Tanto Blades?

I have 3 edc's, and one is a pacific cutlery tanto balisong, and for some reason it's easy for me to sharpen, and I suck at sharpening, besides kabars lol! It's just 2 straight edges. I hope the tanto sharpening process for all, makes great gains in regards to the issues on this thread... Then we can start a gang or something, once we all have sharp tantos.
 
With something like a Sharpmaker, it’s not really difficult to maintain a tanto.
no one saying its difficult or hard, just takes more time as there is more edges to maintain.

as for sharpmaker yep except be careful not to pull through the edges coming together sharp corner or it will round off...ask me how I know.
 
I have 3 edc's, and one is a pacific cutlery tanto balisong, and for some reason it's easy for me to sharpen, and I suck at sharpening, besides kabars lol! It's just 2 straight edges. I hope the tanto sharpening process for all, makes great gains in regards to the issues on this thread... Then we can start a gang or something, once we all have sharp tantos.

Wow, a Pacific Cutlery? Benchmade before they were Benchmade, pretty cool. I still have one, as well. I had two, sold one, probably shouldn't have. Mine is also a tanto.

As far as all the references to the Sharpmaker - out of all the sharpening systems I have bought an used, that is the ONLY one I have ever sold. Couldn't get that thing away from me fast enough.
 
no one saying its difficult or hard, just takes more time as there is more edges to maintain.

as for sharpmaker yep except be careful not to pull through the edges coming together sharp corner or it will round off...ask me how I know.
True. Gonna turn that western tanto into a traditional tanto lol.
 
My Cold Steel Recon 1 tanto (satin s35vn) is a formidable blade. Great for brute force, and scary sharp from the factory.
 
Wow, a Pacific Cutlery? Benchmade before they were Benchmade, pretty cool. I still have one, as well. I had two, sold one, probably shouldn't have. Mine is also a tanto.

As far as all the references to the Sharpmaker - out of all the sharpening systems I have bought an used, that is the ONLY one I have ever sold. Couldn't get that thing away from me fast enough.
I actually found the balisong when going through his stuff, after life got reversed. Was actually surprised, as it's real, and he wasn't a knife person at all. I found that, and a stinger balisong, made by Fukuta. Question though, my brother.. what's up with the sharp maker? What do you suggest? I'm sure you're way more knowledgeable than I am about all of this kind of stuff.
 
Wow, a Pacific Cutlery? Benchmade before they were Benchmade, pretty cool. I still have one, as well. I had two, sold one, probably shouldn't have. Mine is also a tanto.

As far as all the references to the Sharpmaker - out of all the sharpening systems I have bought an used, that is the ONLY one I have ever sold. Couldn't get that thing away from me fast enough.
Oh.. I never put that it was my father's, balisong.. that's what I meant to put during my first message to ya lol
 
Oh.. I never put that it was my father's, balisong.. that's what I meant to put during my first message to ya lol

Yea, I was lost with the first post.

My condolences. It is interesting he wasn't a knife guy BUT me and my Dad (long since gone RIP) bought a PAIR of PCC Bali-Songs, at a gunshow (in the 80's) for $65 so..... buying one back then was not like buying a ZT now.

As for the Sharpmaker. I am about to get a couple Spyderco knives. I believe I will really like them but I hated the sharpener. Not enough options on angle or on grit. I went with an EdgePro Apex, also have a Lansky, a Ken Onion Worksharp with the blade grinding attachment (about my favorite). A buddy got the Wicked Edge. I'm not sure which model but he paid in the 3's and (honestly) it seems like a better system than my EP Apex which I still use just not as much as the belt grinder. Once you get steady, on that, life gets incredibly easy lol. For real, if I was looking for something in the Sharpmaker price range, I would get a Lansky.
 
Yea, I was lost with the first post.

My condolences. It is interesting he wasn't a knife guy BUT me and my Dad (long since gone RIP) bought a PAIR of PCC Bali-Songs, at a gunshow (in the 80's) for $65 so..... buying one back then was not like buying a ZT now.

As for the Sharpmaker. I am about to get a couple Spyderco knives. I believe I will really like them but I hated the sharpener. Not enough options on angle or on grit. I went with an EdgePro Apex, also have a Lansky, a Ken Onion Worksharp with the blade grinding attachment (about my favorite). A buddy got the Wicked Edge. I'm not sure which model but he paid in the 3's and (honestly) it seems like a better system than my EP Apex which I still use just not as much as the belt grinder. Once you get steady, on that, life gets incredibly easy lol. For real, if I was looking for something in the Sharpmaker price range, I would get a Lansky.
Thanks, and it's all good, brother and back at ya. We all got plans to go one day. We just don't know when lol. He did martial arts for years, and had all of these different weapons, so I'm thinking the balisongs were due to adding to his collection. So you feel ok about the Ken Onion Worksharp? I have one with the extra belts in my cart for when it's time to pull the trigger. Was thinking that would be the best for me, considering I'm an amateur at sharpening, and really don't want to wreck my blades. I have no problem sharpening the tanto and my 3 kabars.. but that's the jist of it.. I don't want to take a chance on killing my Spyderco Police, Grizzly Ridge, etc
 
