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Knife tangs
#1
Hello all

I had a spare few moments and a hot forge so I churned out a generic Roman knife quickly to take a look at the details of the originals and to have an experiment.

It has got me wondering about the tangs and what was going on there. Looking at originals many of the tangs have no pins, are off centre like the example below and are curled at the end presumably for hanging.

Can anyone tell me what was happening with the handles on this type of knife, they seem to fit comfortably enough in the hand, where they handleless?

[Image: generic_knife.jpg]
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#2
Salve,

I believe there are three kind of handles around for this period. The wittletang, also off center, the ringknife with the ring punched and the ringknife with the ring folded back on itself. I think these last two handles are a bit thin for comfortable use, so I have either wrapped them in rawhide or made a wooden core over which rawhide was stitched.
I did a previous post on Germanic knives, they show what I mean. Here is a handle with core:
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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