Spyderco Forums

I just got my black Street Bowie.

It looks like the tang extends down into the handle, and is exposed in the back. Upon further examination, it seems that the tang is not exposed, and that the jimping on the back of the handle is in the plastic.

Can anyone verify this?

How far does the tang go into the molded handle? The rubber grip insert is squishy, I'm very curious what's under it.

I'm not upset or concerned, just curious. At $84, this knife is a great value...

I asked this same question in another thread and never really got an answer. Am also curious....

I just saw, in a google image search, a picture of the old non-black street bowie. It is clear that the satin finished blade disappears inside of the handle.

Still curious about the design underneath....

As I understand it the Spyderco FRN-injected fixed blades use a 2/3 tang design. It's not a rat-tail but a more substantial piece of metal locked in a very secure FRN case. I would venture to think you would snap the blade in half before removing it from the handle.

There are definitely cases for a full-tang but mainly from an aesthetic or grip-replacement (if not pinned/glued) stance. The Street Bowie is pretty dang tough given it's weight and length (and cost :) ).

I know that somewhere, either on this forum or BladeForums' Spyderco sub-forum, there's an x-ray shot of the Street Bowie handle. I'm too **** lazy to search for it but, IIRC, the tang is a constant 1/2" or so in width, has some holes in it, and extends between half and 2/3 of the handle's length.

With your street bowie should have come a booklet. Mine came with one. It explains that the jimping on the handle is the FRN. The rubber stuff on the handle is called Kraton. Find that booklet and read it. Its quite enjoyable. Im pretty sure that there is just a cutout that the kraton sits in, but thats entirely speculation.

I looked for the x-ray photo that Deacon mentioned but could not find it. I hope someone does. Then again, not sure if the tang has seen some kind of modification after that x-ray was taken.

Meanwhile if you have a small strong magnet you can tell at least the length of the tang.

KardinalSyn wrote:I looked for the x-ray photo that Deacon mentioned but could not find it. I hope someone does. Then again, not sure if the tang has seen some kind of modification after that x-ray was taken.

I can't see any reason why they'd modify it. Recall Sal saying they'd never gotten one back where the tang loosened in, or pulled out of, the handle.