Grind preference

M

Murdamook

Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
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Can someone help me understand how a tanto grind is significantly different in regard to actual use than a wharncliffe? Both grinds feature a long straight section. If your purpose in selecting a wharnie is for the flat then a tango satisfies that need. Both feature points for fine cutting tasks. Hell, the tanto has two fine points. While the initial angle preceding the very tip of the tanto is more obtuse than the actual tip, there’s still minimal contact surface which enables fine cutting. Is it the sharpening? Is it simply because it’s over-tactical? Essentially, a single cut bisecting the flat and the tip would give you a wharncliffe. So, someone help me to understand the distaste, please.
 
The distaste with which grind exactly?

I like tanto blades for all the reasons you mentioned, plus the fact that the tip bevel can be used for scraping. I think the main reasons people dislike the tanto are because it's challenging to sharpen, since you essentially have two edges on one knife instead of one continuous edge, and the perception of being overly tactical probably doesn't help.

On the other hand, I personally dislike wharncliffe blades because there is no "belly" on the edge. I know the tanto doesn't have a belly like a drop point would, but the two bevels approximate a belly, and I've found that to be good enough for my needs.

I'm just one person though, s I can't speak to everyone else's preferences.
 
Even being a tanto fan, I would not argue the practicality of it over a wharncliffe. If you need tip engagement at a low angle, the wharncliffe wins. To engage the actual tip of a tanto you are headed to around 90 degrees. Less for the secondary/tip grind, but still not near immediate contact like a whancliffe. All good, since they were not designed to be competing for the same tasks.
 
The tanto actually gives you two seperate edges ... some people sharpen them at slightly different angles I've seen mentioned ...

the tanto many use the forward edge for scraping and save the main blade edge for cutting ...

the tanto is good for opening things like clam shell packaging ... the wharncliffe works well too but slight advantage tanto ...

I prefer the sheepsfoot over both personally ... I think it gives me a better slicing knife and csn be used in some ways a tsnto or wharncliffe make more difficult because of the perfectly flat main edge on tantos or wharncliffes ... and the tanto and wharncliffe may have a slight advantage in the fine tip for penetrating ... the sheepsfoot has a good enough tip to do so and again just IMHO it is a bit stronger ...

I'm no expert but my 2 cents worth.
 
A reverse tanto is closer to a Wharncliffe than a regular tanto. The acute tip/point of a typical tanto is even or close to even with the top of the blade, rather than the bottom.
 
Aside from practicality, I believe these are two other reasons people don't seem to like tantos: aesthetics and group think.
1. Some people like how tantos look, but it seems the majority simply don't like the style or aesthetic.
2. Group think - I've seen some folks who don't like certain blades and locking mechanisms because they've been told by reviewers or more experienced forum members that they aren't appealing, especially when they're new to the knife hobby and don't have any experience or knowledge to base their opinions on.

Me personally, I think tantos have their place. Expecially the Japanese tanto, which I favor highly over the Americanized tanto.
 
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