Low Budget Full Tang Knife?

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Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
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Few Schrade Frontier knives with full tang to choose from.
Bit black for my taste and I dunno what they are like to use but take a look anyway.
 

Janne

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Feb 10, 2016
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I had a look on one recently. Incredibly clumsy. I had a feeling a Trapper reenactor would be fine with it.

Their other products are a bit same. Throwback to a low skill set blacksmithing.
 

Robson Valley

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Nov 24, 2014
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Might look clumsy unless you have spent a lot of time using one.
Same as with the different sizes of cleavers. Some people can't stand using one of any size.
I think that a short one belongs in every camp kitchen.
That camp knife would be a good starter but not for tramping and carry.
 

Kadushu

If Carlsberg made grumpy people...
Jul 29, 2014
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Kent
I've had similar thoughts to the OP: why does extending a 3/4 tang to full suddenly quadruple the price? It's the easy end with no precise grind or heat treat to worry about.
 

Snufkin

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Oct 13, 2004
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I've had similar thoughts to the OP: why does extending a 3/4 tang to full suddenly quadruple the price? It's the easy end with no precise grind or heat treat to worry about.
You have to think in terms of industrial production. A mora companion, once you have done the initial tooling, is very cheap to produce. The whole process is done with very little manpower, with very little wastage with reliable and consistent results in the minimum of stages. Blade blank stamped out, heat treated, ground, handle injection moulded. Now consider a full tang knife. The production process is longer and more Labour intensive. Blade blank stamped out, pin holes drilled, blade ground, blade heat treated, scales machined, scales glued and pinned on, handle ground, finish applied to handle if wood.
 

Robson Valley

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I have one fancy(?) big cleaver where the handle is the tang is a tube of s/s, welded to a corner of the cleaver blade.
It's all very well polished, quite glittery. Lah - Dee - Dah.

The other big cleaver and my 3 smaller veg slicing cleavers have pieces of metal welded on the blade corner for tangs.
Long enough to penetrate the length of the handle and get peened over where they stuck out.
Believe me, they are tarnished, poorly finished but they sharpen and cut like a dream. Inexpensive.
Usually away in the back of Asian food stores with all the dishes.
I keep them all with total included bevels of 20 degrees.

So when you have the hots for a full tang on a knife, why NOT use a second piece of metal welded on?
You could bash the scales off a blade of interest and trick it up to suit yourself.
 
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Janne

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Quite a few Jap. knifesmiths use that tech.
My favourite kitchen knife maker, Moritakahamono, hot welds a tang of stainless steel tho their sandwich carbon steel blades.
Classic Jap. design though, a 1/2 or 3/4 tang.
No rust.
They patented it. Smart people.

I keep those edges at around 12 - 15 degrees, just a fraction larger then they do.
Why? Edge lasts longer and I have a Made in Holland Phillips electric shaver.
:)

I am waiting for a knife maker to do a bushcraft/ outdoor knife like that. Hi carbon core, soft carbon steel outer, stainless steel tang.
 
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Robson Valley

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No more room in my kitchen for drawer queens. They are long gone. I used 3 of those cleavers tonight.
The simple designs seem so stream-lined and sophisticated when compared with the kakked-up knives.
Bladesmiths in this parish look as good as anyone.
 
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TLM

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Nov 16, 2019
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The still lingering materials engineer in me cringes when hearing SS and carbon steel welded together. That weld is a prime point for galvanic corrosion. In dry conditions it'll last.
 
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Robson Valley

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In the foreseeable future, a blade with an added/welded tang ought to provide good service.
Making such a knife from available stock should not be much of a challenge and economical at that.
 

GuestD

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Feb 10, 2019
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In the foreseeable future, a blade with an added/welded tang ought to provide good service.
Making such a knife from available stock should not be much of a challenge and economical at that.
I'd agree with that. The weld should be @45°.
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
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A bit late to the party, but I have handled all of the following, and quite impressed, recommended in order for under £30 price mark:

https://www.heinnie.com/elk-ridge-evolution - this is my top recommendation

https://www.heinnie.com/rough-rider-1985

https://www.heinnie.com/rough-rider-drop-point-hunter

https://www.heinnie.com/schrade-old-timer-copperhead-oak

https://www.heinnie.com/Linder-guide - the Steel is a little soft in this one and handle is not the most comfortable, but trough

Ideally it would be a condor, but price has shot up in the last few years.

