grinding the tanto out of a tanto knife.

sogflash

sogflash

Joined
Aug 28, 2011
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have any of you tried to grind a tanto knife to another shape by removing the part that makes it a tanto knife?

I can't find the words to describe it properly, and hope you understand what I'm talking about.
 
I understand. Although i have never had a tanto. I did read a thread on Bladeforums about "beater knives" One person had modified a Cold Steel "GI Tanto" by basically curving the area that i believe you speak of. It looked good. He also ground off the top guard. Made a really nice looking knife. regards Henry
 
I think if you add some belly to a tanto blade itll *kind of* be like a spanto that Rick hinderer does to his knives.
 
Murray Carter does this in one of his knife sharpening videos. You might search YouTube to see if he has posted that segment. Mike
 
sogflash said:
have any of you tried to grind a tanto knife to another shape by removing the part that makes it a tanto knife?

I can't find the words to describe it properly, and hope you understand what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...

Like this Recon-1 tanto blade I did? :confused:

1152267037_xvdWC-L.jpg
 
That sharp angle is a secondary point intended for quick flick of the wrist "Slash Stabs" and is called a Yokote, and I'd just sharpen it as if it was a regular drop point with regular belly, it'll eventually wear away to be curved.
 
Mephtyrm said:
That sharp angle is a secondary point intended for quick flick of the wrist "Slash Stabs" and is called a Yokote, and I'd just sharpen it as if it was a regular drop point with regular belly, it'll eventually wear away to be curved.
Click to expand...

That portion is called the Yokote but authentic Japanes tantos aren't ground so sharp & abruptly. It's more of an Americanized version. Just sayin.. :)

imageARH.JPG


image7H4.JPG
 
Yeah; it should be noted that a yokote is not common on tantos, and is far more common on swords. it is essentially done by shaping to a rounded curve, and then by final grinding and polishing making it almost but not quite a facet. in a tanto, this would be a shinogi-zukuri. much of the reason it looks so pronounced in those blades is due to a different degree/type of polish. notice in this image as an extreme example; there is a continuous single curvature to the edge, even into the kissaki:
http://www.nihonto.ca/yukimitsu-2/tokuju.jpg

the yokote is not the tip, but the crisp transition between the kissaki and the nagassa.

I'm only a layman of course. this is only as I assume to understand it.
 
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Completely possible, Grind down the edge till you get the belly you want, then grind the flats, finally put an edge on it.

The hardest part is getting the flats done.
 
If anyone cares to know how I got the sharp corner out of my Recon-1, I used a guided sharpening system. Im my case a DMT Diafold Magna-Guide. The one with dia-folds.

Any guided system will do - Smith, Lansky, The DMT with magna-guide and non-folding hones etc. You just clamp the knife in and get to work. In my case I set it up at an angle that hit the edge and also take out the tanto corner all at the same setting.

It was very simple. I was lucky since the length of my blade caused my first "clamped" position to re-profile the factory edge and take out the lower corner in one position. I matched the point to the main bevel using freehand passes on the dia-folds w/o the guide.

If you have a coarse or better an x-coarse bench stone, you can concentrate more effort into that tanto spot and remove it.

Heaven help you if you'll be re-profiling a tanto with S-90V or something like that. :p :D
 
regrinded my CRKT M16 from Tanto into a spearpoint similar to cziv

Took an extra course diamond stone to grind and shape the tip then sharpen
Finished off with fine Diamond and a ceramic
 
What about the temper as you grind farther into the blade? Does it get softer as you grind away the point of the Yokote?
 
South said:
What about the temper as you grind farther into the blade? Does it get softer as you grind away the point of the Yokote?
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Mine was AUS8A and done by hand so there were no "temper" issues. Very easy to remove stock on this steel with a coarse or X-coarse hone and then refine it through the higher hones.

I don't have power tools for sharpening so I can't address things like paper wheels and the work-sharp for example. :)
 
I love the way your Recon-1 came out. I am going to do my Kobun the same way. Hope it turns out as good as yours did.
 
roncunningham said:
I love the way your Recon-1 came out. I am going to do my Kobun the same way. Hope it turns out as good as yours did.
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The Kobun is such a beauty already, I wouldn't mess with it - if I owned one. Don't forget to post pics if you do it! :)
 
For me the Tanto shape is not very useful. This is my only Tanto and bought the knife because I really liked the knife and the size but disliked the tanto shape. For the price I didnt mind the tanto shape. The ease of sharpening and more user friendly shape of the rounded blade will be better for my uses. You did a great job with your, looks factory.
 
I love the way that blade turned out... I agree, it does look like a production blade as is.

roncunningham said:
For me the Tanto shape is not very useful. .
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Literally the only thing I've found a tanto to be best at is cutting foam or deep fibrous material like cloth. For some reason that middle point just sinks in and cuts way deeper and faster than a normal blade.

I'll bet it would work the same way on meat...
 
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