Full tang, stick tang, poon-tang

Kinda funny.

Stick tang guys bash the full tang guys for compensating for a small penis.

Full tang guys bash the stick tang guys for not knowing how to use full size tools.

I guess I'm just a poon-tang guy that sits back, bashes the tang and doesn't worry about it.

Use what you want. handle style, "balance" and aesthetics are all subjective. When making a subjective comparison, neither side is wrong.

We can go on and on with this. One side will say that a full tang is stronger. All else being equal, they are objectively right.

The other will argue that they don't need to be that much stronger. This is subjective, and subject to the uses the knife will be put to.

Then both sides degenerate into scenarios where such and such will be required, and the other will say to use the right tool, the first side counters with "but for this reason, the right tool isn't available"

Yadda, yadda, yadda. Seriously. Does it really matter what the other guy uses. If it's what he likes, great.

Did anyone ever think that a lot of guys may not post of what they actually DO with their knives and other tools, because they know at least one of the camps is going to bash them for their choice in tools?
 
I'm better than the rest! I choose a Matt Lamey hidden full tang haha:D
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Most of my knives have full tangs. I like full tangs mostly because I like the balance of full tangs and, realistically, IF I do something crazy with it, it is less likely to break than any other sort of tang. Less, likely....Course, I've never done anything with a knife which has caused one to break in the tang area. All breakage has been one or two tips and a couple chips here and there, which tends to make me think that 99.9% of the time, full, stick or poon tangs won't make a difference in the woods. Except the latter is more likely to keep you warm and happy. Unless your stick breaks...:D
 
Two of my favorite knives are stick tang, Scrapyard Regulator and scrapper 5. Can't really tell a difference personally, they both work well and I have no reason to think they are "weaker" than a full tang...... haven't broken them yet.

Broke a mora once, the tang was pretty rusted and I was beating it with a big stick.
 
I'm with Crossada. I love my Tad Lynch Turkey Mountain Chopper. Forged from 52100 with a diff. heat treat, And a full hidden Tang. Things a beast at nearly 3/8" thick at the tang. Breakinit is not likely.
 
ttoney83 said:
OOooo NICE ^ :thumbup:

NOw, do you actually use that in the field for anything?
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To be honest this Bagwell on top sees most carry time as i'm really familiar with it. It obviously isn't as good of a wilderness design though so i need to give the Lamey more field time. It's hard to choose sometimes when you have favorites;)
 
crossada said:
I'm better than the rest! I choose a Matt Lamey hidden full tang haha:D
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Ooooh nice! Now that definitely takes this to a whole new level...the hidden poon-tang; or otherwise known as the confused, transvestite-tang :D:thumbup:

That is a beautiful piece. For balance and handling, tapered full tangs are also quite nice...I think Rick did a piece like that??? Since Rick warps his tangs up quite well with his waxed, epoxied, secret-squirrel cord, his knives are essentially big, fat stick tangs with a protrusion out the rear...:eek: All jokes aside, if the handle is done well, a full-tang is my preference but not something that will make me discount a stick tang if it tickles my fancy (that doesn't sound right:confused:).

ROCK6

Oh, Happy New Years all:D
 
All other things being equal, full tang is stronger, therefore better. It may be academic, it may be theoretical, but that's how it is. So if I have a choice, I will always go for full tang (ie Busse type) tang.
 
ROCK6 said:
Ooooh nice! Now that definitely takes this to a whole new level...the hidden poon-tang; or otherwise known as the confused, transvestite-tang :D:thumbup:



ROCK6
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I will never think of my knife the same way now!:( Thanks:D
 
philwar said:
All other things being equal, full tang is stronger, therefore better. It may be academic, it may be theoretical, but that's how it is. So if I have a choice, I will always go for full tang (ie Busse type) tang.
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This is a legitimate argument and one I used to hold. A main reason why I started the thread, other than to find another use for the words poon-tang, was explore this concept. At one point I was worried about knife failure and this was part of the package of features that was considered as part of the purchase decision. While I don't completely forgo this aspect anymore, I do not consider handle ergonics and blade dimensions (shape and edge-geometry designed for the intended tasks) as primary determinants. In the past I would have simply not considered a stick tang knife. Somewhere that changed and I have a few and I sit there and wonder why I had consciously limited the options of models that could fill my needs simply because of the full tang/hidden tang bias.

Well, it was a good thread. Thanks all and happy new decade!
 
You forgot 'ting tang' (walla walla bing-bang)!

I have some of both, including a Mora from the 50's and the only knives I've ever broken were pocket knives. I learned early in life that prying with any pocket knife was not recommended.
 
I've never broken any knife at the tang. I've broken two right in the middle of the blade while batoning, but I'll be the first to admit that the logs were too thick for the blades.

I've got both types of blades and I have to give the edge for long term comfort the stick tang with their wrap around handles. I do have full width tangs that are just as comfortable, but I usually have to smooth edges, etc, to suit me. The stick tangs have been good to go right out of the box.

I don't let the tang design deter me from buying a knife. If I like the design and materials, the tang doesn't really matter to me, unless I know that I'm going to BEAT on it beyond reason. That's something I hardly ever do.
 
the last knives I made were hidden tang, but the tang was about an inch wide and .25 inches thick, so no worries there.
 
What about Wu-Tangs? No one has mentioned Wu-Tangs. :confused:

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I've been beating the snot out of these two. Not full tang, but full length tang. The lanyard tubing actually goes through the end of the tang. Good stuff.

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Was going to mention mitred tang. The tang is full length, but usually only a little thinner width wise than the full tang (say maybe 1/4" slimmer). The scales are mitred out so the blade sits inside the slabs and the whole lot is pinned together like a full tang. All the inherent strength of the full tang, with none of the detriments in that you can use it when it's very hot or cold and shock vibration is muted because you're not in direct contact with the metal. Think Cold Steel Trailmaster with corby/loveless bolts in a more solid handle.
 
Stick tangs are fine 90% of the time. For a survival knife, I want the extra 10%. Too many videos of people's stick tang and rat-tail tang knives failing at the handle during mundane tasks. Not something I want to deal with in a survival situation. Just my 2 pesos.

- Mag
 
Magnaminous_G said:
Stick tangs are fine 90% of the time. For a survival knife, I want the extra 10%. Too many videos of people's stick tang and rat-tail tang knives failing at the handle during mundane tasks. Not something I want to deal with in a survival situation. Just my 2 pesos.

- Mag
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I think people should abondon the idea of a "survival knife" all together opting for the term "survival tomahawk." :D Or survival machete if that floats your boat.
 
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