Thread: Tang size for new carving knives

Originally Posted by mikeys

I will be making new knives made from floor scraper which will be 4 inches long x 3/4 in wide. I figure I'll have at least 2 1/2-3 inches to epxoy into the handle. I was planning to reduce width to 1/2 inch. The reason for the reduction is the handle is really clunky where the blade is. Next handle I'll do more shaping on each half as I using a sandwich construction.

Hi Mikeys, how's the knife making going? Any photos to show? Was there a question hidden in the above quoted post? Cheers

Depends upon the function and craving style that the knife will be used for.
Conventional European/American carving design puts the narrow tang down the middle of the handle.
Most, but not all, crooked knives used by First Nations wood carvers here in the Pacific Northwest
have tangs the same width as the edged blade part. The tang is inletted into a surface groove
and mounted there in a puddle of epoxy, often JB Weld ( which even has crushed limestone in it.).
That gets covered up with the traditional cord whipping.