Cold Steel Tanto's

Hey Kasik, could you send me some pictures of your BUCK Tanto? Anyone else know anything about the first run Tanto's made by BUCK. Info like how many were made, what year, whatever you know will help. Maybe you could ask the guy you got your Buck Tanto from Kasik. Thanks
 
Come on out there lets hear some Cold Steel Tanto History. Someone has to know something out there about these fine blades.
 
I ran into Mr. Thompson a couple of times at the Great Western Gun Show, held at the L.A. county fairgrounds, in the early eighties. In those days, he used to advertise in, and contribute to, Phil Engeldrum's unusual magazine PISTOLERO. His tanto was a new model the first time we talked. As I recall, the initial variation had no guard at all. I remember expressing my reservations about that. He gave me a quick lesson in thumb-capping and palm-cupping. By the time I bought a tanto from him a couple years later, it had the brass pommel and guard. I took it on a trip to the back-country in Yosemite, but about all I did with it was whittle a couple tent pegs and cut some para-cord. The next time I ran into Mr. Thompson, again at the Great Western show, I asked him his opinion of Randall Knives. He sold me on his Trailmaster, and I bought a stag-handled one soon after. The tanto never saw much use, but the Trailmaster has had some good workouts. A fine blade if you don't let it rust.
 
Lost Jaguar,

Thanks for the history lesson, every bit of information I can get is appreciated and will be combined with other information to go on the web page if I ever get enough info to put a page together. I might get a chance to talk to Mr. Thompson after the Cold Steel Challange is over on the phone. It took 4 emails but I got a reply saying the only one in the company that knew the history from the beginning was Mr Thompson. Keep that History coming, sooner or later I will have enough info to put a page together.
 
Sam,
The CS Tanto ,that I recall being the first was bead blasted,called the Recon(I know,one of the new is called Recon,but I remember this was called that first). A SF friend with the 20TH Group here in Fl.had one & told me to try it, I believe 4 members of his Team also had one & liked it.I found one for his Dad. It was really rough looking.Had a photog.for some SEAL pics in Key West ask me what a Master Tanto was(years later)said some were using it ,liked it cause it could be abused & still work .Don't know how true this is.
Be safe,
Jim
 
The Bead Blasted RECON was one of the first, but I don't think it was THE first. I've got one with what looks like a Rosewood grip. It is really some kind of composit that looks like Rosewood. I remember when I first saw a Cold Steel Tanto it was one of these Rosewood looking grip Tanto's. That was like in 1981 or so I think so it had to be one of the first ones. I've also got one with what appears to be like Tupperware grips, they look like the rubber grips but feel like Tupperware, plus it doesn't say Made in Japan on it either. I believe this is one of the first ones made by BUCK knife company. I'm not sure because I haven't confirned that yet. I need to find someone with one of the BUCK TANTO'S to compare it with. Thanks for the info.
 
There has to be some CS Tanto's out there for sale. I'm looking for all the different variations, all will be considered. Thanks
 
 
sam45colt said:
Anyone out there got any new Cold Steel Tanto History to share??
Click to expand...
 I hesitate to jump in here and expose myself to your craziness… it's clear that you have the Cold Steel hots.

The one fixed blade I own is an original Tanto which I obtained about five years ago from "Phat Phil" Engeldrum in settlement of a decade old debt.

I'm not especially interested in fixed blades, but I've always had a hankering for a Tanto and this was an opportunity to get one, since the likelihood of seeing the cash was slender at best.

I'll have to dig it out and photograph it, but it has the brass guard and pommel, and a cord-wrapped handle. Phil told me at the time that it had been made in Ventura, California.

• Dean, jus' visitin' from The Gun Zone…
 
Dean Speir

This Tanto you've mentioned sounds interesting. I'd like to see some pictures of it if you can get a few. I'm always interested in a new variation of Tanto.
 
had to look at my two to see what they had stamped on 'em...

a mini-tanto: marked "mini-tanto" on the left side and Cold Steel, Ventura, CA...made in Japan on the right side... brass bolster/guard and pommel.

a Tanto marked Tanto, Cold Steel, Ventura, CA on the left side and "made in Japan" on the right side... brass bolster/guard and pommel.

both with neoprene/rubber grips...

of course, that was on Saturday... after a lot of Tequila... there may be minor memory imperfections there... :rolleyes:
 
Dean Speir said:
  I hesitate to jump in here and expose myself to your craziness… it's clear that you have the Cold Steel hots.

The one fixed blade I own is an original Tanto which I obtained about five years ago from "Phat Phil" Engeldrum in settlement of a decade old debt.

I'm not especially interested in fixed blades, but I've always had a hankering for a Tanto and this was an opportunity to get one, since the likelihood of seeing the cash was slender at best.

I'll have to dig it out and photograph it, but it has the brass guard and pommel, and a cord-wrapped handle. Phil told me at the time that it had been made in Ventura, California.

• Dean, jus' visitin' from The Gun Zone…
Click to expand...


How about those pictures Dean
 
No Cold Steel History in quite a while, what's up with that? Come on now someone has to have some new history.
 
sam45colt said:
How about those pictures Dean
Click to expand...
Seems like you feel this is all someone else's obligation instead of at their pleasure. (Are you perhaps known elsewhere as "El Exigente?")

But here 'tis, as promised…


And that's gonna have to hold you for the time being.
 
You know you didn't have to send any pictures. But it does prove your discription was wrong, the knife doesn't have a wraped handle. That's why I wanted to see a picture, the only Cold Steel Tanto I know of with a wraped handle is the Imperial Tanto. Does the blade say anything on the other side?
 
I found these two pictures of the Damascus Imperial tanto:





I've always been tempted to get a tanto, but my SRK has served well in its absence.
 
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sam45colt said:
You know you didn't have to send any pictures. But it does prove your discription was wrong, the knife doesn't have a wraped handle. That's why I wanted to see a picture, the only Cold Steel Tanto I know of with a wraped handle is the Imperial Tanto. Does the blade say anything on the other side?
Click to expand...
  1. One of my long-standing precepts is: "Always challenge your own perceptions." My recollection was that it was a "cord-wrapped" (preferred spelling) handle. My recollection was wrong. Mea culpa!
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  2. Ask and ye shall receive… demand and go wanting. The otherside of the blade (and, yes!, I just checked) has no marking of any sort.
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The New York City fightfighter. Christian Engeldrum, KIA in Iraq on 29 November, is Phil Engeldrum's son.

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