- Joined
- Jul 31, 2022
- Messages
- 149
I mentioned this in another thread (which knife do you wish you had), but I'm really looking for a similar blade. It would have a fairly straight back, small guard that didn't add much to the width of the knife as carried, and a neoprene or similar grip material. Here's an example of the real thing: https://www.arizonacustomknives.com/products/1054124/. It does not have to be exactly the same, and I can't afford the prices at Arizona Cutlery when they do get one as it's now a collector's knife. I just want a knife that will do the same job. It needs:
- keenly pointed blade (not the chisel point now described as a tanto), and a straight or slightly "Persian" curve to the back
- neoprene, santoprene, or similar handle, a bit of wasp-waist is preferred
- mall guard that's thin on the waist
- a simple sheath with a tab to keep it from migrating southward, with this blade shape there should be no problem of drawing knife and sheath so it doesn't need much retention in the form of straps, etc.
- a decent steel that's holds an edge, but above all, toughness is important but a balanced steel would be best. I'd prefer Cruwear but that isn't a deal-breaker, there are many great steels that are tough and still hold and edge. I don't imagine any imagined use of the blade would last long, as it would be a defensive arm for where firearms are forbidden.
Surely someone makes an affordable blade with that description. The originalOda knives are perfect for my purpose, but there are few offered and usually at ten times the fair price due to collectors buying knives that are no longer made. I'd go ~$200 for the real deal, but those auctions in that range are ended as fast as they begin, at least at Arizona Knives. I'd spend more for the real deal, as it was, to me, perfect. I'll accept less than perfect.
Now, my customary rant - the current chisel-point blades labled "tanto" are NOT tanto-like, not in the least. I've looked at hundreds of midieval Japanese tantos on display at museums in Japan and those elsewhere with provenance, and only a couple of suspect blades have had a chisel edge (and those tend to be closer to a wakazashi or short sword. That tip treatment was reserved for wakasashis and katanas and the even larger battle swords usd for de-limbing horses, with the point being that the weight of the longer blades caused them to stab with such force that the keen tanto-type blade would have likely chipped badly or be broken, thus the chisel blade tip for strength. If you've worked with any of these larger weapons, you'll realize that the extra weight, coupled with a two-handed grip that lets you throw your entire body weight behind it, exerts a tremendous amount of stress on the blade tip, something a needle point could not be expected to bear if it struck anything but soft flesh. Used one-handed, though, the true tanto was able to use that keen tip to achieve great penetration in unarmoured flesh, and to effortlessly slide into the chinks in Japanese armour. It was used more like a very short rapier or smallsword than as a battle sword. With most Japanese edged weapons before the World Wars being bespoke weapons, it's possible that there were some chisel-pointed tantos - I just haven't yet seen more than a couple in years of occasionally searching such images. I had a friend who lived (and died) in Japan, and he hadn't seen many of them either. Finally, I'll post a link to the most ready resource: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=japanese+tantos+in+japanese+museums&atb=v344-1&iax=images&ia=images. By all means, do your own research and prove me wrong, I'm always ready to learn. It isn't a crime to BE ignorant, but it's a shame to STAY ignorant. School me if you can.
OK, I'm done singing now.
- keenly pointed blade (not the chisel point now described as a tanto), and a straight or slightly "Persian" curve to the back
- neoprene, santoprene, or similar handle, a bit of wasp-waist is preferred
- mall guard that's thin on the waist
- a simple sheath with a tab to keep it from migrating southward, with this blade shape there should be no problem of drawing knife and sheath so it doesn't need much retention in the form of straps, etc.
- a decent steel that's holds an edge, but above all, toughness is important but a balanced steel would be best. I'd prefer Cruwear but that isn't a deal-breaker, there are many great steels that are tough and still hold and edge. I don't imagine any imagined use of the blade would last long, as it would be a defensive arm for where firearms are forbidden.
Surely someone makes an affordable blade with that description. The originalOda knives are perfect for my purpose, but there are few offered and usually at ten times the fair price due to collectors buying knives that are no longer made. I'd go ~$200 for the real deal, but those auctions in that range are ended as fast as they begin, at least at Arizona Knives. I'd spend more for the real deal, as it was, to me, perfect. I'll accept less than perfect.
Now, my customary rant - the current chisel-point blades labled "tanto" are NOT tanto-like, not in the least. I've looked at hundreds of midieval Japanese tantos on display at museums in Japan and those elsewhere with provenance, and only a couple of suspect blades have had a chisel edge (and those tend to be closer to a wakazashi or short sword. That tip treatment was reserved for wakasashis and katanas and the even larger battle swords usd for de-limbing horses, with the point being that the weight of the longer blades caused them to stab with such force that the keen tanto-type blade would have likely chipped badly or be broken, thus the chisel blade tip for strength. If you've worked with any of these larger weapons, you'll realize that the extra weight, coupled with a two-handed grip that lets you throw your entire body weight behind it, exerts a tremendous amount of stress on the blade tip, something a needle point could not be expected to bear if it struck anything but soft flesh. Used one-handed, though, the true tanto was able to use that keen tip to achieve great penetration in unarmoured flesh, and to effortlessly slide into the chinks in Japanese armour. It was used more like a very short rapier or smallsword than as a battle sword. With most Japanese edged weapons before the World Wars being bespoke weapons, it's possible that there were some chisel-pointed tantos - I just haven't yet seen more than a couple in years of occasionally searching such images. I had a friend who lived (and died) in Japan, and he hadn't seen many of them either. Finally, I'll post a link to the most ready resource: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=japanese+tantos+in+japanese+museums&atb=v344-1&iax=images&ia=images. By all means, do your own research and prove me wrong, I'm always ready to learn. It isn't a crime to BE ignorant, but it's a shame to STAY ignorant. School me if you can.
OK, I'm done singing now.
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