Help me understand the tanto blade shape

Heartland_edc

Heartland_edc

Joined
May 4, 2015
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I have NEVER been attracted to the tanto blade shape, especially in a folding knife. I have always dismissed it as having no real every day application, and designed to attract the attention of people who don't really understand what a folding knife or fixed blade is typically used for. I always think of knives as tools first, and weapons second, so because the tanto has a "weapony" look to it, I have always kept my nose in the air when given the option.


.....however.....


Recently, I have been trying to decide what blade style I want in my next XM 18. (Seriously, for 2 months now). Im going to use it for pretty much everything. I see the fatty harpoon tantos available at pretty much every retailer. I got curious and researched the tanto blade shape, and it turns out the common theme is "tip strength"... now THAT is something im interested in. The blade is designed to puncture, so the tip is generally pretty strong I guess. So, maybe I was too quick to dismiss it. If I wanted a "tough" folder, would the fatty tanto be the best option? Is it theoretically stronger than, say, the fatty version of the spanto? Obviously it isnt going to be a great slicer, but if thought of as more of a universal pocket "tool", than just a great blade, would it be a reasonable choice? I thought FOR SURE I was going with the harpoon spanto in the standard .165 thickness and in 20cv for the perfect "do anything" blade shape, but the idea of a super thick tanto in s35vn is kind of calling out to me as the "toughest" option in terms of overall utility. Please help me break this down, as my OCD is becoming an issue and I cant decide what I want.
 
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The other advantage of a tanto blade is that you can sharpen the belly of the blade with a different angle than the tanto tip.
 
Never been a fan of tantos in general, but I’ve been very tempted by small CRK 21’s in the past. If I found a killer deal on one I’d provably still pick one up
 
i dislike them for one reason. instead of only 2 edges to sharpen...its now 4. unless a chisel grind then its still 2 instead of 1 and knocking off the burr.

i also dont find them any more useful at any task i actually do, compared to other blade shapes. so i avoid them nowadays.
 
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Marketing ploy.
Mall ninja.

Cold Steel original Tanto with
adds in Soldier of Fortune showing it
piercing a steel drum.
 
Nobody needs a tanto, but nobody needs a growing collection of XM18's either. If the point of collecting folders is about variety of experience, working with slightly different tools, adapting your techniques and chores to variations in design, etc., the tanto delivers that. I find it functional, but moreover it's different. It does some things better and some things worse, but it's practical enough, and it's interesting! Basically I recommend it if you're looking for variety, and it helps if you love it aesthetically. If you don't love the aesthetic, by all means choose something else. And if your criteria are strictly practical, just go back to having 1 knife and 1 backup. ;)
 
I like tanto blades and find them useful but many do not. Maybe get a cheap tanto that has a similar profile to the Hinderer and see if you like it before laying out a big chunk of change.
 
I don't understand it either, but I think that's mostly due to the extremely pronounced American style tanto blades that seem to be made for mall ninjas

A traditional Japanese tanto I think would probably be a little more like a normal blade, but still not the same.
I've had a few tanto blades, one being a small cheap neck knife Similar to the crkt minimalist which a Carried every single day for a year.
I sharpened it like it was as a normal blade and I had no problems with it, but that doesn't mean I was sharpening it properly. I lost its kydex sheath, but I think I still have the knife around somewhere.
 
Heartland_edc said:
I have NEVER been attracted to the tanto blade shape, especially in a folding knife. I have always dismissed it as having no real every day application, and designed to attract the attention of people who don't really understand what a folding knife or fixed blade is typically used for. I always think of knives as tools first, and weapons second, so because the tanto has a "weapony" look to it, I have always kept my nose in the air when given the option.


.....however.....


Recently, I have been trying to decide what blade style I want in my next XM 18. (Seriously, for 2 months now). Im going to use it for pretty much everything. I see the fatty harpoon tantos available at pretty much every retailer. I got curious and researched the tanto blade shape, and it turns out the common theme is "tip strength"... now THAT is something im interested in. The blade is designed to puncture, so the tip is generally pretty strong I guess. So, maybe I was too quick to dismiss it. If I wanted a "tough" folder, would the fatty tanto be the best option? Is it theoretically stronger than, say, the fatty version of the spanto? Obviously it isnt going to be a great slicer, but if thought of as more of a universal pocket "tool", than just a great blade, would it be a reasonable choice? I thought FOR SURE I was going with the harpoon spanto in the standard .165 thickness and in 20cv for the perfect "do anything" blade shape, but the idea of a super thick tanto in s35vn is kind of calling out to me as the "toughest" option in terms of overall utility. Please help me break this down, as my OCD is becoming an issue and I cant decide what I want.
Click to expand...

Personally I love Tantos.

If you haven’t read it I highly recommend this thread where the Tanto’s origins, its uses and everything else tanto related is dicussed seriously. I cannot recommend this thread enough.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/tantos-a-serious-discussion.1533219/


All that said I believe the “Dao” style tips can be extremely robust when done right. They also are more conventional in the shape of their cutting edge.

One of the best illustrators of this dao style tip is my Emerson cqc8. The tip is inline with the thickest part of the blade making it very robust.

CQC8Cigar.jpg


Check out the Hinderer Skinner. It is also a dao blade shape. The tip isn’t as centred on the Emeron. Anyone who has owned one want to chime in on tip strength?

maxresdefault.jpg
 
Lapedog said:
Personally I love Tantos.

If you haven’t read it I highly recommend this thread where the Tanto’s origins, its uses and everything else tanto related is dicussed seriously. I cannot recommend this thread enough.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/tantos-a-serious-discussion.1533219/

All that said I believe the “Dao” style tips can be extremely robust when done right. They also are more conventional in the shape of their cutting edge.
Click to expand...

I agree completely with your opinion on that thread. The tanto isn't the best knife to have in your pocket to cut up an apple for lunch, open the FedEx package on your desk or to cut a pesky thread that appeared on your shirt.

But I have found the utility value of the tanto grows on me every time I take it to the job site for work. As I mentioned in the thread you referenced, it makes a GREAT folding wood chisel when I need it, the piercing tip helps me dig into wood and soft materials as needed, I can do some light prying with the tip (no worries of breakage) and it has been great for piercing the sides of heavy cardboard or plastic caulk tubes to get the last of adhesives and sealants. That's just part of its daily duties when in the tool belt. The list is long.

For me as a work knife, the design has great utility value.

Robert
 
so maybe some tip strength or rather the added choice of not having to use a thin pointy tip to pry stuff.
so that, if one happens to accidently snap the tip right of a regular knife
one might actually have the early makings of either a sheepsfoot blade or just maybe a pryable tanto point, sort of.... :)
 
I use a tanto everyday at work doing landscaping. The front edge is great for so many tasks. You get a good straight edge for small push cuts too. I find myself just sharpening that front edge at times.
 
Useful for work that involves prying, scraping, though I don't care for them myself. Chisel grind cuts like crap (Emerson). Cold Steel tantos with traditional V-ground cut much better, especially the latest in CTS-XHP.
 
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