Thread: Bent tang

Originally Posted by clrobert60

OK, I put it in the vise and tightened up enough to get it close, then set it on top and tapped it relatively straight (no heat). Straight enough to go through the scales, so now I just need to shine it up and put a good edge on it. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Awesome! You should post some pics! I'm curious, did the tang steel feel pretty soft?

I think you got lucky, I've seen razors snap from a lot less.
I gave a friend a vintage red imp, and the tang broke when he sat on it...

Originally Posted by joke1176

Awesome! You should post some pics! I'm curious, did the tang steel feel pretty soft?

Actually it felt very soft, and when I cleaned it the tail is a shiny brass color and appears to be 2 layers. The blade itself seems normal (shiny silvery steel), I'm in the process of sanding the accumulated patina and rust off. I'll try to get some pics up sometime soon, I'd like some feedback on the composition.

If the tang *did* break off, I was going to suggest grinding it narrow and mounting it in a handle, as in a hidden-tang fixed-blade knife. Then you could use it like a Japanese razor. I've never tried this myself but it seems like a cool thing to try, and if the tang's already broken you have nothing to lose.