Tantos - not good for what?

mksql

mksql

Joined
Jan 22, 2002
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73
I have seen a few threads that indicate that an "American" tanto style blade makes a good fighter/defense blade, but may not be so great for utility purposes. Never having used one myself, I cannot immediately see what the drawbacks of a tanto style blade (i.e. SOG Vision) would be, for general/utility use.

Any opinions on the drawbacks? What about any specific advantages?
 
Primarily, poor point control for any delicate work. It does however, has the slight belly for long and deep cuts.
 
imho a tanto w/a "V" grind (ie BM stryker/spydie lum tanto folder) is as good as anything for a EDC knife, imho, whre a lot of folks get cranky is when ya throw in the chisel grind, hard for some to sharpen and does limit the EDC value some, but is still ok, i used to carry my SOCFK emerson for an EDC w/no probs. but must admit a conventional grind is better for EDC use.

greg
 
Anything much really...;)

Just not my cup of tea, its tough though. Works well in my Ka Bar tanto fixed blade, when I want to use the knife for heavy prying and digging. Neither are functions a folder is optimon at though.

Lacks the delicate tip for fine work and I dislike the lack of continuous flowing edge. Works well as a Stanley knife type blade though and you can have a different edge angle from main edge.

With a convex edge, this edge type might be more to my liking. I just won't fork out for a top quality tanto blade unless its a traditional tanto blade though.

I really regret buying a CRK&T m14 folder.
 
Tantos's are a very versatile blade. Great for EDC! Tanto's have been my EDC for 15 years and I've never wished I had anything else at any given time. I can't say enough about them.
 
I don't care for them. There are no curves! When you cut something you are forced to either use the straight rear portion of the edge, or the awkward straight portion on the tip. Or do all the cutting with that tiny area of angle, which gets dull quickly. It's all or nothing with an edge like that.

My second complaint has more to do with my personal uses. I use my blades to stick stuff on a regular basis, as well as use the point. The tanto has very limited penetrating potential and not much point. Sure, it *can* work, and so can a screwdriver. However, it will never work nearly as well as a blade shaped to optomize thrusting potential, like a dagger or slender clip point. If your work does not require a pointy blade, then the tanto may work fine for you.
 
Tantos are good for fighting/defence, but they have to be a fixed blade or a sword to be any good. There (in my opinion) useless for a utilty EDC.
 
Originally posted by the possum
I The tanto has very limited penetrating potential and not much point.
Click to expand...


True enough about the point, but I feel that my CQC-7 has plenty of potential. I've punched it through plenty of things the most impressive of which was the lid of a washing machine!
Matt
 
The Japanese have long used a knife that looks like a tanto tip. In japan, they call knives kogatana. Uses include whittling. As I have stated a lot on the forums, you can't use a tanto tip like is is a clip point. You have to learn how to use it to do what you want it to do. If after a while you can't get it to work, then switch to something else.

An exaggerated analogy is a person who is paralyzed from the waist down telling Bruce Lee that kicks don't work. Well, maybe not for that guy! But Bruce coudl make 'em work. I used to work a lot on my punching skills, but over the past year I have had to re-learn how to punch. This is due to an injury in my right thumb. Now, at first I thought that punches won't work for me anymore, but I was wrong. I had to learn how to punch with my injury. Now my lead hand is better than it ever has been!

Technically though, you may get somewhat of a loss in ability due to the geometry. Curves do slice well. But straight blades cutting at an angle to the work (some call this a skew cut) work very well too! A curved blade does make some wookworking techniques easier, and skinning an animal is easier with a curvier point. But there is plenty of people out there who have used "tanto tips" for these chores, so one cannot say that it can't be done!
 
My next work knife will probably be a tanto. Very versatile. I love having the separate and thicker edge up front for rough work/gouging/prying, and the straight portion for slicing. I like the blade on the CRKT M16 I got as a gift awhile back. It's AUS-6M steel can't make it through one day at work without needing a good sharpening, and the liner lock is the worst I've seen, so it doesn't get used, but something like the AG Russell StrikeForce should be great.
Whether it's useful for "utility" or not depends on what you use a knife for all the time. One person may have very different uses from the next. I'd like a good tanto for work, and will probably get one if my 710HS ever bites the bullet, but probably wouldn't carry it anywhere else.
 
are my favorites because I am rough on the tips. I pretty much don't have to worry about busting the tip on most tanto type blades because it is thicker at the point. As far as an EDC knife, I use them on everything and it works just fine. Scribing into wood or leather the tip works great for me. I do use other blade styles too, but still prefer the Tanto type over others. :)
 
I think Sifu1A nailed it. When the average knut mentions a tanto, I believe that he is referring to a chisel grind with straight edges, like the CQC7. I showed one to a Japanese woman I worked with at the Vets' Hospital and she considered it more of a hochu or a vegetable knife. As I became of a knut myself, I saw that traditional Japanese tantos had more of a rounded tip.

However, an 'American tanto' is a legitimate design. Like all well defined things, sports cars, off-road bikes, hiking shoes, etc., there are things these implements do well, and there are things that just cannot be accomplished. I carried my first Benchmade 970SBT as an EDC for almost 18 months, and for much of the time I had to use it for everything, as it was my only high end knife. I didn't like the way it opened envelopes, but it DID open envelopes. My next tanto was a Microtech USSOCOM combo. A double bevel, it cut better, and sure sharpened easier.

Right now I'm phutzing with a 970ST. I didn't think it came out very sharp. I did try to carefully knock off the burr when polishing. After a week of opening boxes and other minor chores (the knife sits out in the open on an end table so my wife can grab it quickly) I think the edge is getting sharper. Could be that use has taken better care of removing the burr than I did. I've heard outhers make the same claim.

Knife collecting is a great hobby. Buy what you enjoy, but speak your mind. Like I've said, the 'American tanto' is not my cup of tea, but it is my best friend's favorite knife.
 
One often hearsabout Americanized Tantos being good fighters (in this thread some people stated that as well). I wonder how they come up with that conclusion. Could someone please elaborate on why they would make good fighters?
 
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