# Shortening tang, a proposition.



## Danzo (Mar 28, 2018)

So we just acquired all this horn and I got all excited and made my first WA handle. Without really thinking about it I knocked the handle off of my Toyama deciding it would be the first to get redone. 
The Toyama tang is LONG fitting into the slot over 4 inches into the handle. My tang slot in my new handle is 2.5 inches deep. My question is should I chop this excessive tang to fit the handle? Or would that damage the structural integrity of the knife? 
This would also probably throw off the hefty weight of this knife, which I like. I guess what Im really looking for is somebody else to tell me I should just make another handle for his knife now that o know what the tang looks like on this Toyama


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## valgard (Mar 28, 2018)

What shortening the tang will do is change the balance of the knife, if you compensate appropriately with the handle there should be no problem. Given that you made the handle without taking any of that into consideration I'd be wary of doing it. So yes, go and make another handle, it's not like you can't use that handle for another knife (not a Kato, those are at least as long xD).


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## Danzo (Mar 28, 2018)

My tang on my Tanaka is about an inch and half shorter. I wasnt expecting such a long tang. Back to the sander. Thanks


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## aboynamedsuita (Mar 29, 2018)

I have done this when I had no choice, but is sounds like you can easily make yourself a new handle, so I would do that instead


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## Matus (Mar 29, 2018)

If you want to see a knife with a 'short one' than go and rehandle a Takeda 

2.5" should be enough but as was already said - test before gluing whether you like where the center of mass ist. In general I would say that Toyama needs a heavier handle as the blade has a lot of weight towards the tip.


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## Danzo (Mar 29, 2018)

Ive been using the slotted dowel method. But what diameter dowel do you guys use? I think I can eagerly get a much longer dowel, thus leading to a longer slot, if I have a bigger dowel.


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## NO ChoP! (Mar 29, 2018)

I use 1/2" and 3/8", depending on the width of the tang. Also, make sure to purchase hardwood dowels.

Drilling 1/2" holes in nice wood blocks is a scary experience.


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## Danzo (Mar 30, 2018)

You use a 1/2 inch bit? Or 33/64?


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## Bensbites (Mar 30, 2018)

You can get a set of 6 inch drill bits from grizzly and hog out material to get you tang in there. I almost always start with tang holes that are 1/2x 3.5 inches unless I know it is going on something larger, sometimes I go to 4.75 inches deep.


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## aboynamedsuita (Mar 30, 2018)

Well I had rare Mikey handle sitting around in need of a blade, and a 210 kato Workhorse gyuto that just came back after being away for about a year sadly the tang "was" about 15mm too long (112 tang vs 97 slot), so I ended up using a Dremel cutoff (not sure if there's a 1/8" dia. drill bit that's long enough, or if I'd fk up the handle of there was one)


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## Matus (Mar 30, 2018)

I use 10 mm diameter dowels for blades up to about 165 mm and 12 mm for larger knives. I drill all the parts of the handle before gluing.


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## NO ChoP! (Mar 30, 2018)

I use a 1/2" bit. I cut the dowel slot on the bandsaw and widen the slot on my belt sander to match the tang. I sand the bottom of the dowel a touch. The slot usually provides enough play for the dowel to slide into the 1/2" hole. I will do one tang burn-in to compensate for that slot flex. It usually ends in a near perfect fitment.


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