tapered tangs?

S

siguy

Joined
Aug 26, 2006
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i found this tutorial, which i didn't look for before starting, and it will help some...but i'm wondering if any of the more experienced makers here have any advice for doing tapered tangs?

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

in the link above, i'm not really sure how far up towards the blade i should be hollow grinding. anyone familiar with this method that could let me know?

i started one today, and its not going so easily. i'm thinking that if i'm more patient and just keep grinding i will get there, but maybe i'm missing some things? i can see that forging would probably make this alot easier, but i'm restricted to stock removal for the forseeable future, so...

any tips or tricks or handy links?

thanks
 
you hollow grind the tang so you can grind the taper faster. if the tang were solid it would take a long time to taper. leave at least an 1/8" border around the tang. i would stop where it looks good to you. a sharpie line drawn across both sides will help to get the taper even.
 
I hollow grind the center of my tangs after final shaping to get a space between the scales and the tang. This way the glue does not squeeze out and make the handle pop off. Like Richard said, about 1/8" from the edge. Leave about 1/4" if you will be doing some shaping while grinding the scales to fit. Also plan where any finger grooves will be and don't hollow grind there either.
Stacy
 
What was said above, plus I stopped the hollow grind a little before the area where the guard would be, or behind the front of the scales if no guard.

It won't matter much of you run into the edge of the tang near the butt with the hollow, but try not to do that towards the front. It could force you to make it a stick tang if deep enough. I use a big wheel on a regular tang, like a 10". On smaller knives, I used 5-8" wheels. Before starting, I scribe two parallel lines around the complete tangs(just like the blade before beveling), making the lines at the rear of the tang the thickness I wanted the tang rear to end up. Make the rough grind hollow almost as deep as the parallel marks at the rear of the tang. They give you a guideline as to how far you can go.

Good luck!:thumbup:
 
It also will go even faster, and easier, if you drill lightening holes in the tang. less metal to grind, and you are making epoxy bridges between your scales.
 
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