Taper tang,advice

K

Keith Willis

Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
812
I would like some advice.This is my first attempt,at what I would call a
Bird-N-Trout''.I really don't have a clue if it looks anything like what most would
call a Bird-N-Trout,but I kind of like the design.I am just getting started on this one,however,I would like to know if a taper tang would fit this knife.I say that because I don't know if a TT is for certain knives or not.If it will work well on this one,can someone give me some advice on doing so,or if there is somewhere that will explain the process.I have never attempted a taper tang,but would like to give it a try.Let me know what you think

The steel is SKS5
.200 thick,much to thick for the design,but it is all I have at this time.
6 1/8'' LONG

Thanks for any help,God bless,Keith
 
It will definately fit, for this and almost any knife. Tang tapering is basically the same thing as flat grinding on the bevel. The main difference is the metal to remove is much more, therefore it is advised to remove some material from tang before by grinding inside of the tang on the wheel. Be sure scribe the center at the back of the tang. Grind on a flat platen a temporary bevel to the scribed line than enlarge the taper to the ricasso. Stop grinding when you reach to the desired line at the ricasso or at the beginning of the bolster area. Some tapers to the plunge some makers finish the tapering when it reaches to the beginning of the handle (sorry I couldn't define it nicely)...
 
Here is a tutorial for tapering a tang without hollowing out the middle, for a small knife this may work pretty good. Larger knives I hollow grind to the edge first then taper.


You will need to look at how to drill your pin holes, its different with a tapered tang, I think there is a recient post on how someone does that. It really a matter of making sure the tank is 90 degrees to the bit.

http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop/tut_tang_cowles.shtml


Found other method I find this easier to control the thickness.

http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop/tut_tapertang_brown.shtml
 
Thanks guys,I am hoping I can get it right,I'm going to give it a shot.
Thanks for the link Patrick.

God bless,Keith
 
Tapering the tang on a knife helps to give it balance; especially when it is done on a small blade such as you have pictured here.

The user needs to "feel" where the tip of the knife is, when in use, if you don't lighten the weight along the handle this is less likely to take place.

Fred
 
I get my best, cleanest tapers using a 60 grit ceramic gator preferably running as fast as possible. I also use dye chem so I can tell quickly where I am. That and a good magnet. Once I get the 60 grit done I goto a 100 grit gator running slow then a 120 grit running slow. This helps me really flatten things out. If I don't run a belt slowly I eat too much on the edges and it has a slight gap between the handle and tang.
And for the record I think a tapered tang looks good on a small knife. This knife is just 5.75". Started with 1/8" steel and tapers to .025" or therabouts.
knives134.jpg

knives613.jpg
 
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