What is a Rat Tail tang?

It’s a hidden tang that usually runs the full length of the handle but is considerably more narrow than a full tang. Seen as a whole, it’s deemed “rat-tail” because the blade of the knife resembles the body of a rat while the small and narrow tang resembles the tail of the rat. Designed more for decorative knives and swords, the rat-tail tang is not meant for hard use and as such is not recommended when making your own knife.

Further Reading: [1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5]