Stick tangs and Full tangs. Advantages and Disadvantages

[Samon]

that reminds me..why is the F1 with micarta scales like £240?

 

[Toddy]

Can the blanks not be bought though to make scales or handle to your own taste/choice of materials ?

I have a beautiful WM1 that Leon_1 handled and it's full tang, yet the black handled commercially produced one has the tang completely enclosed. The one I have isn't narrow either.I don't know if Leon drilled the full tang for the pins though.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[sapper1]

Well ~I DO KNOW~ people who have owned Helle stick tangs and had the tangs break, so no it isn't a urban myth it happens and the ones I've heard of have been Helle branded (not sure what models though).

I'll take that as unverifiable then,if I knew someone who had broken a knife of any brand I'd make sure I knew which model it was.What you are saying is the same as "I know of 3 people who had vauxhalls that broke down but I don't know which model" and you have nothing to back it up.The only helle knife I can find anything out about concerning the tang breaking is the one on natural bushcraft,I can find no other mentions anywhere.Can you point me in the right direction please?

 

[Samon]

I'll take that as unverifiable then,if I knew someone who had broken a knife of any brand I'd make sure I knew which model it was.What you are saying is the same as "I know of 3 people who had vauxhalls that broke down but I don't know which model" and you have nothing to back it up.The only helle knife I can find anything out about concerning the tang breaking is the one on natural bushcraft,I can find no other mentions anywhere.Can you point me in the right direction please?

haha, you're certainly fishing for something aren't you mate. When I used to labour on farms and help out with some woodland work two of the guys there mentioned breaking Helle knives because of "**** weak tangs" as I recall, I didn't bother asking what model as I didn't even know what a Helle knife was at the time.

So unless you insist I try to track down people I worked with 4 years ago for models of broken knives I'd say leave it already!

 

[sapper1]

Just trying to find out why you have a downer on helle and stick tangs .I bought one and would like to see where the problem is,you are the only person who knows of 2 or was it 3 cases of them breaking and I'd like to know what I need to look out for when using mine.
If you could track them down ,that would be a great help

 

[Samon]

Just trying to find out why you have a downer on helle and stick tangs .I bought one and would like to see where the problem is,you are the only person who knows of 2 or was it 3 cases of them breaking and I'd like to know what I need to look out for when using mine.
If you could track them down ,that would be a great help

I've already said I have no problem with Helle knives, just heard of a few breakages. 3 cases yes, 2 labourers and one online person. Don't get cocky either, this isn't the place for you to troll or pester me for whatever reason you seem to be.

 

[sapper1]

I'm not getting cocky,just asking genuine questions.
I'm not trolling.
This is the place to ask and you are the person to ask as you seem to be the only one who knows of the failings of this type of knife,If you can't answer reasonable questions without making accusations of trolling,getting cocky and telling people that a bushcraft forum is not the place to ask bushcraft questions then please tell me where should I ask these questions.

Thanks .

 

[JonathanD]

I've never heard of Helle tangs snapping off. They have a very solid reputation.

 

[Samon]

I'm not getting cocky,just asking genuine questions.
I'm not trolling.
This is the place to ask and you are the person to ask as you seem to be the only one who knows of the failings of this type of knife,If you can't answer reasonable questions without making accusations of trolling,getting cocky and telling people that a bushcraft forum is not the place to ask bushcraft questions then please tell me where should I ask these questions.

Thanks .

I've answered your questions haven't I. Told you the people who had knife failures, explained as much as I can and I'm naturally starting to get bothered by you.

The tang in the video broke when batoning..I've heard 3 stories myself but have no idea what model that broke, just that it was a stick tang Helle knife.

Back to the thread and not my old work colleagues.. I'd say full tang knife or atleast a broad hidden tang. Socketed for billhooks and full tang for choppers/machetes. Why? Because if any handle material were to break away/off then a full tang still has enough handle to get you through the day and the socketed billhook is a tank. Personal experience and preference.

 

[sapper1]

Thanks for your help,I'll ask elsewhere as nobody else seems to to know of stick tangs, Helle, or otherwise breaking,Only you and I've obviously upset you by asking reasonable questions.

 

[JonathanD]

I've answered your questions haven't I. Told you the people who had knife failures, explained as much as I can and I'm naturally starting to get bothered by you.

The tang in the video broke when batoning..I've heard 3 stories myself but have no idea what model that broke, just that it was a stick tang Helle knife.

Back to the thread and not my old work colleagues.. I'd say full tang knife or atleast a broad hidden tang. Socketed for billhooks and full tang for choppers/machetes. Why? Because if any handle material were to break away/off then a full tang still has enough handle to get you through the day and the socketed billhook is a tank. Personal experience and preference.

