What is your favorite type of knife point?

D

Darkjedi

Joined
Aug 9, 2000
Messages
56
I will first say that I am new here and if this topic has been beaten like a dead horse, I am sorry.

I was wondering what type of fixed knife design is the most overall useful or that you enjoy using?

My most used knife is a Busse #5. I have dozens of other knives, but tantos, kukris and big bowie styles, are rarely used.

Any info would be hot.

Thx knifenuts
Darkjedi
 
I'm partial to puukos and skinners.
If I had to choose only one, the puuko would win hands down. It's hard to beat a design that has been in use for centuries with little to no changes being made to it. Pure function.

Paul
 
I just ordered a small auto with a "tanto" style blade. I could have had the same knife with a "clip" style blade, and it would have been more useful for opening letters and other small cutting chores, but I wanted the tanto because I don't have an auto with that type of blade. Do you think I should have gone for the clip?
smile.gif
Are there any tanto guys out there? Speak up and tell me why you like tanto style blades.

Will
 
Brothers & Sisters of Steel,
Say, Will, I prefer the tanto edge and here's why: The thickness of the tip appears stronger than in other shapes. I prefer it. It works for me. And that's that.
Other designs are elegant, stylish, etc. But a tanto is a tool!
Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi
 
Thanks Lance,
I appreciate you saying that I purchased the "right" one. I'll be buying a clip blade auto as soon as I decide which one I truly want, however, it's nice to hear someone say that I made the right choice "right off the bat"!
Thanks!

Will
 
Hi Darkjedi, i really like the spearpoint (on project 1) designed by Chris Reeve. The blade tip looks effective for penetration purposes, while the rest of the blade is good for utility work.
 
I like any of them, as long as they are wharncliffes
smile.gif
Actually, I find most of the more popular shapes quite useful, except I dont care for tantos all that much. But, if I had to have only one style, a wharncliffe would be an easy choice for me.


------------------
Richard Todd - Digital knife photography
icq 61363141
My WebSite
Do your site a favor, get quality digital images!!!
New photos added!!!
 
I prefer a drop or clip point with a recurve blade. This, to me, is the best combination for cutting. I do not find that the Tanto is a very good cutting shape. Great for piercing, but since I don't do much of that, I do not find the Tanto a very useful style.
Keith.
 
I'm wondering if one of you 'tanto' fans would care to enlighten us ignorant fools about the difference between the American chisel ground 'tanto' and true Japanese tanto grinds. My understand is that they are Very different. Purists cringe at what many amerkins call a 'tanto'.

Paracelsus, digging deeper
 
I'm more partial to the Sheepsfoot blade style. But it is a bugger to get them in autos and balisongs though. (Would like the same for warrencliffes too.)
 
My knives are mostly used for everyday type of chores, such as opening mail, boxes etc. even for camp chores, the best choice for me is the drop point. Ive tried them all over the past and the drop point seems to be the most versatile.

------------------
Keith D.Armacost
If At First You Don't Succeed,
Skydiving Is Not For You.
 
Para,

Take a look at this site and you will find nearly everything you want or need to know about traditional tantos:

http://japanesesword.homestead.com/files/nihonto.htm

The section "Sword Blade Terminology" will show most of the common forms and variations.

The Hira-Zukuri and Shobu-Zukuri were the most common tanto forms. Shinogi-Zukuri were also found, but more often (it seems) when larger blades were cut down to tanto size.

Hope this proves helpful.

Blues

------------------
Live Free or Die

Blues' Knife Pix
 
Yes, hira zukuri was, and still is the standard for tanto. The vast majority are made in this style. In recent times, American "advocates" have come to welcome shobu-zukuri and osoroku zukuri much more with tanto (and shobu for longer swords), hence their increasing appearance, while still being an extreme minority compared to hira zukuri.

Very simple blade design, no flat surfaces or geometric corners/angles, no secondary bevels, and always convex. That happens to be the way I like knives too.

Shinryû.
 
Well, child of the Sith I will say my favorites would be weehawk, bowie, and drop point in that order.

------------------
Mykl
Anxiously awaiting my BM 42A
 
Depends on the application.

Hunting & most other outdoor chores:
If you ever clean a game animal, it becomes clear why a drop point and the semi-skinner profile are the most versatile... they work upside down as belly "unzippers" without sticking the point into things you don't want to puncture. If ground properly, they can have very strong points for anything but abusive work/play. And if you can stand to have a wide blade, you can have a drop and still get a lot of belly for skinning and general slicing chores, still with enough straight edge for other normal chores.
See Bob Dozier's "General Purpose Hunter" and "Simi Skinner" for examples,
www.dozierknives.com

Self Defense:
Need a strong yet very pointy point and IMHO a recurved back half of the edge near the guard. Tanto's work fine here, but I can't think of a tanto with a recurved rear edge. For 99.99% of what I actually do with them (chores/tasks), tanto profiles are annoying. Same goes for chisel grinds and daily use...if it isn't ground on the correct side for a right hander (see Emerson's stuff), it tends to cut towards you instead of away when using a "whittling" stroke.

RJ Martin's stuff is great... I love his Oddessy (sic) on Les Robertson's page.
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/martintf.htm
 
Drop Point for hunting knives( and no gut hook to get in the way) Clip Point or Calif Clip Point if I have to stick somthing. Thats one of the reasons I like to carry a small stockman 3 1/2" in my pocket for daily carry because you have the choice of 3 blades for the task at hand. I have a Robsen that even has the old leather punch which comes in useful at times. Weldonk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top