'tactical' handle width

SHOKR

SHOKR

Well-Known Member
Fellow knifemakers!
I have a question thats been bugging me for a while, whats an 'appropriate' tang width for a 'tactical' knife?
1"? 1.25"? less?
I have been wondering about this and recently someone told me its too wide for the upper two (that was barely less than 1.25")
The lower knife had aprox. 1" at index finger and about 1.12" beyond that

just in case, all 6mm thick

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Shokr,
Hmmmm?:les: To me the width or height of the handle is determined by the size of the hand of the user I am making the knife for? For a outdoors or knife for Military, Police or Fire man? I ask if they will be wearing gloves? If so? Then I make the handle a bit smaller by the width of the tang or the thickness of the scales.

I don't know what expert told you that a certain width is too wide? Or what this opinion is based on?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
I too base it on the user's hand. I have them trace their hand on paper and get it to me. If I am making spec knives for inventory, I make what comfortably fits my hand both in a forward and reverse grip. I have average size hands.
 
thanks Laurence and George!

since this is not actually for someone specific i try to make it on my hand's size (average? i wear size large in gloves)

how do you translate the handle trace into knife measurement or dimension?

he didnt specify a certain width, he held the new ones in his hand and told me the tang is bit big, i guess maybe he based it on his own hands? i think his are slightly smaller than mine

this would be good time to mention, i dont have a grasp on handle size based on determining the bare tang size and the full finished handle. to rephrase, lets say the bare tang feels good in the hand, i fear if i put scales and shape it doesnt become better, like end up with too thick or thin handle. is that a new maker thing and just comes by experience or are there general things to consider? for example the lower knife is 6mm thick (1/4") and i used scales of same thickness nd it feels alright, but on a fighter i am working on same measurements on different tang profile felt 'thin'

(if you havent figured it out yet i tend to over think and get 'fairly' technical)
 
Shokr,

Part of your hesitance is the new maker thing you mention.

Here is the best I can explain it for you.
I know what size my hand is so, I have the customer place there hand flat on a piece of paper with the fingers and thumb together and trace around it to the wrist.

I then have a size comparison and make the handle usually smaller "I have X Large hands" to scale to match the drawing. Its a eye ball thing and I can't give you a equation to adjust for the size difference.

Just start doing it and you will get a feel for it is all I can tell you.

As far as judging the size of the scales?
I usually cut my book matched scales to about 3/8" each side plus or minus for hand size and then I eyeball them on both sides of the tang with a little room for liners.

Again after I look at the paper tracing it's a unconscious part of my mind that does the fitting and it seems to work 99% of the time.

I have fitted about 3000 plus knives this way and I wish I could put it into a formula that I could say, Shokr my friend! Just add a 1/4" there and take away 3/32" here, etc...

It just doesn't work that way for me.

Maybe George can put it into numbers for you? I have a feeling that his may be a similar sizing experience to mine?

I don't know if they tell this joke in Egypt? Its really more of a universal truth.

A man in New York City stops a Taxi and asks the driver, How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
The driver thinks for a minute and then says to the man,
Practice, Practice, Practice!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
lol
never heard it before but i got it

thanks a lot Laurence. practice is in order!! :)
 
I too eyeball the handle and to date have not made exactly the same handle twice. I have only made a total of about 50 forged knives but, I have put handles on hundreds of blades. I started as a blade buyer/finisher for a few years before actually making knives. For smaller hands I will ask my wife how it feels to her. The more you do the better you get at it.

The real thing about this is there is no one way to do it. If the end user is near by ask him to try it once you are ready to apply the finish to the handle. It should be comfortable in both forward and reverse grip.

Laurence, that is the best way I can explain it. I'm still working on a computer program to do this, every time I think its ready someone shows up with a different size hand, or asks for a new feature (the never ending way to past the buck, the computer did it.) Doing it our way allows for the small tweeks that most people like.

Good joke, had not heard it quite that way before. LOL.
 
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Here is an idea, get clay and crush it in your hand as if it were a knife handle, chop it in half where the tang would be and the place wher it is cut should be pretty close to the shape you want the tang to be. I can't think of a way to do this for customers but it might help.
 
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used cardboard and masking tape today, handle seems fine, except perhaps the thumb rest and the finger groove seperator part

after holding and squeezing the handle in up right and reverse grip the muscle in middle in my hand is strained a bit. sorta like when you load too much on a muscle. could that be due to tha fact that the handle was not filling my hand? too thin cardboard for example?
 
Shokr,
Your muscle pain could be for a lot of reasons? Grasp the handle with the same pressure you would use with a working knife, Culinary, Camp etc.. There are many kinds of molding clay you can play around with if you wish? I found that having potential customers hold the knife and asking them if it feels right? And if not, why? Is the best was to get your market & anatomical research done. Knife shows and the like are good for this, You get all sizes and shapes of people.

I can tell you that I started working towards what felt best in my hand, then realized that I'm not the one ordering the knife! So "HANDS ON" work with my customers is what determines the shape of my handles.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
thanks Laurence

i hear ya and i know youre right, but so far no actual customers. whenever i get the chance i give my friends couple of my knives to hold in their hands and tell me what they think (but some has no experience at all, some even hold them funny)
but i guess i'll keep going till i get there :)
 
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