Tanto

Tanto is a specific knife blade shape characterized by a straight or angular tip and a reinforced point section. This design provides excellent piercing capability, tip strength, and resistance to breakage. The origin of the shape comes from traditional Japanese swords and daggers, but in its modern form it is widely used on tactical, combat, and EDC knives. A tanto blade is therefore a robust, combat-oriented blade shape that excels primarily in thrusting techniques and hard use. Thanks to its strength, it is popular with tactical, military, and duty knives, while other blade shapes may be more suitable for universal everyday use. You can also find high-quality knives with a tanto blade on our e-shop.



Military combat knife SOG Seal Tanto




History and origin of the tanto blade:

Original Japanese tanto were short swords or daggers used by samurai as early as the 10th century. They served as backup weapons for close combat as well as for ritual purposes. The modern “American tanto” emerged in the 1980s, when knifemaker Bob Lum and later manufacturers such as Cold Steel adapted the traditional shape into a form suitable for modern tactical use.




Main characteristics of a tanto blade:

  • Reinforced tip: Higher durability during thrusting.
  • Straight edge or dual planes: Easy sharpening.
  • Distinct break (secondary point): A second point for aggressive cutting.




Types of tanto blades:

  • Japanese Tanto:
    Traditional Japanese shape with gentle curvature and a smooth tip transition.
  • American Tanto:
    Modern version with a sharp break between the main edge and the tip, very durable.
  • Reverse Tanto:
    Reversed geometry where the spine is straight and the edge rises toward the tip (greater cutting control).
  • Chisel Tanto:
    Single-bevel variant inspired by Japanese chisels.




Comparison with other blade shapes:

Blade shape
Main characteristics
Suitable use
Tanto
Very strong tip, high penetration
Tactical use, self-defense
Drop Point
Versatile, good cutting control
EDC, outdoor, hunting
Dagger
Double-edged blade, symmetry
Combat, thrusting
Clip Point
Thin tip, very sharp
Precision work, hunting





Different types of knife blades




Advantages of a tanto blade:

  • High tip strength.
  • Excellent penetration.
  • Easy sharpening of straight edges.




Disadvantages of a tanto blade:

  • Less suitable for long slicing cuts.
  • Smaller belly compared to a drop point.




Military and combat knives with a tanto blade:

  • Cold Steel Recon Tanto
  • Benchmade Nimravus Tanto
  • SOG Seal Tanto
  • Gerber StrongArm Tanto


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