My First Ever Tapered Tang ( Pic Heavy )

backtines

backtines

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys , So I figured it was time I'd try myself at a tapered tang.. This is the first time trying it .. Spoke to a few of you guys and watched videos etc.. This is what came out of it ..

Ya know , my plan was to have the end of the blade finish off at my plunge , ( as you can see in the profile pic ) but when I was shaping the bolsters , I had the blade wrapped up in that blue paper toweling ( first time using it ) and tapped off with black ele tape.. I dont know what happened but , i guess some wood dust got in there and me cooling down the bolsters with water , created rust. Deep Rust ! I couldnt believe it .. When I pulled the paper off I had to resand the blade . I had to bring it down to an 800 grit insted of 1200, and I also had to cut that big choil in there just to get rid of the rust..

Anyway , this is what it finished up to be ..

Please give me some feedback on this tang . Let me know what I can do to make it better..

Thanks Mike

1095 , 416 , oOL 8.5"






















 
Woohoo !
Looking good Mike. Wasn't so bad, was it ?
Where to stop is a personal thing. On a long thin blade I'll go to 1/16" at the heel. Most of my stock is usually 3/16" with a distal tapered spine, before ht the heel is usually 3/32". I either just clean it up quick or go down a little. I look for an even balance in the whole length of the blade. Just me but I would have gone a little more. You'll be going paper thin before you know it.

Rudy
 
Well Mikey,
it looks like a Design Modification strikes again!:biggrin:

The blade and taper look great! I think the tapered tang came from when steel was very valuable and tapering was a way to use less when forging.

Your looks fine as is. Like has been said, some like a deep taper and some a light taper. It's all personal taste.
I only taper the tang on my camp/hunters. and a few of my culinary knives.

Carry on!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Mikey,
When you said you had to get rid of the rust I about cried.:sad: Just thinking of that great pattern you sanded away.
Of course I am just kidding. You have a great looking knife and another step to add to your growing arsenal of fantastic detail.:thumbup:

Wade
 
Very well one Mikey! I'm glad you were able to cover the unintended consequences of rust.
Next time coat the blade with Vaseline or some other grease before you wrap it up.
 
Wade too funny LOL !! and thank you to all for the comments.
Calvin , great tip and thank you , I will definitely do that to all my blades now..
This is why I love this place .. I learn different things everytime Im on here .. I cant tell you how much ive learned in the last year just listening in and watching .

The Knifedog Family Rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Mikey,
Get some of the 3m Scots house painter's tape. It's blue or the Glidden brand auto body tape, also blue. This stuff is non-stick and works great for protecting the blade while doing handle work etc. Won't soak up moisture like paper towel.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Shawn Hatcher said:
Great job, Mike! It looks great.



I had to stop using tape directly on non-stainless blades. It would always leave little etched marks on my blades. I now wrap my blades in plastic wrap and then tape them.
Click to expand...

I do have the painters tape and I have used it , but it was also leving those etched marks, thats why i figured by wrapping the blade would be better .. News to me , it worked like a sponge and held that hot moisture right there and messed up my blde..
I like what calvin said . Put some vaseline on it to coat it .. Im gonna give that a try on the next one.

Thanks
 
backtines said:
I do have the painters tape and I have used it , but it was also leving those etched marks, thats why i figured by wrapping the blade would be better .. News to me , it worked like a sponge and held that hot moisture right there and messed up my blde..
I like what calvin said . Put some vaseline on it to coat it .. Im gonna give that a try on the next one.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I was thinking stainless. I will remember that about the painters tape since I have a batch of carbon Damascus blades coming up.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Looks great !

I too use the blue painters tape even on carbon steel blades. I put a thin layer of balistol on the blade then use the 2" wide tape with one piece flat on each side. Then I wrap that with the 1" stuff in typical wrapping fashion. Doing it this way ended my problems with stains/rust with the blade wrapped up.

I do also always un-wrap and clean each night then re-balistol then re-tape the next night.

+1 on Rudy's comment. I would've went thinner like .040 or under but that's only a matter of personal preference :)

-Josh
 
Josh Dabney said:
Looks great !

I too use the blue painters tape even on carbon steel blades. I put a thin layer of balistol on the blade then use the 2" wide tape with one piece flat on each side. Then I wrap that with the 1" stuff in typical wrapping fashion. Doing it this way ended my problems with stains/rust with the blade wrapped up.

I do also always un-wrap and clean each night then re-balistol then re-tape the next night.

+1 on Rudy's comment. I would've went thinner like .040 or under but that's only a matter of personal preference :)

-Josh
Click to expand...


is ballistol like a wd 40 or penatrating oil ?? I never used it before .. I was just wodering if a wd would be the same ?
 
Balistol is more "oily" from my perspective and I certainly prefer it to WD40 for protecting blades. I've never tried it as a penetrating oil.

Since trying Balistol at a friends recommendation I rarely use the WD any more. PB Blaster for rusty things and Balistol for blades.

That's my take on it.

http://www.ballistol.com/

-Josh
 
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