What Full Tang Really Means (and Why It Matters on a Fixed Blade)
“Full tang” is printed on almost every fixed-blade listing. It is a real engineering feature, but the term gets used loosely. Here is what it means and why it matters.
The tang
The tang is the part of the blade steel that continues into the handle. Blade and tang are one piece of metal. How far that steel extends, and how wide it is, decides how strong the knife is where blade meets handle, the point where most fixed blades fail.
Types of tang
- Full tang: the steel runs the full length and full width of the handle, with handle scales attached to both sides. You can see a strip of steel all around the handle edge.
- Partial or half tang: the steel goes only part of the way into the handle.
- Hidden or stick tang: a narrow rod of steel runs inside a one-piece handle. Common on traditional knives; strength depends heavily on the handle material.
- Rat-tail tang: a thin rod welded or threaded onto the blade. The weakest option.
How to tell
On a full tang knife you can see steel along the spine and belly of the handle, between the scales. The handle is held on with pins, rivets or screws that pass through the tang. If you cannot see steel along the handle edge, it is not a full tang.
Why full tang matters
When you baton through wood, pry, or lean on the handle, the load goes through the joint between blade and handle. On a full tang knife there is no joint: the steel is continuous, and the handle scales only provide grip. That is why full tang is the standard for hard-use outdoor knives.
The weight problem, and how we solved it
A full tang adds weight to the handle. A 5.0 mm tang the full length and height of a handle is a lot of steel. On the Core we machine two lightening windows into the tang, inside the handle where nobody sees them, while keeping a continuous outer rim of steel for strength. The result is a full-strength tang that weighs less.
We also engraved APEX NEWTON 1.0 mm deep into the tang. Only the owner who takes the handle apart will ever see it.
Core at a glance
- 5.0 mm Böhler N690, one piece from tip to butt
- Full tang with two internal lightening windows
- Forprene scales, two hex screws, lanyard tube
- Comes apart for cleaning
See the exploded view on the Core page.