tanto point

[olter]

Friend of mine bought a Cold Steel Voyager . Neat folding knife but this one has a tanto point . What the heck is that point for ?

[rd2903]

Extremely good point for thrusting, not much room for breakage.  Although I'm a knifemaker, I find that one of the harder points to grind

[olter]

Thanks RD ,

   I bought the knife at a bargain so I'll experiment a bit. As long as it can hold an edge and gut & skin a bit we'll get along.

[Robert]

A Tanto point is not for thrusting, on a short blade it is a novelty at best.  On a Samuri sword it was made for slicing.  Look at the angle of it, the Samuri knew their sword better than you and I know our fingers and toes.  The theory is this.  Take a knife and push it down into a ripe tomato......squish....now take the same knife and draw it rapidly across the tomato....the angle of the tip of the Tanto is for disembowelling.

[Joel]

The so-called tanto point you have on the CS is an American bastardization of the Japanese tanto design; mostly credited to Bob Lum, a chinese-american knife maker.  The American tanto IS designed as a reinforced point for thrusting.  A true japanese tanto has a point/blade shape that is almost exactly like the one we call a "hunter" blade in this country.  It curves from the blade edge up into the blade back at the point.  They did grind it with almost no taper for strength, but it is/was in no way, shape or form the angular/triangular shape you see on the CS. I've no particular use for them personally, but then I've no need for that point design either.  Any sharp hunk of steel will do the job, if that's what you're carrying.

[olter]

Thanks for the information gents. This is not my first CS just my first Tanto point. I have been sharpening pocket knives for a good many years and I suspect that my knife will gradually become  rounded like a drop point.

  That certainly answered my question about the point. I am too old to care about whether it will penetrate a car door. But I do require the varmint hold an edge.

  I do not care for the serrations on some blades either. But my son likes them to cut his way out of trouble when steer roping. A knife is a tool .

[JACKNZ]

The original Tanto was made for guting folks,the moden one is made for guting your wallet.Want,a buy a good used bridge,I have several for sale,
Been in the family for years,But for you I can do a good deal.TRUST ME I
KNOW WHAT I,M DOING... :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:
Just kidding ..Jack.

[Robert]

I havent used it much, but it would probably be my best knife for tomatos, unbeleivably sharp out of the box, but that has nothing to do with the type of point that is on it.
  I bet the first Tanto point came from some poor ninja many centuries ago when he broke his point on his sword and didnt want to go through trying to reshape the entire blade.  There ya go, if you break a point on your knife...just call it a Tanto.