Why Tanto?

BBQ BOY

BBQ BOY

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I don't understand the blade design of the Tanto. i was given a Camillus knife with a Tanto and I do not understand its function.
 
Oh No!! Not another Tanto thread!!
:D
JK>The Gang will help you out. :thumbup:
 
The design is so that it can penetrate armor and then be removed without sticking. It will also penetrate deep because the tip keeps cutting its path through the target.
 
Perfectly summarised by knifenut.
In short, it's pretty useless for normal civilised use.
 
Your initial observation is telling- it is difficult to understand the function of the "tanto", because there truthfully isn't one. The Americanized "tanto" blade design is optimized for brandishing, air cutting, and various related mall-ninjary. As noted above, it has limited usefulness in the real world. Unless you happen to enjoy stabbing car doors and oil drums.
 
Hi,

I have to disagree with MoonWilson. the tanto does have a use. The use is to make money.:D From a practical use stand point, I do agree with you.

dalee
 
I use mine quite often during hunting season. I've also used the tanto to take a feral hog.
 
The "traditional" Tanto is a battlefield knife. The shape of the blade dictates the name it is given.
 
moonwilson said:
Your initial observation is telling- it is difficult to understand the function of the "tanto", because there truthfully isn't one. The Americanized "tanto" blade design is optimized for brandishing, air cutting, and various related mall-ninjary. As noted above, it has limited usefulness in the real world. Unless you happen to enjoy stabbing car doors and oil drums.
Click to expand...

+1

The Americanized tanto is an answer for a question that was never asked. Like any sharp piece of metal, regardless of shape, you can probably find a specific niche for it. That's why scalpels and woodworking blades come in so many shapes and sizes. Some people like the Americanized tanto because the straight edges are more easily sharpened than curved ones. The straight edge and "second" tip also lends itself well for draw-cutting. But still, it's an answer for a question that never existed. Unless the question was "What's a gimmick that Cold Steel can latch onto and sell a bunch of knives?"
 
I'm assuming you're asking about the "americanized" tanto blade. I do disagree with most here in that I think it can be useful.

A poster said he dressed (I assume that's what he meant) a feral dog with one. I don't know about dressing/skinning with one (Maybe the far east version), but they do stab well & because of their 2 straight edges, are easy to sharpen.

I'm surprised at the negativeness of the blade, because it's kind of like a Wharncliffe, but with a smaller edge up front. As for something that Cold Steel can $ off of, I recall reading that that it was Mr. Loveless (Or another very well known maker) that brought it to the U.S. Cold Steel just capitalized on it.

I believe it's Strider that does an interesting thing with their tantos. The front edge isn't as sharp or as acute an edge, so it's stronger & better to scrape with & tougher, so to speak. The main edge is like a Wharncliffe & many people like those (Myself included).

I used an Emerson CQC-7 for quite a # of yrs as my main knife. I didn't have a problem with it.

I don't know about a CE Balisong tanto, but said Emerson CQC-7 is CE. Anyways, like anything, if it wasn't that good, there wouldn't be a demand for them & they wouldn't sell. Just a thought.
 
Tantos are almost, but not quite, as useful today as are 'tactical checkbook covers.' They both sell well to that market.

The Tanto was developed to penetrate the leather 'armor' plates of ancient Japanese war armor. It was very effective for that purpose. Should your normal day often encounter Samurai who are attacking you, it might be wise to have a good tanto pointed blade. It might be better to have a Glock 17.


Stitchawl
 
knifenut1013 said:
The design is so that it can penetrate armor and then be removed without sticking. It will also penetrate deep because the tip keeps cutting its path through the target.
Click to expand...

I don't understand this. How doesn't dagger or even clip point work better? They have narrower tip and certainly have edge that "keeps cutting".. Only reason I see using tanto is tip strenght. Tanto tip is almost like chisel, and how would chisel penetrate better than any other?
 
A.L. said:
I don't understand this. How doesn't dagger or even clip point work better? They have narrower tip and certainly have edge that "keeps cutting".. Only reason I see using tanto is tip strenght. Tanto tip is almost like chisel, and how would chisel penetrate better than any other?
Click to expand...

I guess you are both right for the same reason - if you snap the tip off a clip point when stabbing through armor then you will be pushing a blunt end into whatever is behind that armor, whereas the tip strength of the tanto should avoid it snapping and keep it cutting as you push through...

I'm back off to the mall now! :D
 
CL01 said:
I believe it's Strider that does an interesting thing with their tantos. The front edge isn't as sharp or as acute an edge, so it's stronger & better to scrape with & tougher, so to speak. The main edge is like a Wharncliffe & many people like those (Myself included).
Click to expand...


Oh yeah I love Striders Tanto's, I have their SmF-T RW-1, it a real tank of a knife. :thumbup:
 
CL01 said:
I'm assuming you're asking about the "americanized" tanto blade. I do disagree with most here in that I think it can be useful.

A poster said he dressed (I assume that's what he meant) a feral dog with one. I don't know about dressing/skinning with one (Maybe the far east version), but they do stab well & because of their 2 straight edges, are easy to sharpen.

I'm surprised at the negativeness of the blade, because it's kind of like a Wharncliffe, but with a smaller edge up front. As for something that Cold Steel can $ off of, I recall reading that that it was Mr. Loveless (Or another very well known maker) that brought it to the U.S. Cold Steel just capitalized on it.

I believe it's Strider that does an interesting thing with their tantos. The front edge isn't as sharp or as acute an edge, so it's stronger & better to scrape with & tougher, so to speak. The main edge is like a Wharncliffe & many people like those (Myself included).

I used an Emerson CQC-7 for quite a # of yrs as my main knife. I didn't have a problem with it.

I don't know about a CE Balisong tanto, but said Emerson CQC-7 is CE. Anyways, like anything, if it wasn't that good, there wouldn't be a demand for them & they wouldn't sell. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

It was the late Bob Lum that "americanized" the tanto (Cold Steel ripped off the design):

http://boblumknives.com/fixed.html

IMHO, one of the greatest knife designers of recent times. :thumbup:
 
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