Happy hunting
 
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GuestD

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A bit late to the party, but I have handled all of the following, and quite impressed, recommended in order for under £30 price mark:

https://www.heinnie.com/elk-ridge-evolution - this is my top recommendation

https://www.heinnie.com/rough-rider-1985

https://www.heinnie.com/rough-rider-drop-point-hunter

https://www.heinnie.com/schrade-old-timer-copperhead-oak

https://www.heinnie.com/Linder-guide - the Steel is a little soft in this one and handle is not the most comfortable, but trough

Ideally it would be a condor, but price has shot up in the last few years.

Happy hunting
The Rough Rider 1985 is Ok. I've had one for a while, and it does all I need.
rr1985.jpg
 

tamoko

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Jun 28, 2009
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But in my opinion a full tang knife is the stronger option.
Absolutely NO.
Why, in katanas and swords, used hidden tang and not full tang? ;)
This all about steel. Any 1095, L6, CPM3V in hidden tang will beat full tang from 440 series. Full tang just easy to make, less labor time.
A beginner needs to learn not how to break a knife but how to use knife. "Natives" can make many important tasks with a knife from the bone.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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Why, in katanas and swords, used hidden tang and not full tang? ;)

For comfort alone I would presume - it's easier to make a conforming and comfortable knife with a hidden tang. A number of ancient fighting blades were made full tang but with the tang then hidden by wood and leather wrapping.

This all about steel. Any 1095, L6, CPM3V in hidden tang will beat full tang from 440 series.

Possibly, maybe, but given the same steel, a full tang knife will be stronger - has to be.

We've been round and round this discussion many times. My working knife is a tool I use every day working in the woods to trim, sned, split, and reduce material from less than a 10mm to over 40mm. I can batton with it and even drive it into wood by hitting on the pommel; I could not do that with a partial tang without ruining it. I can even knock up a decent spoon or spatula with it if I need to. But, as has been said before, if I was doing intricate carving around the campfire I would use a smaller knife with a nice comfortable handle - that may be a partial tang knife.
 

tamoko

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Possibly, maybe, but given the same steel, a full tang knife will be stronger - has to be.
I will see a comparison woodlore in A2 vs hidden tang MISSION MPK-S A2. MPK-S knife which passed all tests by NSW.
Or Glock 78 hidden tang in 1095 vs woodlor in 1095.
I can batton with it and even drive it into the wood by hitting on the pommel
I can trim, sned, split, reduce material from less than a 10mm to over 40mm and batton, with Victorinox SAK. All this task easy to make with Mora. Hitting on the pommel no problem for many hidden tang knives, Glock FM78 for example, but it the wrong task.
I think Mor's stick test, remains ultimate for bushcraft knife and tang for this is irrelevant ( Kochansky original was hidden tang Mora).
I am not against full tang. But his superiority over hidden tang just mythos. This all about material and quality. And hidden tang not the same, one like Falkliven other 2/3 like Mora or Mission. Scandinavian knife makes excellent jobs for a long time, hidden tang with just simple wooden handle, and modern handle material hard like steel.
Back to topic, hi-end material and quality had his price.
From a relatively low cost and good quality, I see only Mora or Benchmade Puukko 200.
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
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Rattail tangs ( hidden tangs) were designed to save the precious and expensive steel, and to make the blacksmith's work easier.

One design on these tangs which is weak is when the area between the tang and blade is sharp. I have seen several designs where the tang/blade part is 90 degrees, and sharp.
Fractures will occur here.

I have seen many 'knife makers' online that file this area to this so the metal bit that goes there fits well.
A big No-No to have sharp inside angles on metals!

A beginner knife user, of any age, should learn to use a knife properly. A 'weak' , cheap knife is excellent to learn on.

If they break it - learn from it and change.

IMO .
 
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