More wisdom from A.G. Russell

[hso]

The question "How usable is a knife with a short tang? Is there a minimum length required for a serviceable knife?" came as the result of the request in our August 30, 2017 e-mail for topics that you would like answers to.

A narrow tang knife, one in which you can't see the tang because it is enclosed in the handle, must have a tang that is at least two-thirds the length of the handle. This is needed to provide strength to the handle. If the tang is shorter, the user is relying on whatever the handle is made of for the strength, which is usually not terribly strong.

If you will look at the narrow tang knives which we make in our shop here in Rogers (examples include A. G. Russell Shopmade and Morseth), or the narrow tang knives which Bob Dozier makes, you will see that the tang goes all the way through the handle with some kind of a nut on the butt end to add extra security to the handle. I have included a picture of a Morseth knife which we made years ago to show our customers how our Morseth knives were, and are constructed.



I dare say that most narrow tang knives that are handmade are made this way, while most factory knives are not. The best brands will make the tang at least two-thirds the length of the handle. Cheaper knives may have shorter tangs.

all the best,



A.G. Russell, founder
A. G. Russell Knives

 

[RA40]

Very nice! I like full tang and stick tangs like the above.

I have some low end cleavers circa mid 50-60's that have a partial tang construction. They used rivets to retain the handle and after years of chopping, the handle couldn't take it. An uncle fixed it with some screws and they soldiered on. Not very hygienic but I suppose in those days bacteria from food stuffs wasn't a big deal. He passed a few years back and his daughter gave me a bag of cutlery to have fun with, this is one of them. Still sitting on my bench in the "what to do with it pile". I don't see it surviving any better because of the tang design.

Depends on use and serviceability.

 

[Nuclear]

You could cut the blade nearest the tang to the width of the existing tang, so you would have a full length tang and a somewhat shorter blade length.

 

[bannockburn]

hso

Very informative and interesting to see the cutaway of a narrow tang knife and how it's constructed.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Love Mr. Russel.

 

[Vonderek]

On a related subject, I have noticed bowie knife blanks all seem to have very narrow tangs. Is this simply because of tradition? Does it effect the strength of the knife?

 

[hso]

Is this simply because of tradition?

Yep

 

[Gordon]

Yep

I think it may mav have come from the ease of putting on a "stick" tang for antlers or bone and bored wood blocks in early "bowie type" knives . Makes you wonder is they kinda babied thier prized possesion instead of the modern stress tests of slashing concrete blocks ect.

 

[hso]

slashing concrete blocks

We go to absurd extremes these days.

I doubt anyone babied them, they just knew a knife wasn't an axe (so they carried an axe too).

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Bowie's were made to be a camp knife and man killer!

 

[hso]

Bowie's were made to be a camp knife and man killer!

There's so much myth around "bowie" knives that date from remarkably long after Jim Bowie lived that it warrants whole books on these knives. I recommend this book for its comprehensive scholarship on the subject. - http://www.historicarkansas.org/books-media/a-sure-defense-the-bowie-knife-in-america

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Love Mr Russell!

 

[Deltaboy1984]

There's so much myth around "bowie" knives that date from remarkably long after Jim Bowie lived that it warrants whole books on these knives. I recommend this book for its comprehensive scholarship on the subject. - http://www.historicarkansas.org/books-media/a-sure-defense-the-bowie-knife-in-america

Yes the Sand bar fight is Legendary. The State Museum in LR had a nice year long display that I spent 4 hours working through several years ago.