Thanks, and it's all good, brother and back at ya. We all got plans to go one day. We just don't know when lol. He did martial arts for years, and had all of these different weapons, so I'm thinking the balisongs were due to adding to his collection. So you feel ok about the Ken Onion Worksharp? I have one with the extra belts in my cart for when it's time to pull the trigger. Was thinking that would be the best for me, considering I'm an amateur at sharpening, and really don't want to wreck my blades. I have no problem sharpening the tanto and my 3 kabars.. but that's the jist of it.. I don't want to take a chance on killing my Spyderco Police, Grizzly Ridge, etc

Oh I have jaktup many an edge, during the "learning curve". If you don't already have 'em, grab some "gas station" knives, maybe even some "$40 knives" for you next "level up". I will be honest- the LAST thing you want to do is: grab an important/expensive knife and try ANY sharpening system (even just a flat stone) that you don't have experience on. ALL of them take practice. Also, in case no one has told you - NEVER drag a knife you give a crap about through one of those tungsten steel "cutter" type sharpeners that look like the intersection of a pair of scissors.

A guided system is great. There is a huge debate on whether the angle of the cut changes as you get further down the length of the knife you get. One YouTube guy posted "proof" that it does not BUT the amount of steel you pass OVER to get to the edge DOES change the further you get from where the (lansky type) system is clamped. My general rule on Lansky's - only for sub 5" blades and painters tape is your friend.

As for the K.O. - without the additional "Blade Grinding Attachment" I would not bother. I did not get mine as a combo, I bought (and used) the WorkSharp WITHOUT the attachment first, it almost got returned. WITH the attachment, it is awesome BUT still learn on cheapies AND keep a notebook containing what angles you used for each knife, makes touch up a lot easier.

Get a 2 sided strop and green compound the suede side. If you use your knife, strop it, you might never have to sharpen it again plus (maybe I am a weirdo but) there is something therapeutic about lightly dragging a blade across a leather paddle on your thigh, while watching TV, knowing it is becoming more an more capable of separating wtvr you swing it at each time you you drag it across.

So.... for the K.O. you gotta go "all in". There are Lansky knock offs that probably work just as well as Lansky's AND strop it. And start on cheap knives :)

Good luck and welcome to a never ending addiction.
 
Oh I have jaktup many an edge, during the "learning curve". If you don't already have 'em, grab some "gas station" knives, maybe even some "$40 knives" for you next "level up". I will be honest- the LAST thing you want to do is: grab an important/expensive knife and try ANY sharpening system (even just a flat stone) that you don't have experience on. ALL of them take practice. Also, in case no one has told you - NEVER drag a knife you give a crap about through one of those tungsten steel "cutter" type sharpeners that look like the intersection of a pair of scissors.

A guided system is great. There is a huge debate on whether the angle of the cut changes as you get further down the length of the knife you get. One YouTube guy posted "proof" that it does not BUT the amount of steel you pass OVER to get to the edge DOES change the further you get from where the (lansky type) system is clamped. My general rule on Lansky's - only for sub 5" blades and painters tape is your friend.

As for the K.O. - without the additional "Blade Grinding Attachment" I would not bother. I did not get mine as a combo, I bought (and used) the WorkSharp WITHOUT the attachment first, it almost got returned. WITH the attachment, it is awesome BUT still learn on cheapies AND keep a notebook containing what angles you used for each knife, makes touch up a lot easier.

Get a 2 sided strop and green compound the suede side. If you use your knife, strop it, you might never have to sharpen it again plus (maybe I am a weirdo but) there is something therapeutic about lightly dragging a blade across a leather paddle on your thigh, while watching TV, knowing it is becoming more an more capable of separating wtvr you swing it at each time you you drag it across.

So.... for the K.O. you gotta go "all in". There are Lansky knock offs that probably work just as well as Lansky's AND strop it. And start on cheap knives :)

Good luck and welcome to a never ending addiction.
Thanks, brother. KO it is, along with a few cheap knives. I definitely need a strop, as when I get my kabars close to done, I use my leather work belt after. That, and I need a lot of lessons. I'll watch youtube like a crazy person, and figure it out. Making a boo boo on things I appreciate and spent money on, would irk me to say the least. I appreciate your help and advice, and have a great night to you and everybody else, and see ya out here most definitely
 
So.....guided systems are great for setting bevels.

If you're worried about repeatability, it means you use that knife a lot. So document where the clamp goes.

After the bevels are set, touch up use a freehand stone or ceramic rods.....and a strop.

As long as you dont do anything to upset the main bevels, you can keep the working edge sharp, it acts sorta like a convex edge, and using the lansky isn't really a common thing at all.
 
I didn’t like them for quite some time; Although I had a cold steel recon tanto years ago; they just didn’t speak to me.
Just this last year I decided to give them a try.
I definitely prefer the “Japanese” aesthetics over the “American” style.
I don’t know if the Grimsmo is really a tanto?

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TRIAL BY COMBAT!!!!
We will let the gods decide which of you is right! :D

Seriously tho, folks - YES, a tanto IS more work to sharpen. That is a not prejudice opinion, it is a matter of physics (i didn't make those laws, I don't even enforce 'em, they generally enforce themselves).

and - YES, tantos get some unfair stigma. It is a useful blade style that gets lumped in to the "mall ninja" category and over looked for all its positive attributes.

You're both right (wonder what the gods would do, if we went with plan 1)
This seems fair. I still feel like needing to adjust the angle for the front edge on a tanto is fairly inconsequential when sharpening the tip on anything with belly or upward curve requires significant adjustment and effort. But I digress. It's not worth the fuss to debate, lol.
 
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