Knife Anatomy 101: What is a Knife’s Tang?
You see it in the descriptions of many types of fixed blade knives: full tang, half tang, rat-tail tang,yet what is a knife’s tang?
The tang of a knife is the projecting shank, prong, fang, or tongue that connects the blade with the handle. There are many different types of tang, depending on the style of the knife and the construction of the handle.
Full Tang
The term full tang means that the knife/sword is one solid piece and the 2 handle pieces are pinned on to the blade, one on each side. This is the strongest of the tang types. Half tang knives go the length of the knife handle, but only half the width of it.
Push Tang
This is a partial tang that is pushed into and secured to the handle with glue or epoxy. They usually come in full and half push- half only going into half of the handle, while full being pushed in the full length of the handle.
Rat Tail Tang
In a rat tail tang, the tang narrows as it goes through the handle and is either threaded at the end or is welded to a piece of threaded rod. A bolt or threaded pommel secures the blade to the handle.
Encapsulated Tang
This tang is smaller than the handle. The handle is fitted or molded around the tang.
Share This!
Tags: Blades and Knives
Trackback from your site.
Comments (19)
Best Marttiini Knives Reviewed - Survivor's Fortress
| #
[…] Classic’s 3-1/2in blade is made of 420 German steel, secured with a rattail tang. The firm rubber handle is imprinted with a modest grip pattern to prevent slipping, and features a […]
Reply
The 10 Best Survival Knives 2018 - Camp4
| #
[…] tang is the metal portion of the knife which extends from the blade in to the handle of the knife, a […]
Reply
Six Surprising Alternative Uses for Your Hunting Knife - Outdoor Veteran
| #
[…] are definetly better suited for these activities than others. A good survival knife should be full tang, fixed blade. This makes for the most rigid knife, which also makes it ideal for field dressing. […]
Reply
Harmi
| #
Your article has short description but extremely valuable on every tops. High professional description about different type of tang.
Reply
Is the Victorinox 8-Piece Knife Block Set a Good Buy? | Flex Your Food
| #
[…] are also very ergonomic. Unfortunately, they aren’t the cheapest and they don’t come with a full tang. Taking all things into consideration, the Victorinox 8-Piece knife block set is worth the time and […]
Reply
10 Best EDC Knives on the market TODAY - Gear Hungry
| #
[…] knives typically have fixed blades and are what’s known as “full tang” knives. Full tang means the steel that comprises the blade extends through to the butt end of the handle. Why is this […]
Reply
The Best Camping Knife: An In-Depth Guide | StefanRTW
| #
[…] tang construction is when the blade is made from a solid piece of material that stretches the full length of the knife all the way into the […]
Reply
Jonathan Gilbert
| #
What do you call it if the handle is simply moulded out of the same piece of metal as the blade, with no handle pieces attached? Does that still fall into the category of Full Tang?
Reply
Is the Victorinox 8-Piece Knife Block Set a Good Buy? - McDonald Knives
| #
[…] are also very ergonomic. Unfortunately, they aren’t the cheapest and they don’t come with a full tang. Taking all things into consideration, the Victorinox 8-Piece knife block set is worth the time and […]
Reply