Am I Wrong or Does The New Cold Steel 2001 Outdoorsman Have a Japanese Style Blade?

[Bimmer1]

Just wondering. Cold Steel has a picture of the 2001 Outdoorsman on its web page. From what I've seen the blade appears to be more of a traditional Japanese blade. Am I correct?

 

[Paracelsus]

It has a 'similar' (sort-of) shape to a tanto, but its form is something else altogether. No Japanese tanto would be ground that way, have a guard like that, or a handle like that. Not that there is anything wrong with Cold Steel's Outdoorsman.

So I think Japanese 'style' blade might be going a bit too far, but I know where you are coming from

I have never been to their website before. It was fun playing around with all the drum buttons on the first page.

Paracelsus

 

[aramis]

A real Japanese tanto has very little in common with what most Americans see as a "tanto" style blade. The vast majority of traditional Japanese tantos have a blade shape very similar to that of the outdoorsman or the CS traditional tanto. You won't see a heavy chisel tip on a "real" tanto.

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"Who cares for you? Your'e nothing but a pack of cards."

 

[Paracelsus]

I Still don't think that knife is all that similar to a 'real' Tanto. Only the outline is close. And you are right that the American chisel ground tanto is hardly what is found on real Japanese tantos. They still have a thick tip for penetration, but the grinds are not angular, nor do they look anything like those on the outdoorsman, which appears to have a standard hollow grind all the way out to the tip. Also, you would Never find either the 'jimping' or the sharpened spine area for chopping on a 'real' tanto.

[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 01-07-2001).]

 

[aramis]

You're right about the jimping and the "chopping edge" not being on real tantos. I was just referring to the shape of the blade. It does look like like a decent knife, though.

 

[thebladerunr]

It is a large version of what used to be their California mini drop point hunter,before it was discontinued about (roughly)10 years ago.

 

[Robert Marotz]

as a silhouette, the blade shape would have somewhat of a similarity to a tanto. However...well I'm not going to discuss this at great length in this forum. It's a sorta neat knife though.

Shinryû.

 

[Griffon]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Paracelsus:
... nor do they look anything like those on the outdoorsman, which appears to have a standard hollow grind all the way out to the tip.</font>

I don't think the original Outdoorsman had a hollow grind and it's not too clear from the image if this one does.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by thebladerunr:
It is a large version of what used to be their California mini drop point hunter,before it was discontinued about (roughly)10 years ago.</font>

There were both an Outdoorsman (which this one looks similar to) and a California Drop Point, but only the latter had a Mini version as far as I can recall.
The Drop Point really had a drop point (<a href="http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/knives/misc/_cs-mo.jpg">image of the Mini version</a>, but not by much and in my memory the Outdoorsman had a more upswept tip than the new one. I'd say you're partially right and this is something in between the two models.
<img src="http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/knives/.1x1knives.gif" alt="" height=0 width=0>