So What's Wrong With a Tanto?

S

Skunkabilly

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Jun 29, 2002
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From what I read online a lot of folks think the tanto is for people who don't know jack about knives. Since I know jack about knives, I wanted one of these here tanto folders...more because of aesthetics than anything else.

What is wrong with the tanto that people don't like about it? Please let me know as I don't want to spend $$$ if I am going to regret it later ....
 
there's nothing wrong with a tanto. Every blade shape has pros and cons, and people's opinions are often subject to the limits of their experience. The tanto is much reviled, but nonetheless is a versatile and useful point style. With a tanto you gain the benefit of a second edge that can be sharpenend differently than the primary edge. Some keep the secondary edge at the point sharper to retain a sharp edge even under heavy use of the primary edge, some (like myself) keep the point edge at a steeper bevel for use as a secondary cutter, scraper, etc..... If you like tantos, use them and enjoy them; they will serve you well. I quite like the tanto, mainly in larger blades, like the Cold Steel Recon Tanto. For an EDC folder, I prefer the spearpoint of my Native, or a wharnecliffe.
 
from my limited experience with Tantos...

pro: tip strength, wide spine, usually full tang

con: no tip control, annoying sharpening(usually a hamugari grind) for the tip, no belly

I still carry a 4" fixed blade, tanto, every day. I cary it for the fact that I can pry with it, and not worry. Horizontal carry, left draw
 
I dont think there is anything "wrong" with a Tanto blade, They can be harder to sharpen than others because of the angles it takes a little more attention. Most are one sided grinds so it limits you when trying to make a cut sometimes,you will have to turn the knife and move it to make a certain cut sometimes, but there are ones with two sided grinds I dont know if they have a another name for them seems like they do. I do know the tanto blade is super strong in its design, the blade will take alot of prying and hard work that most blades wont, I carry a BM Emerson CQC7 to work most of the time and have asked alot from that knife that I wouldnt think about from most other knives. If you like it buy it and enjoy it, what other people think generaly means squat if you like and can use it.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with Tanto's! They are by far my favorite blade style. I think They should make a helluva lot more of em'. Can't beat the armor piercing point provided by a tanto.
 
Well, there's nothing wrong with a tanto in any transcendental or ethical sense. I don't believe tantos were designed by satan or anything ... well, at least I'm pretty sure of that :)

Often, it's experience with a (Americanized) tanto that makes one dislike it. Yes, it's got some advantages -- like a thick point, for example. But it's got disadvantages too. The lack of a belly can be annoying for some jobs. The high point is difficult to control. The typically thick point is strong, which means that I might be able to pierce car doors, but it's more difficult to pierce the things I normally want to cut. You have to sharpen the thing in two separate stages.

Of course, many of these things aren't necesasrily inherent to the Americanized tanto. There's no reason you can't break format to clip or drop the point (the Benchmade pictured above does that a little), slap on a swedge and otherwise thin out the grind for better piercing, etc. But now you're still left with a belly-less, must-be-sharpened-in-stages knife that loses the tanto point strength benefits but still has other problems.

On the other hand, though they're are minority, there are folks for whom a tanto works great. They like the high-performance hollow grind on one edge and strong flat grind on the other, they don't mind sharpening in stages, they like an extra-strong tip for whatever reason, they don't need a belly for whataever it is they're cutting, they don't care if the tip control is imprecise.

Joe
 
For Me There's nothing inherantly wrong with the tanto until you try sharpening it.
 
Isn't the tanto valued mainly as a tactical style? I thought the strong tip strength made it good for stabbing through heavy clothing, rib bones, etc.
 
Originally posted by W.T. Beck
Isn't the tanto valued mainly as a tactical style?
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In theory it is, although people often suggest tantos when answering inquiries about EDC


I thought the strong tip strength made it good for stabbing through heavy clothing, rib bones, etc.
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The thicker the point, the worse it will penetrate, for the most part. The ironic thing is that the tanto style reinforced point has a reputation for being a good piercer, when in fact it's not good at piercing at all. Put all that metal up front, and it will be strong -- so for penetration through car doors or whatever, it's a good choice. Maybe it made sense for defensive use back when people wore hard armor -- which is what that point was about anyway. Through soft body armor or even thick clothing, you don't need a super-strong point, you need one that penetrates. That does not indicate the need for a reinforced point. On the other hand, for defensive use, there is the issue of hitting bones, etc., so there's plenty of room for debate.

Joe
 
I find the Americanized tanto much easier to sharpen than a knife with a deep belly, such as a skinner. If you switch from a benchstone to an Edgepro, it's a piece of cake.

My favorite so far is the CS Recon Tanto. It has enough belly for cutting, and it's light to carry, and strong. The Voyager series in tanto shape are nice carry knives, and you won't cry if you break or lose it.
 
Here's the photo I told you about in e-mail Skunkabilly, the knife is about 6-7 years old best I can remember, I know it's the most used knife I have owned, The blade has has the finish customized so it's not the standard black coating that was on it but other than that it's the stock version with alot of use on it, but the things held up great:
 
so for penetration through car doors or whatever, it's a good choice.
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Hello Joe,

I was just trying to think of a situation where one would need to stab a knife through a car door.....
 
