Generally Tanto = strong tip, drop = good middle of the road shape, clip = pointy tip. A tanto has a striaght cutting edge that most don't care for with basic utility in mind. A clip or drop point has "belly" and that's basically the curvature from the maiin edge to the tip. It generally helps when cutting most things. A clip point is like a drop point with some of the spine removed at the tip reducing the angle of the tip itself and making it more needle like. A wharnclif (sp)or sheeps foot, is good in that it keep the edge at the full length of the blade. Almost like a reversed drop point. A recurved blade creates some extra belly. And a spear point is usually pointy, yet relitively strong.
Any type of blade shape can differ greatly between models. For instance, a tanto could have a near 90 degree tip on one knife that is super strong, and a extreemly pointy/fragile tip on another model of tanto. I'd judge each knife on it's own and not by its perticular shape as blade shapes are so diverse nowadays.
