At a glance
- Full tangs are the most robust and the simplest to make on a first course.
- Hidden tangs, used on puukkos and Japanese knives, are strong enough for normal use.
- Rat-tail tangs, thin rods often welded on, are usually the weakest.
- You can usually spot a full tang by the steel showing along the handle edge.
Types of knife tang
| Tang | What it is | Used on |
|---|---|---|
| Full tang | Full length and width of the handle; scales pinned to both sides | Bushcraft, kitchen and most course knives |
| Tapered full tang | A full tang ground thinner towards the back to save weight | Kitchen knives, fine bushcraft knives |
| Skeletonised tang | A full tang with holes cut out to lighten it | Lightweight outdoor knives |
| Hidden (stick) tang | A narrower tang set into a drilled handle, glued and often pinned | Puukkos, Japanese knives, historical knives |
| Through tang | A narrow tang that runs right through the handle and is peened or nutted at the end | Seaxes, Viking-style knives, swords |
| Partial (half) tang | Runs only part way into the handle | Light-duty and some kitchen knives |
| Rat-tail tang | A thin rod, sometimes welded to the blade | Cheap knives; usually the weakest |
| Integral | Blade, bolster and tang shaped from one piece of steel | High-end handmade knives; advanced |
Is a full tang stronger?
Usually. A full tang puts steel through the whole handle, so the knife is very hard to break at the handle, even when prying or batoning wood. It is also easy to make: shape the tang with the blade, then fix two scales to it.
That doesn't make other tangs weak. A well-fitted hidden or through tang is strong enough for any normal cutting and has been used for centuries, from the seax to the Finnish puukko and Japanese kitchen knives. It also makes the knife lighter and moves the balance forward.
How can you tell if a knife is full tang?
Look at the edge of the handle. On a full-tang knife you'll see a strip of steel between the two scales, all the way round. If the handle is one solid piece of wood, horn or plastic, the tang is hidden, through or partial.
Questions people ask
Does a full tang matter?
For a hard-use outdoor knife, yes: it is the most robust option. For a kitchen knife or a light carving knife, a well-made hidden tang is perfectly strong and can be lighter.
What is a rat-tail tang?
A thin, rod-like tang, sometimes welded onto the blade, that runs into the handle. It is cheap to make but usually the weakest type.
What tang does a bushcraft knife have?
Most bushcraft knives have a full tang for strength. Traditional Scandinavian knives such as the puukko use a hidden or through tang.
What is the difference between a hidden tang and a through tang?
Both sit inside the handle. A hidden tang stops inside it; a through tang runs all the way and is fixed at the end, often by peening it over or with a threaded nut.
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