Tanto... pointless or to the point?

Scrape tape from glass {check}
Easy to sharpen {check}
Dual utility tips {check}
Variety is the spice of life {check}
If you don't like it don't buy it {check}
 
bld522 said:
I'm also not a fan of the tanto shape. But I figured I needed to have one in my collection to call it complete. So I picked up this custom at the last Southern California Blade Expo.

JimEnglishTanto01.jpg


That ought to get the job done. :)

.
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Cool blade but I'm still not convinced. I wouldn't have paid over $50 for that because I would never use it but as a collectible that's a whole different story.
Sooo... You had every other style of knife in the world except for that finisher!!! So are you planning to stop now then? :D
 
babakanoosh45 said:
It always amazes me when a person feels because they don't care for the style or design, there is no reason for it to exist.:confused:






:rolleyes:
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The reason I started this thread was so that my fellow bf buds could enlighten me on the uses of tanto blades. I've learned a lot and am very grateful to everyone for sharing their viewpoints.
I wasn't trying to be obnoxious.
Best,
Gabriel.
 
Whoah! Just noticed I missed out on page 2 a second ago :D. I really like the design of the tanto you posted at the bottom of you're outstanding explanation. I doubt anyone will here me say that I like a tanto ever again!
Off for lunch now, I'm growling :)
 
i believe the late bob lum brought the tanto back into vogue. reguardless, just like a dirk or dagger, all blades have a purpose they were designed for. we as knife enthusiests, rarely use some designs for our every day cutting.

i hate the looks of a smatchet, people still buy em!:confused:
 
I'll make it easy for you by recapping:
"They're only for mall-ninjas!"
"I think they look cool!"
"I think they look stupid, and You're stupid if you like them!"
"The secondary edge is useful for scraping tasks."
"They're hard to sharpen due to the secondary edge."
"They're east to sharpen with the secondary edge."
"I keep the secondary edge at a different sharpness."
"They're great for stabbing!"
"They suck for stabbing."
"The original Japanese version was cool, but Americans mucked it up."
"The American version is an improvement on the Japanese version."
"They have a lack of belly, making them useless."
"I don't use the belly of the blade much."
"The secondary point is great for precision cutting."
"The secondary point is useless!"
"Neener neener neener!"

You'll thank me for all the time I just saved you.:)
 
stabman said:
I'll make it easy for you by recapping:
"They're only for mall-ninjas!"
"I think they look cool!"
"I think they look stupid, and You're stupid if you like them!"
"The secondary edge is useful for scraping tasks."
"They're hard to sharpen due to the secondary edge."
"They're east to sharpen with the secondary edge."
"I keep the secondary edge at a different sharpness."
"They're great for stabbing!"
"They suck for stabbing."
"The original Japanese version was cool, but Americans mucked it up."
"The American version is an improvement on the Japanese version."
"They have a lack of belly, making them useless."
"I don't use the belly of the blade much."
"Neener neener neener!"

You'll thank me for all the time I just saved you.:)
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I sure will, Here goes... Thanks for the recap stabman :)
A-HOE-NANNY-HOOTER-NANNY!!!
 
I've only ever had one tanto - a tanto blur - but I kind of like it. While I don't find it works as well as a curved blade for roping or things like that, I find it's easier to keep a consistent angle on the edge while sharpening. Like sharpening a chisel.

I'm not tanto-averse, anyway.
 
stabman said:
I'll make it easy for you by recapping:
"They're only for mall-ninjas!"
"I think they look cool!"
"I think they look stupid, and You're stupid if you like them!"
"The secondary edge is useful for scraping tasks."
"They're hard to sharpen due to the secondary edge."
"They're east to sharpen with the secondary edge."
"I keep the secondary edge at a different sharpness."
"They're great for stabbing!"
"They suck for stabbing."
"The original Japanese version was cool, but Americans mucked it up."
"The American version is an improvement on the Japanese version."
"They have a lack of belly, making them useless."
"I don't use the belly of the blade much."
"The secondary point is great for precision cutting."
"The secondary point is useless!"
"Neener neener neener!"

You'll thank me for all the time I just saved you.:)
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Good job stabman, I tried to think of any omissions but you've got all the bases covered! :D :thumbup:
 
NRaiano said:
Is there something I'm missing?
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Nope... you are not missing anything. To some, it looks cool. For daily carry or utility purposes, it's awkward at best, IMO. I've owned a few over the years (CQC7, Stryker), sold all but one

Piercing ability? As the knife enters the target, the obtuse angle of the point is going to drag versus a more sweeping angle.

A drop point type blade can be ground to be both as stout/stiff/strong, so arguments that the Tanto is stouter are a bit specious unless you really intend to need to pierce, say, a bullet proof vest (and then, is this a criminal affair??).

I think this grind may have originated when someone broke off the tip of a drop point blade, and didn't want to shorten the knife (or sword) any further, so gave it a quick "tanto" grind to salvage what they had. I'm only 1/2 jesting.

Maybe a Japanese blade officionado can elucidate...

I only own one Tanto... a Spyderco Bob Lum which I modified slightly to get rid of the sharp transition from the main blade grind to the tanto tip.

I'd make an exception for the exceptional Japanese knives made by RJ Martin:
http://www.martinsite.com/kwaiken.shtml
 
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stealthchaser13 said:
I like tanto's too...I own 4 of them...3 folders, and a paratrooper (S&W powerglide). I don't edc them simply for the fact that they are all point down carry (except the S&W).
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I have only ever had folders with tip down carry and find them very convenient in the front and back pocket. I've got a spyderco manix2 arriving in a couple of days and that will be my first tip up.
I guess it's just a matter of getting used to grabbing the knife specifically so it's drawn with a thumb on the stud. Could probably get quite confusing for someone who rotates their EDC's regularly if they're under stress and need to deploy the blade fast.
 
I have a ****load of sport utility knives but I've only owned two tantos over the years: a Benchmade Emerson CQC-7 and a Benchmade Elishewitz Stryker. I still have the Stryker because it was my EDC for a couple of years in the late 90's and is too uglied up to be worth selling. It was replaced for EDC by a Benchmade Pinnacle framelock.

Essentially I found the Stryker was easy to sharpen and made a good scraper but it didn't really do anything else besides poke things all that well. The Pinnacle with its slightly recurved conventionally pointed blade was just a better all-around user. As the years have passed my EDC has changed a few more times but they have all had a conventionally tipped blade. It's not that I hate the tanto, it's just that I find it to be too much a 'one trick pony'. I do a lot more slicing than stabbing and a blade with a little belly works best for me.

One thing to think about is the relative uptightness of your knife laws and the folks who enforce them. Even here in rural KY a police officer might think 'weapon' rather than 'tool' when comparing two knives of similar blade length if one was an aggressively styled tanto. YMMV
 
jonnyt16 said:
I'm not a big fan of tanto blades myself, but if I were to buy one it would be the CQC-15.

E-CQC-15-BT.jpg
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That's a nice looking knife I didn't know about that Emerson, do they call it tanto it looks like a hybrid. Very interesting piece.
 
Excellent point about the weapon/tool scenario.
Thanks a lot for contributing.
 
Badass looking? *of course* ... what's life without badassness from time to time? lol, this GI tanto got batonned into metal, seems to be holding up well! :cool:
 

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Lol, dude, do you not get enjoyment from smashing stuff up every now and then? If not try it, you might like it. If you don't care for it I wouldn't look down on that, at all. Just saying. Or maybe you just think tantos are ugly? I know i did at first but they are aesthetic to me now. The straight lines are an attraction, not sure why.
 
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