What is the exact definition for tangs in general?

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stpaulgym

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Jul 17, 2016
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I've seen a lot of youtube videos saying different things about the same knife.
For example, some say the CS SRK is a full tang while some say it is a stick/ rat tail tang.
This got me really thinking... my conclusion was there exist no exact definition and only general thoughts about the tang of the knife.
But, recently I've seen a post on WIKIPedia about knife tangs,
(link)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_(weaponry)
According to post there are multiple types of tangs(Push Tang,Encapsulated Tang,etc) and these different tang styles can overlap each other ex(hidden, encapsulated, rat-tail tang)......
So does anybody know the exact definition of the types of tangs?
 
No, there are exact definitions. There must be, as there are different tang shapes, each with its own name.

Full and rat are 2 different types but both fall under full. Full means the blade extends to the butt. Rat is a type of full tang which got thinner for the handle. There's also a hollow half tang, which isn't preferred as it was a weak point.

Then there's Rambo's knife, a hollow modified full tang. With a compartment with stuff inside.
 
wensynch said:
No, there are exact definitions. There must be, as there are different tang shapes, each with its own name.

Full and rat are 2 different types but both fall under full. Full means the blade extends to the butt. Rat is a type of full tang which got thinner for the handle. There's also a hollow half tang, which isn't preferred as it was a weak point.

Then there's Rambo's knife, a hollow modified full tang. With a compartment with stuff inside.
Click to expand...
I disagree with the bolded statement.
"Full" & "full length" are different things.
A full tang has the same profile as the handle.
Full length just goes the full length, but not full width.
 
tang_zps42cfrlr2.jpg


Tang: A variety of powdered drAnk mixes known for their namesake characteristic tangyness. Just add water, stir and enjoy.

Great for kids as they don't know any better. Pair with Vienna Sausages and those little breadstix and imitation cheese sauce snacks for a horrifying lunch.
 
mtangent said:
I disagree with the bolded statement.
"Full" & "full length" are different things.
A full tang has the same profile as the handle.
Full length just goes the full length, but not full width.
Click to expand...

You are correct, sir. I agree with you there.
 
mtangent said:
I disagree with the bolded statement.
"Full" & "full length" are different things.
A full tang has the same profile as the handle.
Full length just goes the full length, but not full width.
Click to expand...

plus 1
 
There are tangs that are full length, and there are those that are full profile. Both are sometimes described simply as "full" which often results in the confusion that sparked this thread.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
There are tangs that are full length, and there are those that are full profile. Both are sometimes described simply as "full" which often results in the confusion that sparked this thread.
Click to expand...

That's right. Just because you know the correct definition, doesn't mean other people are going to use or understand it.
 
mtangent said:
That's right. Just because you know the correct definition, doesn't mean other people are going to use or understand it.
Click to expand...

That's what makes the wiki article pretty much on point.

"full width" doesn't really mean anything with regard to "full tang" since the tang may be significantly skeletonized or tapered or hollowed. Furthermore, does wrapping the handle with cord or even just some tape such that the tang is NOT "full width" make it no longer "full tang"?

Compare the Sog Seal Pup to the Fallkniven F1: (not my pic)

maxresdefault.jpg



BOTH have full-length hidden tangs, and NEITHER have full-width or "full profile" tangs.


Compare the Busse Team Gemini to the TGLB - which one is a "full tang"? (not my pic)

22b2a79cb8b517ad26e36f66350fab3a.jpg


The TGLB is full-length AND full-width but NOT full thickness :eek:


Compare the amount of material in the tang between a Kabar (full length stick tang) and a BK2 (full length, but not exactly full width, or is it?): (not my pics)

Becker-BK2-Becker-Campanion-3.jpg.jpg


KaBarre-do003.jpg



What about this knife? (actually my pics ;) )

P1050342.JPG

P1050343.JPG

P1050344.JPG



Length, width, thickness.

Do we need to talk about knives not having tangs the full thickness of the handle? Because some do though most do not.

For any knife that has scales pinned/bolted to the tang, there are vacancies in the tang which make it incomplete. Skeletonizing/hollowing/tapering/etc. also do this. You may be able to see the tang along the entire width of the handle, but it is most certainly NOT "full" as there are vacancies in the width and also the thickness.

