What was the use of the tanto?

There seems to a lot of wild and frantic speculation here, about Shinobi and Bushido an red vs blue..
Different blade lengths had different applications!?!
Every culture had had pole arms, two handed swords, one handed swords, knives and daggers.
Name a culture or group of humans that didnt have knife fights, assuming they could make a knife!?
 
A few points:
1. This is a 20 year old thread.
2. Getting upset over misinformation posted online is like getting mad at the wind for blowing.
3. This is a 20 year old thread......
 
riversidedep said:
A few points:
1. This is a 20 year old thread.
2. Getting upset over misinformation posted online is like getting mad at the wind for blowing.
3. This is a 20 year old thread......
Click to expand...
Didnt look, didnt realise..wasnt get mad😉 just a bit perplexed an tryin to sling some common sense...☺️ But!!!
If that wind keeps blowin' and someone posts about it here, the so help me, I'll go back in time and break the tip off their Sodbuster!!! With an onion tied to my belt no less!😏
 
http://www.kurokawa-institute.or.jp/smarts/index/0/
This museum houses, studies Tanto amongst other Japanese culture treasures. Please see their publication available through their shop for their books on Tanto.


The characters your using are made up of smaller characters and part of the problem of transition from Japanese to English is that “a word sound” and “characters” can have several different meanings depending on context or how they are used. For example, Bushi also means “a gentleman” Bravery, Samurai, Samurai attitude ex…Some Japanese characters encompass both macro and micro ideas in the same word.

The translations and characters “to be serious” denotes the attitude of what I was referring too.

短刀 (Tanto) means Tanto, but it also includes 6 smaller characters within the first character including - “first” or context in this word Tanto meaning “most important” or “second to none in Importance.” Even the idea of Tanto, the last character “Ken” is used instead of “To”. …why… various ways of looking at the characters from multiple angles…multifaceted.

Lastly, when I asked, “what does the word mean then,” I came across to harsh, and let my anger slip out at the Red-necking cheapening of some deep ideas. What I ment was, it’s a knife, not a sword, so what does this meaning refer too? One way to look at it is to see the Tanto as the thesis of the soul attitude of the samurai. That’s what I was getting at. Hope this helps. My apologies for any offence caused.
 
riversidedep said:
A few points:
1. This is a 20 year old thread.
2. Getting upset over misinformation posted online is like getting mad at the wind for blowing.
3. This is a 20 year old thread......
Click to expand...
1. It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?
2. Are you saying the wind is the internet and the wind (internet blowing) is misinformation; so then the internet is misinformation? What?!
3. “It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?”
 
carspassby said:
http://www.kurokawa-institute.or.jp/smarts/index/0/
This museum houses, studies Tanto amongst other Japanese culture treasures. Please see their publication available through their shop for their books on Tanto.


The characters your using are made up of smaller characters and part of the problem of transition from Japanese to English is that “a word sound” and “characters” can have several different meanings depending on context or how they are used. For example, Bushi also means “a gentleman” Bravery, Samurai, Samurai attitude ex…Some Japanese characters encompass both macro and micro ideas in the same word.

The translations and characters “to be serious” denotes the attitude of what I was referring too.

短刀 (Tanto) means Tanto, but it also includes 6 smaller characters within the first character including - “first” or context in this word Tanto meaning “most important” or “second to none in Importance.” Even the idea of Tanto, the last character “Ken” is used instead of “To”. …why… various ways of looking at the characters from multiple angles…multifaceted.

Lastly, when I asked, “what does the word mean then,” I came across to harsh, and let my anger slip out at the Red-necking cheapening of some deep ideas. What I ment was, it’s a knife, not a sword, so what does this meaning refer too? One way to look at it is to see the Tanto as the thesis of the soul attitude of the samurai. That’s what I was getting at. Hope this helps. My apologies for any offence caused.
Click to expand...

Read through that link. There is absolutely nothing suggesting your unique definition of ”Tanto”。
Maybe you can post the quote from one of those books that defines "Tanto" the way you do.

Breaking down Tanto 短刀、the components are 矢 (ya) Arrow and 豆　(mame) bean. There is no significance to the components, because we use 短 to mean Short.
To link the 一 at the top of 豆　to have some deep meaning is, frankly, quite a stretch.
 
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carspassby said:
1. It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?
2. Are you saying the wind is the internet and the wind (internet blowing) is misinformation; so then the internet is misinformation? What?!
3. “It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?”
Click to expand...
I think you need to do a bit more research yourself. Tantos were basically the personal steak knives of their Era. You'd use it to carve off a big piece of meat and slice up the salad. Not necessarily in that order though. Also you NEVER cut carrots with it, it's bad luck.

What they are saying is don't resurrect a 20 year old thread and get all high and mighty about it. Start a new thread. And learn more about steak tantos.
 
carspassby said:
1. It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?
2. Are you saying the wind is the internet and the wind (internet blowing) is misinformation; so then the internet is misinformation? What?!
3. “It’s a 20 year old thread, so the information and subtext doesn’t matter? Is that what your saying?”
Click to expand...
I made my post because this thread was resurrected in what I perceived to be an angry tirade. I was pointing out the uselessness of raging against remarks on the internet, especially when they are 20 years old. It is very unlikely the people he was addressing in his post will ever see his comments. Also, the person who resurrected the thread replied, saying he didn't realize the age of the post, and clarifying he wasn't angry despite the tone of his post. All's well!

BTW, I was also trying to be humorous, which you obviously didn't clue in on, though I shouldn't be surprised given the level of dissection you gave to my comment above.
 
KenHash said:
Read through that link. There is absolutely nothing suggesting your unique definition of ”Tanto”。
Maybe you can post the quote from one of those books that defines "Tanto" the way you do.

Breaking down Tanto 短刀、the components are 矢 (ya) Arrow and 豆　(mame) bean. There is no significance to the components, because we use 短 to mean Short.
To link the 一 at the top of 豆　to have some deep meaning is, frankly, quite a stretch.
Click to expand...
My Japanese is rusty but isn't the second character riki, meaning strength or power?
 
I love 20 year old threads that say we should not utter a word about Japanese style blades unless we are Japanese :)

well that’s all nonsense

I will tell you that a well made O-Tanto or big Tanto is quite the weapon and I have come to think it a better weapon than a Bowie or Khukuri etc

here is a modern adaptation of an O-Tanto that is quite the tool


 
JParanee said:
I love 20 year old threads that say we should not utter a word about Japanese style blades unless we are Japanese :)

well that’s all nonsense
Click to expand...
Nobody said anything of the sort my friend. :)
But I think we can all agree that no one should post utter nonsense as truth, on the presumption that no one else will catch on.
And that goes for any subject here on BF.
 
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When Bob lum , Phill Hartsfield and yes Lynn Thompson popularized the American Tanto the whole Tanto world changed
 
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