Tantos, who's making, what's good...

rover

rover

Joined
Jul 9, 2004
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and who's taking orders?

I'm on a tanto hankering and want to get something specific made. More of a silk than a nylon guy but I'm thinking something semi modern. Any good tanto makers who are accepting orders?

If you got any pics I'd love to see them. Thanks!
 
rover said:
and who's taking orders?

I'm on a tanto hankering and want to get something specific made. More of a silk than a nylon guy but I'm thinking something semi modern. Any good tanto makers who are accepting orders?

If you got any pics I'd love to see them. Thanks!
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Ben Tendick, P. Patton. AVigil.
There are lots of pics of their work on the forum.

NB your choice of undergarment material is on a strictly need to know basis and we dont need to know;)
 
Haha, that was a good one!

Tendick and Patton are on my radar. I'll check out Vigil. Thank you
 
I have two Tendick....(and another that is not Japanese style)

Phillip Patton, and A Vigil are on my list.

M. Gregory. (But again, not sure he is taking orders now).

David Mirabile makes killer tantos and waki, etc

Wildertools by Marchand tickle my fancy (less 'traditional' or modern fusion, and more hemp wrap, but still some of my favorites.

James Helm Forge makes cool knives all his own. Not traditional Japanese style, but his own neo tribal stuff. (Storm Crow above ).
 
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BenR.T. said:
Don’t forget Stuart Branson. Not sure he’s taking orders, but he does more traditional stuff.
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Fun you should say that. I stumbled accross his thread on his first Japanese style traditional tantos some one had necro posted from 2011!!
 
Is anyone still making the small kwaiken sized Tantos with the aluminum sheath like Phil Hartsfield did?

Like this one?
2dw9oar.jpg
 
betzner said:
M Gregory doesnt take orders. Ben Tendick my favored for Asian styles, have several.
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Yup, no orders for me, but I do keep a list of people that have expressed interest in my knives, and that’s where almost everything I make ends up. I ask folks to email me, as it’s easier for me to keep track of things.

There are so many makers working in this style, many whose names have been mentioned here, but I noticed that Rick Barrett wasn’t mentioned and he absolutely should be. Aside from Rick, the guys that inspire me are Stuart Branson, Ben Tendick, David Mirabile (of course!), and every once in a while Josh Mason will squeeze out a bigger blade that is, as always, in his uberclean style.

Phillip Patton’s stuff is so clean it defies reason. Chris Adelhardt, too.

I may or may not have a couple collaboration projects coming in the future that fall into this category, as well.

Maybe. ;)
 
Lapedog said:
Is anyone still making the small kwaiken sized Tantos with the aluminum sheath like Phil Hartsfield did?

Like this one?
2dw9oar.jpg
Click to expand...


Ben Tendick, in my mind, has redefined this style of stealth.

Phillip Patton makes them (in fact that image may be one of his knives...?), and I do, as well, as is shown in Joey’s image above, that one sleeved in carbon fiber.
 
I didn’t touch on it, because it’s just not how my narrow-minded head works, but it should sort of go without saying - the neo-tribal look sheds a totally different light on this style of knife. Rick Marchand is my favorite, and of course James Helm and Tobin Nieto have cornered the market on the post-apocalyptic thing.
 
I've been buying this style knife since the early '90s, Phill was the first. I'm awed at the number of very good makers doing this style, I've added a Ben Tendick and Josh Mason the last year or so. The OP has so many great choices, good luck.
 
I think Phil would be very surprised at how many emulate his style.
Back in his time he was the only one
 
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