Full tang means the steel of the blade continues at full width and full thickness all the way to the end of the handle, with the scales pinned to either side of it. On a chopper that is not a preference, it is the difference between a tool and a liability. A partial tang on something you intend to swing at hardwood will fail, and it will fail at the worst moment.
The choppers here
Overall lengths sit at 16 and 17 inches, every one full tang with the deep belly that carries the mass forward. Blades are plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC or forge welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, one with a knotwork engraved spine. The scales are pinned in rosewood, olive wood, walnut, bone, buffalo horn and black micarta, held with brass pins and finished with brass or polished steel bolsters, wolf etched pommels and engraved butt caps. Etch work covers a valknut on a bolster and on a butt cap, a vegvisir, a wolf head, a raven on a full tang blade and a full Elder Futhark row. Four of them ship with the traditional pair of companion blades in the sheath pocket, the small karda for fine work and the chakmak for touching up the edge, and every one comes with a leather belt sheath in black, brown or tan. Prices run from 189 dollars to 289 dollars.
Why the tang decides everything
You cannot see a tang once the scales are on, which is exactly why it is the first thing to ask about. Our comparison of full tang against partial tang explains what each construction survives and what it does not. If the shape itself is new to you, our background on the kukri covers the geometry and the notch above the handle. The full rack is in kukri knives and the rest of the patterned range is in Damascus knives.
Ransack Viking is a US company based in Chicago, Illinois. These pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from Chicago. Engraving is done in the US after arrival: text 19 dollars, symbol 39 dollars, family crest 49 dollars.
Free US shipping
On most pieces. Heavier and oversized ones carry a flat charge.
Hand Forged
Heated, hammered and ground by hand.
Engraving available
Names, dates or Norse runes on most pieces.
