How about the tanto???

[ARtsig1]

I ask this because I'm curious as to how many folks really like this blade style. I'll be upfront and state for the record that I'm not really all that fond of it except in certain variations. I am currently carrying an Extreme Firetac and it has the tanto blade style. The way Rick has built it has made it very appealing to me. The angle of the secondary edge is rather rakish and the false edge comes down to meet at the tip and form a needle point, and with the midline it is rather like a dagger point for about one-half inch, but a strong needle/dagger point because of the amount of steel that has been left around it. That false edge has also been sharpened for about a 1/2" and really gives the point some "bite". There are other variations of the tanto that I also like. The Camillus Dominator/Heat tanto is almost an upswept tanto point! The Microtechs have also been likable for me. The one tanto blade style that totally turned me off is the one Benchmade does in their Balisong line. I'm talking UGLY. I'm also talking my opinion, and yours may not agree and that is fine.

How about some of you folks. Are there certain variations of the tanto you like or dislike? Do you totally dislike the blade style altogether? Hey, enquiring minds want to know!

 

[GarageBoy]

I like them, depending on the tanto. I love cold steel's tanto design

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I carry my large tanto Sebenza a lot. Today, I'm carrying my tanto SnG, and a Xikar Extreme I brought along to show off.

The only auto I trust as a working knife is a tanto, my Severtech, but I would have gotten that in a drop or clip or spear point if it were available at a comparable price.

 

[Ascoe]

I carry a benchmade 722 tanto a lot, the tanto shape works great, but sometimes you do want that "belly."

 

[rebeltf]

One of my EDC's is a CS Tanto , I can now say I don't like the Tanto style at all mainly because it's a pain in the rear to sharpen. I'm sure it works quite well for certain 'applications' though.

 

[ARtsig1]

I think you hit on a valid point there rebeltf. If it ain't sharp you won't carry it and the tanto does require a little more care and patience in the sharpening department.

 

[Fisher of Men]

Here's my Benchmade 905 Mini-Stryker.

I love it.

 

[Will P.]

The BM drop point tantos are pretty good, and the smoothed out drop point tanto that is the standard Nimravus is very nice.

I think tantos are as easy, if not easier to sharpen, than knives with bellies.

 

[tristram]

I agree about the Microtechs. Bob Lum's also designed a nice and less 'American tanto' style for Spyderco.
The aggressive-angled ones are fascinating to look at once in a while, but not in many knives and not for use.

 

[Megalobyte]

I kinda like this one, in Titanium.

Of course the Strider is a weapon-oriented knife, but, I have also become fond of chisel ground tantos for utility work, the combo of the chisel grind and tanto makes the tip and edge very robust, and I don't feel like I need to be careful when really cutting into tough materials.

I wear the Strider a few times a week as a neck knife, and I carry for use, a .25" thick, S30V chisel, zero ground Sean Kendrick tanto, I have beat the crap out of it, and have yet to damage it in any way, it's also very easy to sharpen.

 

[z537z]

I like them, depending on the tanto. I love cold steel's tanto design

Me too!
My Voyager is really nice. I got the design for two reasons: One, it's really strong. A clip point will snap off and isn't as good for stabbing motions, and should I ever need to pierce a sternum this'll do it. Secondly, it provides a long, straight(ish) section of blade for slicing, and makes for easy sharpening IMO, at least with a regular whetstone (well, DMT, but "flat" stone anyway), which is nice.

I really like the strength...the very tip snapped off a while back (my fault for screwing around throwing it at stuff), so I ground that part down so now the knife has a back-cut point on it, not just a flat back edge anymore. Looks great, and still does the trick. Really great knife for a beater!


_z

 

[knife saber]

Do authentic Japanese tanto designs count? I'd love to see a non-Americanized tanto shape in a folder. I'd buy that in a second.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Being two straight sections, tanto blades are easier to sharpen than blades with any kind of curved edge.

True, a Sharpmaker type of system might have a couple of problems with them, but that's a problem with the system, not the blade. Any kind of flat stone will do fine.

 

[freddy1]

i love my BM940, which is supposed to be "reverse tanto blade"

 

[Ascoe]

Being two straight sections, tanto blades are easier to sharpen than blades with any kind of curved edge.

True, a Sharpmaker type of system might have a couple of problems with them, but that's a problem with the system, not the blade. Any kind of flat stone will do fine.

Of course you can make your sharpmaker be a flat sone by flipping it over.

Underused, but it's VERY effective.

 

[Trout Tamer]

I like the American tanto style, especially as an edc beater. This holds double-true for an ugly, inexpensive, but quality-made tanto (I'm thinking of my Cold Steel medium Voyager tanto). I think that the Japanese tanto would make a cool folder blade; it seems to represent a good compromise between tip strength and curved belly.

 

[ARtsig1]

Great info people, and several more tanto variations to look at. Maybe the hard to sharpen syndrome comes from some tanto's whose secondary edge, the angled part, are blunt and don't really get too sharp? I've heard this said about the Buck/Strider tanto. Since I've never really had a tanto for any length of time to have to sharpen it much, I guess I'll find out when my Extreme needs a touch up. Keep 'em coming I want to hear the whole spectrum on tanto's.

 

[spyken]

don't like tantos for utility folders. pefer a big wide droppoint or spearpoint. but visually, I think the Emerson ones look good, if only they weren't chisel ground. I like the recurve tanto (tanto, plus a slight arch on the secondary edge) for its looks and (tho' limited) use in specific instances -the strong point is good for stabbing, and the recurve is good for cutting rope.

 

[tonyccw]

Keep 'em coming I want to hear the whole spectrum on tanto's.

Made by the Japanese, and a few American bladesmiths, up until the 70's when Bob Lum decided that you CAN made a tanto shaped knife by stock removal. Amazing trick, figuring out how to grind that Hamagiri point. Which is why I really like his stuff. Classical lines that really work well. Obviously, poor point control for the delicate stuff, but the fairly flat edge with the ever so slight swell, makes for an excellent cutter.

Picture by Coop.