For any knife that has something, even something as thin as a bit of tape, wrapping/hiding the tang, then that tang is ALSO not full-width/profile :)

For any knife that has a tang extending the full length of the grip-portion of the handle, well then it has just that, but it has only been described in one dimension. *shrug* However, since the most important aspect of the tang is transferring leverage from the handle to the blade, and length has the greatest impact on that leverage ...


A "tang" is a "tongue" of contiguous material extending from the "head" (blade) of the tool into the handle. "Full tang" is rather vague and can be either a selling point or a significant detriment since most knives do not require a significant amount of material in the tang (just like the majority of sword blades had push-tangs of one kind or another).
 
wensynch said:
Then there's Rambo's knife, a hollow modified full tang. With a compartment with stuff inside.
Click to expand...

Nope. Also incorrect. "Hollow" has nothing to do with the tang. If you take a "Rambo" knife, pull the hollow "pipe" off it and replace the pipe with solid scales or stacked leather, you have not changed the tang in any way.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
There are tangs that are full length, and there are those that are full profile. Both are sometimes described simply as "full" which often results in the confusion that sparked this thread.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I always liked "full" for tangs that run the full length of the handle, and "full exposed" for tangs that run the full length of the handle AND the full width of the scales.

So in the example, the SOG and Fallkniven have full tangs, the Busse and Kabar have full exposed tangs, and the Davis has a full exposed tapered tang.

I never really considered "skeletonization's" role in all of that though...its an interesting point if one is interested in taking it into account in the nomenclature.
 
This is why I no longer care for "full tang" knives like the bk2 above. The bk2 is a tough knife no doubt but IMO tangs like that are inferior to a properly done hidden tang. I think the "full tang" drive is because of experience with poorly made knives with hidden tangs. Not because hidden tangs are an inferior design as far as strength. How is a thin piece of steel with no holes not as strong as a fat piece of steel with a bunch holes? A good knife is a good knife. Stop worrying about tangs as far as strength goes. Pick a tang type for other reasons like balance, exposed pommel for light pounding, warm handle for cold weather etc. sorry for the rant. ;)
 
It is one of those circumstances, where using the correct name still doesn't give you the info you need.
Good essay, Chiral.
 
marcinek said:
Agreed. I always liked "full" for tangs that run the full length of the handle, and "full exposed" for tangs that run the full length of the handle AND the full width of the scales.

So in the example, the SOG and Fallkniven have full tangs, the Busse and Kabar have full exposed tangs, and the Davis has a full exposed tapered tang.

I never really considered "skeletonization's" role in all of that though...its an interesting point if one is interested in taking it into account in the nomenclature.
Click to expand...

That's why I refer to knives with scale construction as "full profile" in that they follow the profile of the handle shape. Skeletonizing can be done minimally or to so severe a degree that it might be best to say that they have a "perimeter tang".
 
There is no agreed definition on tang terms, just like for many years in the 1980s the secondary grind line was considered the one closer to the spine in a saber grind, while the one very near the edge (the edge bevel) was the primary grind line (now the general use of those terms has that reversed, so there is, for those with long memories, confusion even on this most basic of knife-related terminology).

The clearest example is the definition of a half tang: Depending on where you look, a half tang is full width tang (or even a stick tang) that is about half the length of the handle, or it is the full length of the handle but only exposed on one side (as on a Randall Model 14): Completely different items referred to by the same term...

There is a need for the terms Half stick tang and half full tang, while the Randall 14's tang would make sense as a semi full tang...

There can be a simple way to organize all the terms in a way that makes sense, but there is no recognized authority to do so...

The tang on most hollow handles should ideally be called a quarter stick tang, but who would ever agree on that?

As to why full tangs are not as good as stick tangs, I would think weight and transmitting vibrations to the hand would be of prominent concern, but especially the weight issue, which is why you see all these opened holes...

Gaston
 
A tang which is slotted into the handle and so exposed on only one side is a mortise tang.
 
So is a Western knife's tang -
A - a split tang
B - a double tang
C - a double mortise tang
D - a full length, full width, open end skeleton tang
E - all of the above

? :D
 
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