tanto decision?

R

rabbyt

Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
6
hey everyone, i dont know if im violating a rule by posting a thread with a "what type" kind of question. Theres just SOOO much to read, its overwhelming. if i could just get a simple answer to the following question and a reason why i would greatly appreciate it.

i recently bought a kershaw leek, and realized it dosent perform in the area where sand surrounds you. its becoming very gritty due to the sand.

i am now looking for a fixed tanto.

i am using this for...beating the blade out of, puncturing everything i can, and for camping. im not sure if this is the greatest camping type of knife, but im sure it'll get the job done. my camping dosent exceed over 3 days usually.

i saw the video test endurance on the GI tanto and was going for that one, but i compared it to the Recon tanto and perfer the looks of the Recon. im looking for somewhere under 80.00 USD perferabbly.

so far i have these 3 knives in mind

cold steel

GI tanto

Recon Tanto

or...


Ka-Bar


short black serrated tanto.

im just going with the names that http://www.elinemerchandising.com/KB5055.html posts up. has anyone tried this retailer? they have some good prices. better than my local dealer at least.

if you guys suggest any other tanto's along this price and are better than the ones posted above, please do let me know. if this IS a violation you may remove this post. thanks everyone!
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

Any of the 3 would do what you want them for. But you've got a contradictory list. Puncturing everything is for fun; camping is for real. :)

I like tantos, but they are specialized. Of the three, I'd go with the Ka-Bar. You don't need a tanto for camping, but you might want a spearpoint or drop point fixed blade for tip strength without the disadvantages of that squared off tip, which can be a real handicap for general utility use.

---

I don't know elinemerchandising. I prefer to deal with sources I'm sure I can rely on for competitive pricing and good customer service. Almost any online dealer will beat local store pricing.

There are too many known reliable dealers to list here, but a few general favorites would be:

One Stop Knife Shop www.1sks.com
Bayou Lafourche KnifeWorks www.knifeworks.com
New Graham www.newgraham.com
Knife Center www.knifecenter.com
Knife Outlet www.knifeoutlet.com
Grand Prairie Knives www.gpknives.com

For a new dealer, you should always search or ask in The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!
 
I think my Leek would work as an alternative to utilize a good tip. i guess i'll be taking one of the KaBar's (= another other model suggestions?
 
Cold Steel's Recon Tanto is now being made out of AUS 8A stainless. It used to be made out of carbon steel, but no more. (The older ones are going for more than a hundred bucks.)

Any quality hardened steel full-tang knife ought to work fine. The tanto tip seems very popular with some people, though, but I'd prefer mine to be made from a good grade carbon steel.
 
rabbyt, one hint on what to look for in a dealer. The more they tell you, the better. I noticed the merchant you listed didn't say what kind of steel the knife was made of or what kind of sheath came with it, and Ka-Bar has both leather and Kydex available.

Details like that can be deal-breakers, when you know more about what you're looking for.
 
hm alright. i calculated shipping and such and found out that the price will be about 10-15 dollars cheaper than my local store. for that price i'd rather goto my local store and support them. i think i'll be getting the Ka-Bar with a kydex sheath since the cold steel recon tanto's arent as great anymore.

thanks everyone!
 
All good choices! Supporting a store is great when you can afford. They are a valuable resource for the community.
 
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