So you know personally of four Helle tangs breaking with four different individuals? Blimey. I'd say that is a severe failure rate.

 

[sapper1]

Well I've just had a trawl via google and can find nowhere where stick tangs are a problem.Helle have an excellent reputation for quality and customer service and a large range of top quality knives,the only one that is not a stick tang seems to be the new Temangami,and even that's not a full tang.
Samon,which knife do you recommend that I should get?I don't want a Mora as I find them a bit hard and small in my hands.

 

[Samon]

So you know personally of four Helle tangs breaking with four different individuals? Blimey. I'd say that is a severe failure rate.

3, worked with two guys who had said they broke tangs and someone online mentioned it. I didn't see their broken knives either, just heard about them.

So I'm the only one who has ever been told about a broken tang? hmm..

 

[Samon]

Well I've just had a trawl via google and can find nowhere where stick tangs are a problem.Helle have an excellent reputation for quality and customer service and a large range of top quality knives,the only one that is not a stick tang seems to be the new Temangami,and even that's not a full tang.
Samon,which knife do you recommend that I should get?I don't want a Mora as I find them a bit hard and small in my hands.

not sure why you're asking me, I don't know what you do with your stuff. get whatever you want mate.

 

[sapper1]

It does seem that you are the only one who has heard of any broken Helle stick tangs let alone 3.
I generally use my kit the same way as anyone else but wanted your advice after reading your posts.You seem to know quite a bit about all types of knives in fact more than I've read from other members here.Any advice from your knowledge and experience would be welcome .

 

[JonathanD]

3, worked with two guys who had said they broke tangs and someone online mentioned it. I didn't see their broken knives either, just heard about them.

So I'm the only one who has ever been told about a broken tang? hmm..

I was including Justins video over on naturalbushcraft in the four.

From a search of several major knife forums, it does seem you know more incidents of failure rates in Helle knives than anyone else I can find. The only incident of a snapped tang on a Helle That I can find or know about, is Justins. It certainly would be interesting to know what you lot do with your knives at work to cause such a high failure rate

 

[Samon]

I was including Justins video over on naturalbushcraft in the four.

From a search of several major knife forums, it does seem you know more incidents of failure rates in Helle knives than anyone else I can find. The only incident of a snapped tang on a Helle That I can find or know about, is Justins. It certainly would be interesting to know what you lot do with your knives at work to cause such a high failure rate

'you lot'? I treat my equipment with respect, the other guys I barely knew and only worked with for about a week. They could have been talking rubbish for all I know and didn't care much for conversation..hence why I didn't ask more details.

I don't know of failures first hand or from people I know properly. I use stick tang knives and don't have any issues, I reckon the blade end will break off before the tang in most knives.

If you genuinely want my advice sapper I'd say Enzo trapper if you can afford it. I personally use a SAK huntsman more than my other stuff and a stick tang Mora 510 since ridding myself of loads of other fixed blades.

 

[sapper1]

I made an enzo trapper once and didn't like it so I gave it away to a mate.It was a bit too short in the blade for me,having said that I've had a few and sold them all on here.I prefer something with a 4 inch blade and a spear point blade or a leaf blade.Do you know of any good manufacturers who make them ,or a maker who would make one to my specs?

 

[Samon]

I made an enzo trapper once and didn't like it so I gave it away to a mate.It was a bit too short in the blade for me,having said that I've had a few and sold them all on here.I prefer something with a 4 inch blade and a spear point blade or a leaf blade.Do you know of any good manufacturers who make them ,or a maker who would make one to my specs?

Don't know any makers but this one could be good for game/food and light carving duties. http://www.grohmannknives.com/pages/r1s.html

 

[JonathanD]

'you lot'? I treat my equipment with respect, the other guys I barely knew and only worked with for about a week. They could have been talking rubbish for all I know and didn't care much for conversation..hence why I didn't ask more details.

It sounds like thet were indeed talking rubbish. You should be careful of repeating such statements as fact on a public forum as you'll be tarred with the same brush. It sounds like BS to me from the amount of time I've been around the forums with people that use these knives daily.

I don't know of failures first hand or from people I know properly. I use stick tang knives and don't have any issues, I reckon the blade end will break off before the tang in most knives.

So you think it was BS too now. That's good.

If you genuinely want my advice sapper I'd say Enzo trapper if you can afford it. I personally use a SAK huntsman more than my other stuff and a stick tang Mora 510 since ridding myself of loads of other fixed blades.

Also good that despite what you have been told, you still recommend them.