Whats A Practical Japanese Tanto?

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BuckeyeBushHippie

Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
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Hi everyone. I've been trying to find a japanese tanto knife that can do more than complement a pair of swords. I want something to take fishing, camping, hiking and maybe to use around the house but still looks like i should leave it on the wall.

The Cold Steel Konjo 2 is alot like what i'm looking for (except with a bigger handle and i could do without the san mai)

And just a clarification. I DO NOT want an american style tanto. I just don't like how
they look.

So. Anyone have a suggestion?
 
BuckeyeBushHippie said:
Hi everyone. I've been trying to find a japanese tanto knife that can do more than complement a pair of swords. I want something to take fishing, camping, hiking and maybe to use around the house but still looks like i should leave it on the wall.

The Cold Steel Konjo 2 is alot like what i'm looking for (except with a bigger handle and i could do without the san mai)

And just a clarification. I DO NOT want an american style tanto. I just don't like how
they look.

So. Anyone have a suggestion?
Click to expand...

First of all Tanto is sword (Tan - short To - sword) and never compliment pair of swords, but rather carried by high rank people with civilian professions - like doctors, geishas etc..., but as a weapon only.

Tanto never used around house and for hiking, fishing.

Kanetsune made more or less traditional Japanese knives for this applications. They are convex grind laminated with Shirogami or Aogami in core, heat treated to high hardness and pretty simple handle and sheath.

But no one making tantos in Japan expect certified bladesmith and only as part of Japan heritage and for about $15000 minimum, otherwise it is banned by constitution as weapon of military past.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
CRKT hissou.
I think it is close to the traditional Japanese design, i.e. , a weapon... but it could be used for whatever you want.
Daywalker wrote a fine review of it on this forum.
 
The hissatsu is a bad choice as far as a camp knife. And the actual designee of the traditional tanto point really is meant to be used as a weapon only, there are better options out there for a camp knife designee.
I really like this one its by Wildertools.


Kozuka
 
tsuba said:
CRKT hissou.
I think it is close to the traditional Japanese design, i.e. , a weapon... but it could be used for whatever you want.
Daywalker wrote a fine review of it on this forum.
Click to expand...

I agree that the Hisshou is a good choice, but it's by far CRKT's most expensive blade, a knife with a similiar design, but much cheaper, is CRKT's Hissatsu [I like mine] Another traditional design is Hanwei's Tactical Tanto which costs about a $100. I've got Hanwei's Tactical Wakisashi and I've been thinking about getting the Tactical Tanto as a complementary blade.
And speaking of the Hisshou, although this should probably be a separate post, does anyone know why it's so expensive? I think it's more than twice the cost of any other CRKT knife ,other than the slightly smaller Shinbu which I don't think has been released yet. I know it's a big hunk of metal but I've never heard of the steel it's made of and the handle is just a cord wrap.
 
Larry Turko said:
Another traditional design is Hanwei's Tactical Tanto which costs about a $100. I've got Hanwei's Tactical Wakisashi and I've been thinking about getting the Tactical Tanto as a complementary blade.
Click to expand...

That ones cool. Any idea of the steel they use or if the hamon is an actual hamon and not decorative?
 
Thanks everyone. You've all been a big help. I'm thinking about getting the Cold Steel Konjo and modifying it to have a handle and sheath like the kanetsune Yuh except with a finger guard and maybe a lanyard hole.
 
If you like the looks of it the cold steel outdoorsman is quite a good field/camping knife. It has the shape your looking for and the back edge is useful.
Good belly to the blade and sharp strong point.
I like mine, its a pretty good slicer too, the way it grips you would really have no need for a lanyard.
It has the larger handle with good ergo's and a finger guard

The chopping edge on the back is an awesome scraper for my firesteels btw

regards, Brad
 
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