Dr. Utility, or: How I Learned to Stop Snubbing and Love the Tanto

[Cereal_killer]

OP I believe you used that same pic (your top one) in a different thread and I asked what the left knife was but I can't remember where that was to see your answer.

What's the left knife, looks like a kershaw, over by its self?

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

OP I believe you used that same pic (your top one) in a different thread and I asked what the left knife was but I can't remember where that was to see your answer.

What's the left knife, looks like a kershaw, over by its self?

It's a Kershawguy exclusive Kershaw Zing Tanto

 

[Czechmate]

Ok, so I have to confess that while I don't love Tantos per se, I DO love (and own) a few of the knives that you show here in your pic. As we discussed yesterday, I have the Be Wharned, and the Needs Work (not in pic), but I also have and love one of the Buck Bravos (with the swedge tip). LOVE that knife. I'm actually awaiting a CRKT Razel to add to my collection, another non-traditional shape which I suppose could be considered tanto-like. I also have a SOG Mini X-ray, and a CS large Voyager with the tanto/half-serrated blade knocking around here somewhere.

So... You're saying you're a fan of them then?...

The Razel chisel type blades are pretty cool. :thumbup: I like the fixed one better than the folders.

 

[jstn]

Tantos are some of my favourite things... :thumbup:

Gotta get some pics up of the fixed blades.

What knife is the one with the bright green lanyard?

 

[jstn]

Tantos are some of my favourite things... :thumbup:

Gotta get some pics up of the fixed blades.

What is the knife with the bright green lanyard?

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

What is the knife with the bright green lanyard?

Buck Bravo I think???

 

[BladeCommander]

It's a Kershawguy exclusive Kershaw Zing Tanto

How is the flipping action on your Zing?
The user zing I just got is not very smooth. It has nylon washers and is not centered. How do I get a flipper with nylon washers to flip better? I polished the blade tang a little, but that didn't help. Maybe polish the liners too. I like the knife, but it doesn't flip reliably without creating side/side play.

 

[evanPGH]

How is the flipping action on your Zing?
The user zing I just got is not very smooth. It has nylon washers and is not centered. How do I get a flipper with nylon washers to flip better? I polished the blade tang a little, but that didn't help. Maybe polish the liners too. I like the knife, but it doesn't flip reliably without creating side/side play.

Phosphor bronze.

 

[Quiet]

Buck Bravo I think???

Yes, the Buck Bravo. Pretty hard to find these days.

 

[Cereal_killer]

It's a Kershawguy exclusive Kershaw Zing Tanto

Thanks bro.

Does the regular zing have thumb studs? Also is the regular one drilled for four-way carry while this one isn't? Those things were throwing me off on a google image search (I tried to answer my own question but a search for tanto zing returns a knife drilled for 4-way carry with a horrible clip and I thought it was flipper only). Either way thanks for adding another knife I don't need to my list, my wife says thanks too lol.

 

[Quiet]

So... You're saying you're a fan of them then?...

The Razel chisel type blades are pretty cool. :thumbup: I like the fixed one better than the folders.

LOL I DID have different tastes in knives at one time. These days, not so much. But I can understand their uses for those that have a need for them!

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

How is the flipping action on your Zing?
The user zing I just got is not very smooth. It has nylon washers and is not centered. How do I get a flipper with nylon washers to flip better? I polished the blade tang a little, but that didn't help. Maybe polish the liners too. I like the knife, but it doesn't flip reliably without creating side/side play.

Mine flips great. When I first got it, It was too stiff. I loosened the pivot and flipped it a couple hundred times and it smoothed out. It is not centered though, that kind of bugs me but I can get past it as long as it's not rubbing.

My experience with flippers with nylon is that you have to really fine tune the pivot. It can't be too tight or it won't flip, too loose and it will have side to side play.

 

[Czechmate]

Yes, the Buck Bravo. Pretty hard to find these days.

Definitely a neat knife if you can find one; the right hand chisel grind cuts very well. :thumbup:

I had one of the Buck Reponder knives as well it was cool too but I ended up gifting it to a buddy who's a firefighter as I wasn't using it.

 

[meako]

This one came home from WW2 with the Grandfather of one of my friends.I believe it to be a Japanese naval dress sword /tanto.
So why the different shape? wheres the big square nose of the "new age" tanto?
Apart from that I like em too.

 

[B.F.U]

Anybody else think belly is best on longer blades and straight edges are best on short blades? I'm not sure I think it yet.

I know I liked my kobutan and I love my large voyager tanto. Nothing wrong with having two edges and two points, amirite?

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

Thanks bro.

Does the regular zing have thumb studs? Also is the regular one drilled for four-way carry while this one isn't? Those things were throwing me off on a google image search (I tried to answer my own question but a search for tanto zing returns a knife drilled for 4-way carry with a horrible clip and I thought it was flipper only). Either way thanks for adding another knife I don't need to my list, my wife says thanks too lol.

I think they do. I don't know about the Chinese zing to be honest. The clip gets a lot of flack but it works really well. Mine is 3 way carry, it can't be mounted tip down left side, the clip wouldn't work that way.

 

[evanPGH]

This one came home from WW2 with the Grandfather of one of my friends.I believe it to be a Japanese naval dress sword /tanto.
So why the different shape? wheres the big square nose of the "new age" tanto?
Apart from that I like em too.

Beautiful piece you have there.

The difference in shape is because yours is a traditional Japanese tanto, not the Americanized version.

 

[BladeCommander]

Mine flips great. When I first got it, It was too stiff. I loosened the pivot and flipped it a couple hundred times and it smoothed out. It is not centered though, that kind of bugs me but I can get past it as long as it's not rubbing.

My experience with flippers with nylon is that you have to really fine tune the pivot. It can't be too tight or it won't flip, too loose and it will have side to side play.

Thanks very much. I think I have the pivot at about the right place, now to carry it around and flip it a few hundred times to work it in.

 

[islandblacksmith]

Beautiful piece you have there.

The difference in shape is because yours is a traditional Japanese tanto, not the Americanized version.

Evan's got it on both counts, very beautiful, an interesting "fusion" mount...and the (looks like) laquered and then sanded down rayskin scabbard is like the carbon fiber look of the last century...or ten!
The traditional tanto has a very flowing shape, unless you go back to Chinese influenced straight proto katana swords (Chokutō (直&#20992 around the 6th 0r 7th century, you won't really find the chisel shaped point in old Japan...this one has had some hard sharpening that has caused an extra recurve in the front half, be gentle on it and it will enjoy the next hundred years of its life...

 

[evanPGH]

Evan's got it on both counts, very beautiful, an interesting "fusion" mount...and the (looks like) laquered and then sanded down rayskin scabbard is like the carbon fiber look of the last century...or ten!
The traditional tanto has a very flowing shape, unless you go back to Chinese influenced straight proto katana swords (Chokutō (直&#20992 around the 6th 0r 7th century, you won't really find the chisel shaped point in old Japan...this one has had some hard sharpening that has caused an extra recurve in the front half, be gentle on it and it will enjoy the next hundred years of its life...

Very good information and observations here, David.

I didnt know the tanto shape was used that far back, good stuff!