Tanto or drop-point blade?

N

nmaynan

Joined
May 29, 2006
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I'm gonna be picking up a 3" folding knife, but I'm unsure of whether to get the Tanto or drop-point blade.

Can anyone go into some detail that might help me choose? I understand that the Tanto has a reinforced point that is better for stabbing things (I guess). But is there a good way to pick which to get? Anything at all would be great.

thanks
 
Tantos look cool but don't really have much use. They are probably harder to sharpen properly also. I prefer drop points which I use for hunting.
 
this has been discussed several times...most will lead you towards the drop point. the first real knife i got (as a gift) was a benchamde tanto with a combo edge. thought it was the coolest knife ever, but after using and collecting more knives, that one is completely useless. looks cool to non-knife people, though.
 
Drop points are much easier to sharpen. The only thing I have ever done with a tanto that a drop point would not do is use the tanto point to chisel out some wood on a door frame to install a strike plate for a new dead bolt by striking the end of the handle with a rubber mallet. Tantos look meaner, but a drop point will slice easier. Which three inch folder are you considering? You can get a Benchmade mini griptillian in tanto or drop point. It is a good knife either way. The Spyderco Delica is another good knife, though not available in a tanto point.
 
Tantos, good for:
-Stabbing your way past a car door.
-Hollywood action movies involving stealth killing
-Just in case you want to pry with the tool that you shouldn't be prying with

Drop points, good for:
-Only boring practical stuff
 
Thanks so much guys. Really appreciate the information. Sorry if this has been covered before and I posted unnecessarily.

The mini-griptilian (drop-point) looks good to me Melt. Is this knife liked well enough? I don't want to spend any more than what the mini-griptilian costs. If there's something else you recommend, please let me know.

thanks again everybody.
 
Drop point is more useful, but no way is it easier to sharpen, tantos are the easiest other than sheepsfoot or wharncliffe's. Just a straight line, back and forth on a stone till you get a burr. No curve is easy.
 
sounds like the only thing the Tanto is better at is straight up stabbing something (heavy tip pressure activities). Otherwise the drop-point is more practical.
 
Tantos are easier to sharpen IMHO, but the acute leading edge limits its utility. Useful for scraping if you need to do that, although there are better tools (such as scrapers:D).
 
I used to have a tanto dive knife with a chisel grind of all things. Hated it, changed the chisel grind to a flat and ground out the tanto to smoother curve something like a drop point. It became much more useful after that! As a dive knife, its primary use was cutting cordage. The curved edge of the drop point lets you work the entire surface of the edge on the cut. When the cord hits that edge, it really digs in, almost like a big seration. When it was a tanto, the cord would slide off the tanto-edge reducing cutting efficiency and the effect edge length.
 
i dislike how tantos look...they suck to sharpen.....and they are usably a pain....i was like most lean toward drop point....
 
Tantos only work well on blades four inches or greater. For 3-inchers, drop point is undeniably better. Tantos also are excellent slashers because of the secondary point. And though you're not supposed to pry with any knife, there are times when a large knife that will pry can come in handy. There are times one has to pry because of an emergency. I generally hate recurved knives, but some people love 'em because there are applications they're quite good at. Prying, however, is not one of them.

Probably a better question concerns whether it should be partially serrated or not. Knives that are tend to be chisel ground, which really are a bear to sharpen! As it is, all blade sizes and types have their advantages, including tantos.

BTW, I have a Cold Steel Pro-Lite tanto with a plain edge and it's a breeze to sharpen. I think if people are having problems, it's with the chisel grind found in so many knives. Most sharpening systems are made for V-grinds.
 
Got a BM722SBT as a gift.
Great survival folder if I need to fight off Zombies or the Green Party.
But trying to use it for anything 'normal', it is just a bother.
Might be willing to trade it if people are interested.
 
nmaynan said:
Thanks so much guys. Really appreciate the information. Sorry if this has been covered before and I posted unnecessarily.

The mini-griptilian (drop-point) looks good to me Melt. Is this knife liked well enough? I don't want to spend any more than what the mini-griptilian costs. If there's something else you recommend, please let me know.

thanks again everybody.
Click to expand...

The Benchmade Griptilians and the Spyderco Enduras or Delicas are some of the best knives in this price range IMHO. You can't lose if you go with a Mini Grip.
 
I'll fly in the face of popular opinion here & say that the tanto's straight edges are easier to sharpen for a novice - no curves to $crew with the sharpening angle.
The primary OBTUSE edge is mucho useful for planing stuff & generally doing stuff that one would normally use the tip of the knife for doing ie prying & scraping - use it for your heavy duty work & use the main edge for your slicing needs.
A drop point slices better not because it's a drop point, but because of it's curve/belly on the main edge.
However, I've rarely had a mater or piece of fibrous tissue complain that it was sliced with a straight edge.
I feel (personal opinion) that whatever blade type you get, the grind is more important than the blade type in a folder size.
A good flat grind will be more useful than a hollow ground blade (unless you're making shallow cuts like shaving your face with a hollow ground razor, which, by the way, has a straight edge).
Bottom line - personal preference for utility, and mindset for self defense.
 
My opinion is the drop point is the way to go, much more usable for normal day to day stuff. Tantos look neat and work pretty well but i don't ever manage to keep them for any length of time. bottom line pick the one you like the best and go for it. if it doesn't work out put it up for trade and try the other one. it's the american way.
 
nmaynan said:
sounds like the only thing the Tanto is better at is straight up stabbing something (heavy tip pressure activities). Otherwise the drop-point is more practical.
Click to expand...

That is my opinion of the matter.
It is possible that Tanto is easier to sharpen. But that is not the same as saying that sharpening a drop point is difficult.
Sharpen drop point = easy
Sharpen tanto = real easy.

I find that easy sharpen and useful shape adds up to a good EDC.
 
I like tantos, but for regular use a drop point is easier to work with over all. But I really like tantos! they are great for working with boxes, flooring or sheek rock.
 
I don't know how drop points could be hard to sharpen. Use crock sticks. They touch up a daily user fast, come in different grits, and all it takes is a simple down stroke pulling action.

Tantos don't sharpen so well as the acute tip angle forces a lot more precision and a separate section to deal with. Waiting awhile for the edge to get really dull because of the stone setup and time available to do it leaves my tantos in the drawer. I can touch up a droppoint right on the dresser before I even finish getting dressed.

A sharp droppoint beats a dull tanto any day for me.
 
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