Well, I only own one of Rick's fixed blades, so not a great data set from which to draw a conclusion
But I thought, before I purchased the knife, that the tapered tang was for looks
But upon receiving the knife, it feels soooooo balanced
I'm "guessing" that because the knife is tapered at both ends, it puts the "heft" of the knife in the middle of your hand
My knife is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship, no two ways about it