Advantages of a Tanto Blade

Tanto blades were carried by the Samurai class in feudal Japan. The design of blade has since been adopted and adapted by several armed forces as tactical tools. In the US, it was Cold Steel who helped popularize the knife during the late 80’s and early 90’s. Today, their tanto blades are recognized for their power and all-round quality.

Japanese design: Cold Steel’s version of the tanto blade is inspired by the historical Japanese knife and expectedly some features are similar, such as the blade point aligned with the spine. Also, the design lends a historical appeal to the knife.

Strength: One of the biggest, if not the biggest advantage of the tanto blade is its strength. Tanto knives feature a high point and a flat grind, which give them the power to puncture hard objects without the blade snapping. Further, these knives do not deteriorate easily even with regular use.

Chisel blade point: The blade point is very similar to that of a chisel. A substantial percentage of the metal is near the knife’s point offering it greater durability and power compared to other knives. This design makes for a very effective self-defensive weapon.

Pommel: The tanto’s pommel on modern versions is usually tapered and fashioned from steel. It is designed in such as way that it can absorb impact from heavy strikes, which makes the pommel extremely effective as a blunt weapon against an assailant charging at you with force.

Survival knife: One notion floating around is that the tanto is a war weapon primarily designed to puncture armor and not particularly good for the outdoors.  However, many will argue that the criticism is unwarranted. Thetanto is one tough knife and its chisel point is great for scraping and puncturing. Also, these blades are a solid choice for defending against attacks, human or animal.

Sharpening: Another criticism of the tanto knife is that it is not easy to sharpen. However, a tanto knife with a straight blade can be sharpened on a stone, while those with curved blades can be sharpened by a ceramic rod.

Conclusion

All the above-mentioned elements come together to give the tanto knife functionality, durability and style. They are as useful and beautiful as a blade can be. Browse our collection of tanto knives and decide for yourself.