Can someone help me understand Tanto blades

[Caleb M.]

I see all these tacticool knives with a tanto, but why? I get that traditional Japanese edged weapons had them for a useful purpose. Is a tacticool Tanto just for looks?

 

[RemyKaze]

Tanto point is pretty strong, and it offers a different aesthetic. If all knives looked the same, what would be the point?

 

[Firestrike]

I would think penetration would be one of it's perks, without sacrificing strength, much like a Buck 119 does.

 

[mrdabble]

If all knives looked the same, what would be the point?

That's a riddle isn't it?

 

[DenverEdge]

It depends what kind of tanto you mean. I will assume American tanto. No pica sorry and i dont want to butcher the explination. But for me you get two edges effectivly. I usually use the edge closer to the tip more and keep the main edge sharp for if i need it. Also in general american tantos are very strong at the tip BUT SUFFER in penetration. It may penetrate tough material without breaking but it will not penetrate no where near how a japanese style tanto will penetrate. I know there are some demostration videos on youtube with james williams. Tantos deffently have their place..

 

[TheChunk91]

With an american tanto (I am assuming thats the kind you are refering to) they have alot of tip strength and very good penetrating capabilities because of the secondary sub tip of the design, the sub tip also helps in some tasks like cutting harder things like hoses or plastics where the sub tip helps penetrate them better than a knife with just all belly. I like tantos pretty well so I have a kershaw freefall, cold steel xl tanto voyager and a microtech ultratech tanto, mostly just to add to the variety of my knives but sometimes tantos are a better choice to use depending on what im doing. It all boils down to personal preference though.

 

[RevDevil]

A cursory search would keep you busy and educate you at the same time. The topic was covered like 2 days ago.

 

[Blackie Scantling]

Good penetration plus an index finger behind the 45 degree angle on the blade will out cut any conventional belly knife 2 to 1.

 

[marcinek]

Good penetration plus an index finger behind the 45 degree angle on the blade will out cut any conventional belly knife 2 to 1.

What 45 degree angle on the blade? And out cut for what? Everything?

 

[K.O.D.]

^^Agreed. Tanto's never really appealed to me. I don't do a lot of stabbing or prying, so tip strength is a non issue. Occasionally I'll find the need to stab someone, but so far drop and clip points have worked well.

 

[evanPGH]

^^Agreed. Tanto's never really appealed to me. I don't do a lot of stabbing or prying, so tip strength is a non issue. Occasionally I'll find the need to stab someone, but so far drop and clip points have worked well.

The funniest part is that I've read several tests that show the traditional, curved tanto tip actually penetrates better than the angled version.

The Japanese changed the design to a curved tip for a reason.

 

[marcinek]

^^Agreed. Tanto's never really appealed to me. I don't do a lot of stabbing or prying, so tip strength is a non issue. Occasionally I'll find the need to stab someone, but so far drop and clip points have worked well.

I can see using Americanized tanto-shaped blades as glorified box cutters...maybe that is what Scantling is talking about?...but, at that point I'd just use a boxcutter.

But hey, people have bought a ton of the things, including a lot of experienced users around here, so they must be finding a use for them. De gustibus.

Caleb, why don't you just go buy an inexpensive one, and, if you don't like it, then start throwing derogatory terms like "tacticool" around.

I'm sure all the tanto fans don't believe themselves to be "tacticool."

 

[Jens Schuetz]

No idea of the reasoning for it but the German Army is using the Eickhorn KM2000, a clipped Tanto blade
I like the looks of it but haven't had a chance to use it.

Source: http://www.fodosco.com/KM2000Knif002.jpg

 

[Blackie Scantling]

45 degree angle like in the above pic and yeah, out cut everything

 

[marcinek]

45 degree angle like in the above pic and yeah, out cut everything

Ah. So like a box cutter. And using a tanto with your finger behind the tip and using the cutting surface that makes up the tip (the 45 degree angle) that way will outcut any other knife in things like skinning, filleting, making fuzz sticks, etc...

 

[Charlie_K]

I've never questioned the tanto point before. Never saw reason to question it. I like it for its aesthetics on some knives more than others.

 

[Blackie Scantling]

Ah. So like a box cutter. And using a tanto with your finger behind the tip and using the cutting surface that makes up the tip (the 45 degree angle) that way will outcut any other knife in things like skinning, filleting, making fuzz sticks, etc...

Oh no, no, no, no...I wasn't thinking filleting but everything else you listed yeah, especially the skinning and de boning. That 45 degree angle with a finger tip behind it is a precision
cutter. As a guide here in the Texas Hill Country I found that out caping out big hogs for mounting. A tanto will whoop a conventional knife's butt when doing detail work around the eyes of a deer or hog.

WTH is a fuzz stick? Isn't that what we call kindling?

ETA- When caping a hog for a mount a semi sharp, conventional skinner is the best IMO when filleting the armored shield off a big boar's shoulders. A tanto would be, as you say, like a box cutter and take longer.

 

[Comeuppance]

I find tantos to be more utilitarian than "belly" knives. It's like having a wharncliffe blade with a utility knife blade attached at a 45 degree angle, giving two tips (allowing for precision pulling cuts along the lower tip) and two straight edges. The tip strength is a good bonus too.

They're also supposedly very effective for combat, but, that's not really a consideration in my knife purchases. Ease of use, ease of maintenance, quality of materials, functionality of the design... Tanto points are extremely utilitarian for me and often become my tape-and-cardboard knives, where bellied knives become my finer cutters. I'm usually carrying two folders so I can have both options - right now it's a 0561BW and a Hogue EX-04 - the latter being kind of a combination of both styles of knives blades, really.

 

[Caleb M.]

I do like the more traditional Tanto as apposed to the Americanized one. I've owned a few cheapies just because I thought they were cool looking. I really like that KM200 though, definitely going on my list.

 

[Inazone]

If you already have some idea of the tanto's origins, what more is there to understand? There are plenty of "tacticool" knives with other blade shapes, and many were apparently designed with no regard for actual use as a cutting implement, unless you're an orc looking for hobbits to chop up. A well thought-out tanto design has as much utility value as any other knife in the right hands.

It's also my favorite blade shape, on looks alone.