What makes a tanto a tanto?
They’re characterized by an angular, almost noncontinuous edge made up of two cutting planes instead of the flat or curving belly of most pocket knives. A tanto knife’s edge draws a line out from the handle before making a hard change of direction and running up to the tip.
What is American tanto?
The modern tanto is sometimes referred as the American Tanto, or Westernized Tanto. This is a newer blade shape that has become popular with the advent of the modern tactical knife. The tanto blade shape of today is a Japanese inspired knife pattern that reminds you of a traditional tantō or katana of yore.
What is the advantage of a tanto blade?
Pros of a tanto blade: Crazy strong blade, with a stronger point. Excels at stabbing through hard materials. Very similar in shape to a chisel point. Relatively easy to sharpen, even in the field.
What was the Japanese tanto used for?
The tanto is essentially a dagger-like sword that was used primarily for stabbing — but also for slashing — attacks throughout feudal Japan. It’s been designed in several variations, some of which include a straight edge, whereas others include a double edge.
Are tanto blades hard to sharpen?
Conclusion. Sharpening a tanto blade isn’t as hard as it may sound. The sharpening process for a tanto knife is nearly identical to sharpening any other kind of knife. The goal is to remove steel from the edge of the knife until it’s fine and consistent.
Are tanto blades good for EDC?
It is easy to use, has great strength, and is also easy to maintain. In my experience, the Tanto design works very well for everyday usage and endures hard usage with grace. Of course, opinions and experiences are going to vary from person to person, but I think the Tanto blade is the best all around option for EDC.
Who invented American tanto?
In the late 1970s, American knifemaker Bob Lum took the tantō’s shape and distinctive kissaki (“point”) and incorporated them into a western-style fixed blade knife. The result was the “American tanto”.
What does tanto mean in Japanese?
short sword
A tantō (短刀, “short sword”) is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (nihonto) that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan.
How thick should a tanto blade be?
The general blade shape is approximately 25 cm long, 17 mm wide (near the tang), 8.0 mm thick (near the tang) and approximately straight.
Did Ninjas use Tantos?
Aside from the Samurai, the Ninja also carried the Tanto. They utilized this as a short-range melee weapon or a multi-purpose tool. It had numerous functions in different situations, making it one of their preferred weapons. Tanto was also used for different martial arts.
What angle should a tanto blade be?
Some tanto-style knives, like the Benchmade Vector, present additional sharpening challenges by having a recurve in the primary belly AND an intentional angle change (14 degrees in the belly) in the nose edge (18 degrees).
Is a tanto blade good for EDC?
When I think about an EDC system, I think of a system that is simple and practical. The knife is probably the most common and obvious piece of gear in an EDC system. For me, the Tanto blade is the ruling knife design for most possible uses.
What is an American Tanto?
The American tanto has a primary point where the cutting surface immediately shoots down straight or very close to being straight, where there is a secondary point. At this secondary point, the blade takes a harsh turn, sometimes even 45 degrees, and shoots back to the handle in a flat or near-flat manner.
What happened to the Japanese tantō?
After World War II, a restriction on sword forging caused tantō manufacture to fall very low. American and European interest in Japanese martial arts since the war created a demand for the tantō outside Japan from the 1960s through the present time.
What is the difference between a tantō and Katana?
Tantō are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana. Some tantō have particularly thick cross-sections for armor-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi .
What is the difference between a wakizashi and a tantō?
Tantō were sometimes worn as the shōtō in place of a wakizashi in a daishō, especially on the battlefield. Before the advent of the wakizashi/tantō combination, it was common for a samurai to carry a tachi and a tantō as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi.