Tantos, all hype?

The American Tanto was accidently designed by knife-users who didn't want to understand the golden rule that you shouldn't pry with a knife.
So the best solution for this type of customer was to snap off the blade tip and reshape it into a chisel cum pry bar.
In fact you could say that the Japanese tanto had evolved from broken swords to begin with...
 
Japanese tantos look great.

I think american tantos are very ugly IMO, when put on the wrong knife.

It might look good on a strider, to give it a commando'ish look, but I rather like the flowing looks of the Sebenza. However, if it was japanese tanto like RJ do, then it look great.
 
GIRLYmann said:
The American Tanto was accidently designed by knife-users who didn't want to understand the golden rule that you shouldn't pry with a knife.
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The American tanto was deliberately designed by Bob Lum, a knifemaker who had expert knowledge of Asian weaponry.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
How about these, are these the Dark Ops kind?

tresamigos.jpg


Please consider the more courteous opinion, that while you personally may not care for the Americanized tanto, this does not invalidate it as a choice for those of us who find it useful or simply interesting.
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I really like the Am. Tanto on that Sebenza. Nice how it has some belly to it.

I think the Am. Tanto is really more for looks, although some users really seem to like them.

I came over from loving the Tanto shape for looks, to the overall usability of a drop-point or spear point blade.

I would, however, really like to see more folders with authentic Japanese Tanto-shaped blades.
 
I have one american tanto (Cold steel voyager), and the thing is very hard to sharpen (keeping the secondary point nice and crisp, sharpening the secondary front edge).

However, I have heard good things about the Emerson Tantos, mainly because they are chisel-ground. does anyone have any experiences to share?

I would like to see more folders with a traditional japanese tanto style. The closest thing to that I own would be the Military, but those aren't that great for stabbing (The tip would probably break :P).
 
The American tanto was based upon a number of traditional Japanese designs, but isn't exactly like any of them. It's more an amalgam of several styles. "Tanto" was likely selected as the name for the style due to the tanto being the shortest version of the typical Japanese trio of katana, wakizashi, and tanto; however, strangely enough, historical Japanese tantos often have the most rounded, least angular, tips (kissaki) of the trio. :confused:

Links: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/styles.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/terms/terms.htm

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/glossary.htm

As far as being "all hype?" No. The design has its uses. I generally prefer other tip styles (drop, clip, etc.), and the American tanto does take a certain amount of finesse during sharpening in order to maintain the transition and can be more time consuming to sharpen than other styles because of this, but it does cut and poke quite well (which are a couple of the things a knife is supposed to do, right?), though I wouldn't say it does either "better" than, say, a good, solid drop or spear point. :thumbup:
 
Like any other blade shape, some people find it useful and so it fills a niche.
 
I have a CRKT M16 tanto point with chisel grind kodeslinger. However I'm not too keen on chisel grinds but I'm ok when it's on my tanto. On my CRKT M21 spear point however the edge is even on both sides (custom grind) because my M21 is meant more of a cutter or slicer. My M16 tanto point is more for self defense and the edge type (chisel or not) is not really important.

In terms of cutting experience I use both (and a variety of other knives) to cut cardboard boxes for recycling. The tanto point is indeed slightly better at stabbing but it is not really a cutter. The chisel grind tends to 'curve' my cuts if that makes any sense.

Though my chisel ground blade 'curved' my cuts it is actually quite sharp. The total edge angle for chisel grinds are usually quite low.

Hope it helps.

PS: Tantos are not entirely hype. I prefer my tantos with a different grind between the two edges of the tanto. A 'meatier' edge on the edge nearest to the tip (so there is material to support the tip) and a nice sharp edge in second edge for cutting.
 
Of my fixed blade knives maybe 15% have an Americanized tanto blade. I'm guessing less than 5% of my folders have an Americanized tanto blade.
None of them have a chisel grind.
 
On second thought, one of my short fixed blade knives, with a drop point, has a chisel grind. It's an Emerson.
 
I don't think they're hype or people wouldn't buy them. The only knife configuration I detest (and it's probably just me) is the chisel grind employed on some tantos and, for that matter, some conventional points.

The tanto point has its pros and cons, but hunters wouldn't like the secondary point, but would most likely prefer a rounded area where the secondary point is on most. For a weapon, the secondary point would trump the rounded area.
 
thanks for the stories guys. I remember Lynn Thompson in a cold steel video once demonstrating with a Hatamoto how the secondary tip of the tanto can be used for quick flicking snap cuts..

and i guess he feels that the tanto reinforced tip can punch through car doors easily, which makes sense I guess.

Of course, if you watch that video, you will notice that every cold steel knife seems to be able to go through a car door....
 
I found my 553 Griptilian tanto to be very helpful for cutting loose the original heater hoses on the heater core of a 1991 Chevy Lumina APV minivan. They are on the firewall and are kinda hard to reach on this particular vehicle, and the secondary point made short work of them with a positive feel.

In this case, less blade contacted the metal tubes which meant less dulling for my knife. Works for me.
 
Have to agree the tanto style tip is advantageous under certain
circumstances . I use a Mini-Griptilian 557 when working on engines
in aircraft/marine applications, anywhere working space is limited.
This style is a big help with fuel lines and stripping electrical wires.
The straight edges are actually easier to sharpen on this model.


BM557.jpg
 
I like them, and I find it makes the tip area really easy to sharpen with a flat stone or fine grit sandpaper on a flat, hard surface.
The part where the edge flips upwards is great for doing precision cuts on some materials, too.
I like other styles too(wharncliffe, bowie, hawkbill, swedge, reverse S, etc.), but the tanto is cool.
AND, like was mentioned, great for stabbing car doors(for when your car pisses you off by dying for the final time:D Really, I mean it.:)).
 
kodeslinger said:
Of course, if you watch that video, you will notice that every cold steel knife seems to be able to go through a car door....
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You'll be thankful the next time a car door leaps out of an alley and attacks you!:D
 
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