Hidden tang knife

[Bionic]

This started up as a using up odds and ends / offcuts type project. I have a cornflakes box full of 1-4mm offcuts of olive wood that I bought a year or so ago for another project and haven’t been able to come up with a use for due to how thin it all is. My solution to the conundrum of what to do with it was to use it to make a laminate handle for a knife. I decided to try a hidden tang style purely because it’s new to me. This knife has the aforementioned laminate grip and is constructed of 3mm 1070 steel, the cutting edge is approximately 4 inches in length with a convex grind with a stonewashed finish.

 

[Bionic]

Apologies don’t know why the photos have done that

 

[Jackroadkill]

That's a good, workable knife by anyone's standards. I like it.

 

[Bionic]

Thanks. Much appreciated

 

[Janne]

It looks really nice!
But: The tang might be a bit to wide, the amount of wood seems to be quite small on the spine side.
If you carve/cut wood, the pressure might split the handle.

If you look on traditional Scandinavian stick tangs, you will see they are much narrower.

I put a wooden handle on a Mora 2000 blade last year, and when I wanted to cut off some cm thick branches from a birch tree, I split the handle at the spine.

I then reduced that part of the tang by about 3mm, did another handle, and it is fine.
I also did two pins going through the handle and tang in the rear end of the handle, thinking it may stop the movement of the tang inside the handle.
Not sure if this makes it stronger though!

 

[Dreadhead]

nicely done, I agree with Janne. But the best way is to just use it, if it doesn't split then perfect, if it does, then just grind that tang down and enjoy making another

 

[Bionic]

Thanks for the input and advice, I genuinely appreciate it. I think the photos possibly are slightly misleading as to the thickness of the wood on the spine side (or lack of ). The handle is approximately 25mm top to bottom, the tang tapers down from 9mm and the thickness of wood between the tang and the spine is 8mm at its narrowest. I have to agree that I’m not sure it’s a knife for particularly heavy use but that’s more down to concerns over my home made laminate and in hindsight, as Janne suggested I wish I’d pinned it as well.
Thanks again, it really helps to have good constructive criticism and a second pair of eyes to give your work a once over