Why Tanto?

Nt only do find tanto knives ugly and mall ninja, I think they are useless for edc tasks. Id never buy one because i would never use one. I use my knives for cutting, not stabbing. If I wanted to stab stuff Id carry a spear or a screwdriver. At least I could fish with the spear or screw things down with the screwdriver. Plus id look cooler too
 
My minicqc7 is far from useless. When I'm shipping packages, it may weel be the most useful knife I've found. As previoulsy mentioned, the flat edge is second to none when peeling off shipping labels. Cutting cardboard is a breeze, and it shapens with a few swipes on a diamond stone in time to slice a tomato for lunch. It is only as useless as the person attached to the handle.
 
I was on the way to the hardware store a few months ago when I stopped off at my local gun store for a visit. I was on my way to pick up some tools to do a nasty job of un-sticking a painted shut window. There in the gunshop knife case was the perfect tool for the job, the much reviled CS GI Tanto. It did the job of a utlility knife, a putty knife, and a pry-bar, for less than $20. It now resides permanently in my tool box.
 
pvicenzi said:
My minicqc7 is far from useless. When I'm shipping packages, it may weel be the most useful knife I've found. As previoulsy mentioned, the flat edge is second to none when peeling off shipping labels. Cutting cardboard is a breeze, and it shapens with a few swipes on a diamond stone in time to slice a tomato for lunch. It is only as useless as the person attached to the handle.
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You nailed that one,especially the end sentence! It's true...tantos are plenty useful...to the dude that said tantos were for mall ninjas? seriously wtf? :thumbdn:
 
I don't know .. to each their own .. my tantos (just a few, both traditional and american) worked fine for me and I got no complaints.
 
Tanto points are great for scraping gaskets and stuff. If you work with metal, or other flat surfaces, they're nice.
Also, I *cough cough* know some people *cough* who like tanto points because they allow you to conveniently move little bits of powder around on flat surfaces.
 
puukkoman said:
Tanto points are great for scraping gaskets and stuff. If you work with metal, or other flat surfaces, they're nice.
Also, I *cough cough* know some people *cough* who like tanto points because they allow you to conveniently move little bits of powder around on flat surfaces.
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I am sure nobody around here would do any of that. ;)
 
Thalestin said:
Nt only do find tanto knives ugly and mall ninja, I think they are useless for edc tasks. Id never buy one because i would never use one. I use my knives for cutting, not stabbing.
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What makes you think tantos cannot cut well?
Have you ever tried EDCing one for a while?
I have, and there is no lack of cutting ability inherent to a tanto blade.
If you find them ugly, then fine, don't get one.
But don't spread misinformation just because you have the impression that they are Mall Ninja toys(which they aren't, by the way).
 
Yeah I agree with the Tanto-Lovers. The second point is wonderful for making food. I have made many a sammich with my Kershaw Tanto Blur. I can use the serrated edge as a bread knife and the Tanto's second point cuts like an Xacto knife.
 
moonwilson said:
As noted above, it has limited usefulness in the real world. Unless you happen to enjoy stabbing car doors and oil drums.
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Or cutting open boxes, cutting your steak, opening mail, cutting up vegetables(done that too), cleaning under fingernails, cutting thick plastic wrap...yep, doesn't seem to be anything they're good for.:rolleyes:
 
Tanto points are much like Wharncliffe, spey, coping, and sheepsfoot, and hawkbill blades in that they are exceptional at performing certain specialized sets of tasks, but not so great in certain other areas. Hence why in gentleman's folders you won't find many without at least one drop point or clip point blade on them for general use. ;)

Again, the tanto tip can be a fantastic blade shape. That being said it isn't really for me, since its range of specialty does not mesh well with my usual cutting chores. :)

Variety is the spice of life, guys. Let's rejoice in that for a second. :D
 
A knife is meant to cut.

Thus, the purpose of a tanto is to cut. It contains a reinforced tip, a secondary edge and tip and is strong. It can be used to pry in emergency situations and can pierce tough armor. In the winter, it can also be used against ice and can also be used in marine environs and in dives.

I understand some people not liking it, but I don't understand people acting as if there were no advantages to using them. I like tantos a great deal and they cut very well. If I had to choose between a standard blade with a chisel edge and a tanto with a double grind, I'd take the latter in a heartbeat!

Knives are tools, and sometimes you need a knife and sometimes you need to pry. If I ever needed to get out of a locked room or something, I'd prefer something that had a little strength to it. Even in a folder, I've carried a Gunsite now for more than a year and it's cut everything I've needing cutting.

It's just another style of knife with its own strengths and downsides. It's a lot like people who have .45s and who wonder why people would own a 9mm.
 
Tanto's have their place for people who like them, they are like any other blade shape as some like or dislike others as well.

I wouldn't say they are mall ninja or keyboard commando either, no more or less than any other blade shape could be.

Personally I own Clips, Drops, Spears and Tanto's and each has their uses and pluses and minuses in my opinion.
 
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.
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Moon, could have put it better myself. My thoughts are if you can't a skin a deer or other game with it why carry it. I see a lot of people talking about scraping and peeling, great but a knife was made and designed to cut and slice. If you want a scarper go to home depot or lowes and get one for 3 or 4 bucks in the paint department.

Tanto points about as useful as tits on a boar hog.
 
MikeC said:
Moon, could have put it better myself. My thoughts are if you can't a skin a deer or other game with it why carry it. I see a lot of people talking about scraping and peeling, great but a knife was made and designed to cut and slice. If you want a scarper go to home depot or lowes and get one for 3 or 4 bucks in the paint department.

Tanto points about as useful as tits on a boar hog.
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the part about a knife being invented for cutting is not true. Homo habilis (also known as "handy man") was the first to use stone tools. the stone knives they made were for scraping meat off of what they would scavange from lion kills and what not.
 
seanystrangle said:
the part about a knife being invented for cutting is not true. Homo habilis (also known as "handy man") was the first to use stone tools. the stone knives they made were for scraping meat off of what they would scavange from lion kills and what not.
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Seriously, we can't cure the common cold virus and you expect me to buy the argument that we know what the first stones cutting tools were used for x million years ago. Gimme a break. We have no idea what they originally used those things for we can only assume.
 
MikeC said:
Seriously, we can't cure the common cold virus and you expect me to buy the argument that we know what the first stones cutting tools were used for x million years ago. Gimme a break. We have no idea what they originally used those things for we can only assume.
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Im an Anthropology major in college. the oldest ones to have been found are 2.7-9 million years old. and we know what they were used for by the marks on the blades, the residue left on them and for the scraping pattern on animal bones. and really? the cold virus has no comaprison to stone tools. a virus is a living thing that is always changing. stone tools are shapped rocks that dont change. and i dont know if you realize that you said they were made for cutting then in your next post you said we can only assume what they were made for.you contridicted your self nice one. sorry i dont mean to come across as a jerk i have just had a bad day im sorry :(
 
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