I’ve been a drop point guy for a really long time because of its thick belly and the overall blade profile lets me do skinning,slicing, cutting etc with ease. One fine day, a friend of mine brought his tanto blade and honestly, I found it pretty sexy at a first glance. I tried to do my usual tasks with it, but I wasn’t very impressed because it doesn’t have a proper curved belly like my drop point blades have..
After a couple of trials, I was able to do a limited number of tasks like skinning, slashing etc while hunting but I find it more suitable for tasks like piercing, survival, EDC.
I’ve used both blades for over a decade now and today, I would like to share my experiences and compare them to find the right choice for you.
What is a tanto blade?
A tanto is characterized by its two edges, a sharp point and the lack of a belly. This blade is suitable for piercing, stabbing, prying and thrusting.
It was invented in Japan over 1000 years ago and was used as a short sword and combat knives. Cold Steel reinvented this blade and popularized it in the 1980s for American consumers.
There are notable differences between these versions.
Original Japanese Version: The spine lowers down a bit to create a distinct outward edge and will have a curved belly.
American Version: It features a similar spine but creates an inward edge up to 45-degree through the point and creates another flat edge without a belly.
The American version got more popularity due to its unique style and is capable of performing many heavy-duty tasks and EDC however, the major downside of this blade is, the lack of belly. You can slice a fruit or vegetable smoothly with this blade.
What is a tanto blade good for?
1. Piercing: The strong tip have the ability to pierce any rough materials and is perfect for stabbing, thrusting and prying.
2. EDC: Open delivery packages, remove splinters, cut unwanted grass and prepare food on go.
3. Woodwork: The primary tip can do light carving, whittling, removing bark from the logs etc.
Sharpening this knife may not be easy for beginners because of the dual tips however, If you treat each tip as a separate blade, the process becomes easy. It may take some extra time, but it is worth spending for a sharp blade.
I own a limited Tantos and one of them I use on a regular basis is; Kershaw Brawler. It is one of my favorite ones and I’ve used it for more than a decade. This budget friendly tanto features a 3-inch tanto blade made out of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. I’ve used it mostly for surviving outdoors and camping with my friends to cut tough materials, scraping, thrusting etc.
If you have more budget, you can go with premium models I’ve used for a couple of years such as; Kershaw Iridium, Cold Steel AD-10 and Kershaw Bel Air.
What is a drop point blade?
The spine on this blade drops down through the point and features a thick belly. It has a centralized point which makes the blade style versatile for any task.
The average length of this blade is around 3-6 inches. The thick belly lets you slice food or any other material which you can’t do on a Tanto blade. It is one of the major differences between these two blades.
How drop point knives can be used
1. Hunting
It is one of the most popular blades for hunters including myself because the drop down spine and the thick belly provides great control while doing tasks such as skinning a game, butchering, field dressing, caping, etc. It is a reliable blade that can resist the stress from both small games and big games.
I own several blades and one of the favorite ones is; Kershaw Bel Air Pocket Knife. It features a 3.4-inch CPM MagnaCut steel with drop point style and I’ve processed games like Blacktail deer, sheep, Black Bear, Bison etc with it.
2. Camping & Survival
It is a reliable tool while surviving outdoors when you have no other tool to protect yourself.
I’ve used this blade to build a shelter, prepare food, cut ropes, wood work, chopping, batoning etc but you need to know the right techniques to utilize it properly.
3. EDC
You can keep it in your pocket and do everyday tasks such as slicing fruits and vegetables, cutting random ropes, use it as a screwdriver or corkscrew etc.
4. Crafting
If you want to craft a new item, the tip and the strong point can help you perform precise tasks which aren’t possible in Tantos.
FAQs
1. What are the disadvantages of a tanto blade?
1. The lack of a curved belly makes slicing harder.
2. Sharpening them takes longer due to the double-edge bevel and may not be easy for beginners.
2. Are tantos good for EDC?
Yes, they are good for everyday use and each tip of the blade can be used for different purposes.
3. Is a tanto or drop point better?
Both are good but they are used for different purposes. A tanto is suitable for piercing, stabbing, thrusting etc whereas a drop point is an all-purpose blade that can be used for EDC, hunting, surviving, camping, hiking etc.
4. Are tantos still used today?
Yes, they are still used today but the modern version produced in the U.S has a different blade style.
5. What is the advantage of a drop point knife?
1. The thick belly makes the slicing easier and provides excellent control.
2. It can be used for powerful tasks such as batoning and game processing.
6. Are tantos good for stabbing?
Yes, it is a really great choice for stabbing because of its flat spine, sharp point and dual tips it features.
Final words
If you ask me which one of them I would pick, I’ll always go with the drop point because as a hunter and someone who works regularly in the kitchen for boning and dicing tasks, the thick belly and the tip provides me good control to perform them. When I’m out alone surviving outdoors or camping, I carry a tanto occasionally.
If you think I’ve missed any important thing, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll add it for you. Cheers!
