Suggestions for an assisted opening tanto blade in the $50-60 range?

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Rancho5

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Feb 10, 2015
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A dear friend of mine is retiring as a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and I'd like to get him a present. He prefers assisted opening, tanto blades and my budget is no more than $60, not flexible. Suggestions welcomed.
 
Some Kershaw Blur Tanto may be a little over $60 but under $70 and well worth it.

Kershaw Link and Cryo II with Tanto blades are under $50.
 
Lots of people like the blur. Help me with my prejudice against liner locks. They just seem weak to me. The Cryo 2 Tanto is a frame lock. How would the two compare? I own a Cryo 2 myself, not tanto, and it's a workhorse.
 
Rancho5 said:
Lots of people like the blur. Help me with my prejudice against liner locks. They just seem weak to me. The Cryo 2 Tanto is a frame lock. How would the two compare? I own a Cryo 2 myself, not tanto, and it's a workhorse.
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I am first and foremost a frame lock guy, and I have a cryo 2 and had a tanto blur which I gifted to my father as the Damascus wild turkey was deemed too nice to carry. My blur felt sturdier than my cryo, which is why it ended up being sacrificed. Liner locks and frame locks when done correctly will all serve the intended purpose just fine with regular use. It's largely preference based.
 
Wow! Try to find a Blur Tanto in plain edge! All I see is partially serrated.

Or one that's just plain, as many are bright green or purple. Not too sure the Lt. Colonel wants to EDC a purple knife :)
 
I know the OP already made his purchase, but for others looking at this thread for ideas, I have to throw out the Kershaw Link Tanto. Great knife and right in the center of the OP's price range!
 
I had a sog trident, it was kinda fun. I'm not into assisted openers though. It was very tacticool. They got them at the Dick's by my work lol.
 
Congrats OP for finding something you liked. For other users with a limited budget but looking for a tanto, A/O knife, perhaps look to the very affordable CRKT Heiho. The assist component is stupid simple to remove (if that is your prerogative), and for the price I have yet to find a knife that locks up as solid, especially with the LAWKS system implemented. The knife itself is a little heavy for the size, and AUS8 isn't the greatest steel, but this knife has handled everything I've ever thrown at it, and it remains a go-to knife if I need a smaller workhorse that if I ever manage to ruin it is easily replaceable. It is not given enough credit around here, IMO.
 
Great choice on the plain edge tanto Blur. I ended up making a FrankenBlur with mine (put it in one of the smoke green handles). The Link that whitty mentioned is another good one.

Green_FrankenBlurs_20140412_800x298.jpg


Links_20150525_2_800x376.jpg
 
Bill_Brasky said:
Congrats OP for finding something you liked. For other users with a limited budget but looking for a tanto, A/O knife, perhaps look to the very affordable CRKT Heiho. The assist component is stupid simple to remove (if that is your prerogative), and for the price I have yet to find a knife that locks up as solid, especially with the LAWKS system implemented. The knife itself is a little heavy for the size, and AUS8 isn't the greatest steel, but this knife has handled everything I've ever thrown at it, and it remains a go-to knife if I need a smaller workhorse that if I ever manage to ruin it is easily replaceable. It is not given enough credit around here, IMO.
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Heiho is listed as 8cr14mov, not aus8
http://www.crkt.com/Folding-Hissatsu-2---3125-Blade-Razor-Sharp-Edge-OutBurst-LAWKS-Knife
Don't get me wrong, I think it's an awesome little srabby knife myself, but Chinese production with good ol' chinese steel, in a Japanese styled knife (with japanese lettering), made by an American company... The irony is amazing.

The Kershaw Thermite is another good one, dubbed a "spanto", still very tanto-esque.
 
Nice catch strategy9, I stand corrected on the type of steel. I was thinking of the Shizuka and Otanashi noh Ken, both use AUS8. Completely my error, but the point still stands, in that they all use relatively inferior steels.

To further your point, the Japanese kanji is the single most embarrassing thing about William's knives for me. I love the style, loathe the steel (the Heiho could be a champ with S30V or VG-10), and I really have no complaints about their overall performance. I gladly carry my Heiho on occasion, but if I have the opportunity I distance myself from the silly kanji when using it in front of people. It makes me look like some kind of "mall ninja" despite my Heiho actually serving me very well as a very hard use carry folder.
 
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