Tangs

[Andrew]

I'm going to make my first knife soon and I want to get something straight.My 50$ knife shop shows a good tang from bad.It shows if the place were the tang start is a angle it causes stress.Could someone show me how a good one should look.

Edited December 16, 2006 by Andrew

[son_of_bluegrass]

I'm not sure I completely understand the question but I think so. I think what you are getting at is a sharp inside angle like a V not like a U (not necessarily less than 90 degrees but two planes meeting at a point instead of a rounded bend) it can lead to stress risers that will lead to a cracked or broken piece. does that make it clear as mud?

 

ron

[ScottB]

As Ron suggests, a little radius at the tang/ricasso shoulder is usually recommended, and I always do that on mine. But to really make it clearer than mud, looking around and studying old blades will turn up exceptions to that idea, so it may not be a universal truth. But, I figure it isn't too hard, it may indeed give a benefit and reduce chances of blade breakage, so I use a radius when I can... Just a big chicken, I guess....

[Karl B. Andersen]

Here ya' go - the tang is at a 90 degree angle to the guard shoulders, but the junction is NOT sharp/square, it is radiused to avoid a stress riser.