Tanto Knives

Tanto knives are the one that has a very sharp-angled tip which is in some ways similar to the chisel points. The tip angles of these knives vary from a swept back to very steep which impacts the overall tip strength.

Their history dates back to the land of the rising Sun, 12th-century feudal Japan - The samurai age. The type of blade geometry of these ancient swords was different. During those times samurai carried a pair of weapons (Japanese-style swords) for use in combat. A long one and a short one. The short one was known as a Tanto which translates to 'short sword' or 'dagger' in Japanese.

That said, the legendary knife or traditional tantō used back then was different from modern swords today. The Japanese sword tantos used by samurai had a continuous cutting edge that curved near the tip. The common tantō form we know today also known as American tanto was introduced by Cold steel, a Texas-based knife maker.

The tanto blade knives are easier to distinguish from other common blade types. Tanto knives are ones with an almost non-continuous angular edge made of straight, double-edged blades. Regular pocket knives on the other hand have a curving or flat belly.

The edges in tanto knives start straight and make a sudden change in direction to the tip. This design helps in making the tip broad and durable in addition to having a striking appearance compared to other pocket knives. This is what led to the popularity of tanto knives.

Tanto knives are a great fit for personal protection. It was originally designed for fighting after all. Also, due to their strong build, piercing ability, and reliability, these knives have found use in various activities including hunting and other outdoor activities like hiking. They can also be used as a camping knife, tactical knife, or survival knife.

In most tanto knives, D2 steel material is used. This steel is famous for its hardness, wear resistance, and toughness which makes it a top choice for knife makers.

In the case of washing a tanto knife, you need to take care whether the tanto knife is made up of high carbon stainless steel or not. If it is one, then never use a bar of harsh dish soap. Also, don't let the knife air dry. Moisture is one thing that you need to prevent these knives from. Once you have cleaned it you can use a cotton rag to dry it. This way

If you are a new knife owner, then it might look a bit tricky to you. Many new knife owners get discouraged and leave and do not try to sharpen it because of the aggressive shape and style of this blade form. But, the Japanese style tanto blade is just another blade form that requires a proper technique to achieve a razor edge curve and keep the knife in great condition.

One main thing to remember before you start sharpening a tanto knife is to not remove too much material at the tip and the meeting sharp angle of the two edges. You can achieve this by sharpening the long edge first. Also, make sure you stop the stroke just before it reaches the end. This way you will be able to prevent the tip of your blade.

Now, the other thing you need to consider is to keep the blade at a proper angle and perpendicular. This will help you to keep the edge straight. Once the main long edge is sharpened, you can move on to sharpen the tip portion.

To sharpen the tip, you need to make sure and keep constant contact with the sharpening stone from starting from the corner to the tip. It becomes very important to take care while doing so as it is easy to round off the tip of the blade. It will still be functional but deviates from the original intent for the use of the tip.

Benefits

The key benefit of a tanto knife is its strong tip. The tip is designed to hold up the tough materials in lace and punctures them without breaking. In modern times, these knives do not need to be used as armor-puncturing tools. They are a good choice for your day-to-day tasks.

When you need a blade shape that can handle rough-duty tasks for you, the tanto blade is always an option. It's versatile to use because of its two distinct blade edges - one primary edge and one secondary edge. The front blade is for puncturing and the longer blade is for cutting and slicing tasks.

Drawbacks

One of the main issues with this blade is that the usual tanto knife lacks a belly. Of course, not all tanto knives have a perfect main straight edge. But, most do follow the design of having a main straight edge with a sharp triangular tip.

This lack of belly makes it a bit unsuitable for daily knife tasks compared to the other options available. For example, skinning, gutting, wood carving, slicing, etc. is more preferred with a curved blade which is designed for these tasks. As the tanto blade knives have two edges, it creates a problem during sharpening.