Removing the Tanto?

H

Hammer27

Joined
Sep 17, 2006
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I have never been a real big fan of the tanto design on knives only because it makes it that much harder to sharpen. I've gotten a little POed lately and was wondering if there's a way to remove the tanto from a knife. The ones I'm looking at doing this to are The SOG Trident tano w/TINI blade and the CS Gunsite folder. I have a grinder but am not very eager to use it as I am 99.999% sure I'll really mess something up using it. Other than that I have a diamond rod, ceramic rod, 2 different types of draw through sharpeners, a stone, and a mill bastard file. Has any one done this or have any ideas?
 
Definetly dont do it with the bench grinder, unless you dont mind loosing the heat treating. The only other way you could is with a bastard file, but depending on the heat treat it could take a while.
 
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Fonly said:
Definetly dont do it with the bench grinder, unless you dont mind loosing the heat treating. The only other way you could is with a bastard file, but depending on the heat treat it could take a while.
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Would it be possible to just keep running the whole blade through the draw through sharpener? Would this succesfully round out the secondary tip? On the opinion side, Is it worth it?
 
Odd, as I've found tanto's to be extreely easy to sharpen . Its just two flat edges. Sharpen the main edge first, then sharpen the tanto point area. The only thing I don't like is that a lot of them are chisle ground, which does make burr removal a little difficult (although with a light touch and the right hones, it can be done without scaring the back side too badly).
 
Buck268 said:
Odd, as I've found tanto's to be extreely easy to sharpen . Its just two flat edges. Sharpen the main edge first, then sharpen the tanto point area. The only thing I don't like is that a lot of them are chisle ground, which does make burr removal a little difficult (although with a light touch and the right hones, it can be done without scaring the back side too badly).
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I just find it to be a major pain in the a$$ to sharpen the two edges without ruining that seconday point. Its especially annoying on the Gunsite as its also 50% serrated which effectively creates 3 different edges:mad:
 
Thats how my Sahara jr was, but like I said, I just sharpened the main straight edge first, then the tanto, then if the serrades really needed it I'd run those on the edge of the stone (corner) a few times nice and slow. Never had any problems with the point/angle between the two straight edges.

What is happening on yours?
 
Bah, I find them the easiest to sharpen. Just the same as two plane blades or chisels. Don't even have to try and hold an angle.
 
I'd use the grinder, just keep dipping it in water. Stainless tempers at a heat a whole lot higher than your fingertips will handle holding the knife.
 
You can use the grinder, however you have to go very light and not do a lot of work before cooling the steel. Just take a cheap butter knife and see how long you have to grind it until you can't touch the steel and then don't do that. Using the stone and file will be less risk of drawing the temper on the knife but will take much longer as in 10x.

-Cliff
 
Take a look at one of Greg Lightfoots millenium tantos, I feel the same way about them as you and often thought a little less corner would be less ugly.
Some people who sharpen their tantos wrong get the same sort of thing on accident , just don't let it get hot.
 
I love the original tanto but what most people mean is an americanized tanto.
There were a few swords that had a sharp corner like that but they were really old and very rare.
 
I hear ya on the tanto point , bought one folder and gave up from that point.

You can remove it by using sharpening stones and oil as a 'slow grinder' , simply grind it back and forth in one spot till it wears down then make your edge , polish it up with finer grits of stone.
Try to imagine what it will look like after though - before you start , it may end up looking sort of funky.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. I think I'll test it out on a cheap knife first to see how it comes out and how I like it before going after some of my bettter stuff.
 
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