers a lot of strenght as well.
I don't think it is humanly possible to brake a block of cocobolo by hand, even if it has a cavitie for a tang.

 

[unky_gumbi]

Not sure what you mean by keyhole and threaded. If you mean a hole in the shape of a keyhole, than from what I have read the threaded rod to a hole acts as a full tang.

Yes that is exactly what I am talking about, but I know you need more than an inch of tang before going to threaded rod

I am by no means an expert but here's my 2c:
It also depends on the handle material. If you make the handle out of one solid and strong block of material (say wood), my common sence says that less tang is needed then for a stacked handle. (or different bits of wood together) The wood itself offers a lot of strenght as well.
I don't think it is humanly possible to brake a block of cocobolo by hand, even if it has a cavitie for a tang.

I am leaning towards stabilized maple or something along those lines, and since I epoxy my tangs in the handles as well as the nut there would be no cavity left in the handle. Up until I started thinking of this I had never had more than an inch of threaded rod and it was only there to hold on the pommel.