How Good of a Display Knife, This Tanto?

Confederate · Jul 11, 2008

My brother recently bought this Hand Forged 10 Folded 1024 Layer Functional Black Tanto just because he liked the photos. Having received it, he said he loves it and that it has a beautiful piece. For the price it appears that it's for display only, but I wondered if anyone had one of these and what they thought about it. I can't imagine any use I'd have for a knife like this except for display, but I've seen some real ratty faux Japanese blades. This one is put out by handmadeswords.com.

Thanks!

akadave2 · Jul 12, 2008

Nice looking piece but its hard to tell how crisp the lines and the actual dimensions from the pictures.The steel is pretty. I would say that if if were properly heat treated, quenched and tempered that it would make a servicable blade if not a bit thick. Cant beat the price.

Confederate · Jul 12, 2008

My brother says it's solid, feels substantial and is gorgeous. He said even if he could send it back and get all his money back that he wouldn't do it. The blade certainly seems attractive.

Benjamin Liu · Jul 12, 2008

I've not tried those out, but I have tried out another sword from the new trend in sub-$100.00 sharp carbon steel Japanese swords. I don't know if they are the same company or not, but for the price they should be similar.

The sword I have was given as a gift, so I have no idea who made it. The same is fake, it is just rubber. The blade is actually pretty sharp and can cut through soft targets. Edge retention isn't as good as with better swords and the blades can bend easier, but can also be bent back into shape by hand. The sword was around $70-80.00 but was purchased retail, so sould be around $60.00 online.

Since this is a tanto, the bending issues in the katana I have shouldn't be a problem. It might be higher quality than my cheap katana since it is a tanto and costs $60.00. My Hanwei Practical Plus Tanto was $116.00 when I got it from knifecenter, for comparison.

Obviously it would be good for display, it should work as a weapon, and probably would work cutting soft targets.

made4blade · Jul 12, 2008

Looks pretty good to me.

nozh2002 · Jul 12, 2008

Tanto can not be produced in Japan without permit. Only certified craftsman can do this and cost should be $3000 minimum. All tantos which does not meet certain criteria must be destroyed by Japanese law.

This is imitation made in China most likely - this is not US price for sure. I doubt that this will perform even close to real deal made from tamahogane...

This is my favorite source of Japanese swords (nihhonto):
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/index.html

Thanks, Vassili.

paua · Jul 12, 2008

Looks like it was not heat treated. Even for heat treated and quenched ones, usually they have very low carbon content as it is very difficult to fold high carbon steel without leaving cracks. So probably the edge retention is not good. In China, such folded steel probably is sold at US$1 per kilo.

The Moose · Jul 12, 2008

You wouldn't really know unless you tried it. Swords of might uses there swords to cut tatami mat ETC and they're cheap.... You never know, You never know.

nozh2002 · Jul 13, 2008

moose1132 said:
You wouldn't really know unless you tried it. Swords of might uses there swords to cut tatami mat ETC and they're cheap.... You never know, You never know.

I will not spend dime on this. Mathematically speaking it is probable to have excellent or good performer for cheap, but in reality this probability is so small, that can not be taken seriously.

Brits say - I am not so rich to by cheap goods...

Thanks, Vassili.

akadave2 · Jul 13, 2008

nozh2002 said:
Tanto can not be produced in Japan without permit. Only certified craftsman can do this and cost should be $3000 minimum. All tantos which does not meet certain criteria must be destroyed by Japanese law.

This is imitation made in China most likely - this is not US price for sure. I doubt that this will perform even close to real deal made from tamahogane...

This is my favorite source of Japanese swords (nihhonto):
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/index.html

Thanks, Vassili.

Noz have you even been to Aoi-art.com, one of my favorite Nihonto shopping sites.

nozh2002 · Jul 13, 2008

akadave2 said:
Noz have you even been to Aoi-art.com, one of my favorite Nihonto shopping sites.

Thanks, I did not now about that one. Looks like real things.

Thanks, Vassili.

Confederate · Jul 17, 2008

Well, I'm going to pass on it. If I did buy it, it would be for display purposes only and the fact that I like the beauty of Damascus steel. I didn't know about the Japanese restrictions on the tanto design. Is that only for old style Japanese swords, or must the knives made in Japan for Cold Steel meet a certain criteria?

My brother insists that the knife seems to be quality made (meaning the handle won't fall off as I've seen on el cheapo swords). If the blade is beautiful and it can also act as a weapon, then its ability to cut is moot.

nozh2002 · Jul 17, 2008

Good reading for damascus:

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/steel.html

Tanto is not a knife - Tan - short, to - sword.
CS Tanto - has nothing to do with real Tanto.

Thanks, Vassili.

gajinoz · Jul 18, 2008

nozh2002 said:
Mathematically speaking it is probable to have excellent or good performer for cheap, but in reality this probability is so small, that can not be taken seriously.

I fear the translation into English didn't go well.

What do you mean by "mathematically speaking it is probable ...."?

Brian Jones · Jul 18, 2008

Translated it for ya, Gaj, ya genius!

hardheart · Jul 18, 2008

I take it that he means it is not physically impossible to end up with good performance out of a cheap blade, but the probability of getting that good blade is too low to go around buying up the cheap stuff in an attempt to find one.

richard j · Jul 18, 2008

i need a cover for my monitor:grumpy:. brian, thanks a lot

. maybe i need to quit eating or snacking while reading the forums.

gajinoz · Jul 18, 2008

Brian Jones said:
Translated it for ya, Gaj, ya genius!

w(x, t) = Z 1
-1
f(»)G(x, », t) d» + Z t
0 Z 1
-1
©(», ¿ )G(x, », t - ¿ ) d» d¿

Ahhh... well done, I can see you are a fan of scientific methodology.

topspeclt · Jul 18, 2008

nozh2002 said:
Tanto can not be produced in Japan without permit. Only certified craftsman can do this and cost should be $3000 minimum. All tantos which does not meet certain criteria must be destroyed by Japanese law.

This is imitation made in China most likely - this is not US price for sure. I doubt that this will perform even close to real deal made from tamahogane...

This is my favorite source of Japanese swords (nihhonto):
http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/index.html

Thanks, Vassili.

It's a great way to ensure the art of the Tanto blade is not lost!

What about this knife Beretta M9 (it's made in JAPAN and is a Tanto balde):

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=261460

Should this have been destroyed too or is it exempt?

nozh2002 · Jul 18, 2008

topspeclt said:
It's a great way to ensure the art of the Tanto blade is not lost!

What about this knife Beretta M9 (it's made in JAPAN and is a Tanto balde):

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=261460

Should this have been destroyed too or is it exempt?

As I sad before this has nothing to do with Tanto, why should it be destroyd? Because in America it called Tanto Blade? Should Japanese destroy just anything which will be calles Tanto in US? Like Traditional Higonokami blades wwith 100 years history called here "reverse tanto" for some reason.

Thanks, Vassili.