Okay, you're walking down the street, and suddenly a car jumps out and demands all your money ...

Actually, I have to admit I always choose the car door example as a good-natured jab at tanto fans. Maybe I could think of a more suitable example if I put my mind to :)
 
Um ... Joe ... are you taking any medications? Cough syrup, maybe? One time I took two tablespoons of cough syrup when I should have taken two teaspoons and it had an amazing effect on me.... Seems like you've forgotten some things you used to know.

Auto bodies are made of very thin mild steel and just about any knife can penetrate it. The only exceptions are filet knives (too flexible) and maybe some folders; some folders have a lock that'll give if you breathe on it....

Nobody ever used anything even vaguely resembling an American tanto to penetrate armor. Most real tantos are slashing knives and the few that are thrusting knives bear no resemblance to an American tanto; they look just like the European daggers designed to thrust through armor ... naturally.... A katana has a complex point design that's never single-sided and never just a simple angle, and they're designed for slashing anyway -- the story about using broken katanas to make tantos out of is possibly the most bizarre part of the legend.

The American tanto design is copied from a Japanese kitchen knife ... only it's usually left-handed (only left-handed Japanese chefs use a left-handed grind).

Back to what's wrong with an American tanto:

Well, if it has a single-sided grind it doesn't want to cut in a straight line. That doesn't matter for some purposes, does for others. Other than that, the lack of any belly at all severely limits what you can do with it -- try to skin a deer with an American tanto sometime. (It can be done, of course -- you can skin a deer with the lid off a tuna can if you have to, or a sharp rock -- but they're not the best tools for the job.)

There are a few jobs the American tanto works well for -- auto mechanics use them to scrape off the remains of an old head gasket before installing a new one, for instance. It makes a good steak knife because only the secondary point gets dulled by the ceramic plate -- it's kind of like one big serration.

The kitchen-knife aesthetics might put some of us off, but on the other hand a lot of people seem to imagine it looks scary ... like a weapon....
 
There was this one time I was trcking down a wanted felon, known as doorshuta, well I came upon him in a old garage just setting there looking all shutup when I approached WHAM out it jumps at me and slam the ole trusted tanto went into doorshuta like butter. Needless to say all of doorshuta's car door friends dont mess with me now!

Hmmm, maybe I made that up. I still like tantos though. :)
 
Originally posted by Cougar Allen
There are a few jobs the American tanto works well for -- auto mechanics use them to scrape off the remains of an old head gasket before installing a new one, for instance. It makes a good steak knife because only the secondary point gets dulled by the ceramic plate -- it's kind of like one big serration.

Hmm...can't say I've ever reached for a Tanto knife for scraping head gaskets. Thats why we always have a large supply of razor blades on hand in the garage.

The only thing I even consider using a knife for in a garage is opening the boxes that UPS delivers every day filled with goodies...

Keep those knives away from my aluminum blocks!

Mark
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I have a cousin who just bought the Spyderco Endura and it's a great cutter but not at all suited for what he does.

I may be giving him my 722 becuse he's into painting and construction as part time work and the tanto will work great for him when he has to do odd things like pry lids of paint cans open and such.

He says that more than anything he needs something with a strong tip and that can withstand some impact.

Knives aren't supposed to be used as prybars but people use them as such anyway sometimes and the most effective blade style for this is the tanto.

So yeah in his case I would say nothing wrong with a tanto at all.
 
Have ONE Tanto folder, a gift, and hate it! I think it's ugly, awkward to use, and a sharpening nightmare. I have found no practical purpose for a Tanto - - course I don't have to skewer car doors and pry open bank vaults. Am looking forward to the Tanto blade fashion craze to fade out and go away.

TT2Toes
 
I used to love the Americanised Tanto blade, now I look at my Tanto collection in shame:mad:

I just thank my lucky stars I lost interest in the 'tactical' mumbo jumbo rubbish before buying a ColdSteel San Mai grand tanto thingy. Saved me a lot of money...

The classic Tanto design is very good, the Americanised one is less so. I look at all the Strider Blades and wish they had more clip and spearpoint models...

I did use a Tanto one summer working at TESCO and found my Tanto folders worked best for box opening and cutting plastic wrappers off drinks bottles. In hindsight I did not have the selection of blades I know own and thus probably the Tanto was not really the best one for the job. However I found the secondary edge great as a type of Stanley knife substitute:rolleyes: .
 
I dunno...I love tanto!

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Oh wait you meant...nevermind :)

Seriously though, I used to almost hate geometric or "Americanized" tanto because marketing and popular opinion has misled a lot of people who were interested in "the real thing."

Now it's a little different. While I don't exactly like them, I understand that a lot of people do and a lot of people find them useful. I think sometimes various parts of the knife community frown upon using a knife as a chisel or a hammer or a prybar or screwdriver. This could be one of the primary sources for distaste in geometric tanto. There are also shape conflicts that could potentially make it less optimized for certain uses that a lot of people consider "real" knife tasks. To be honest, I don't know because I am not much of a knife guy. My main reason for not liking them is the confusion they can create among people interested in getting into Japanese weaponry, and the fact that I think they're ugly and don't like how they are marketed really (such as the car door thing). Some people love them though, and that's fine :D

Just my 7 cents though.
 
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