Spyderco be like...

[Evil D]

There's a world of difference between:

A) Standard production, and selling well enough to justify it's position in the production cue, which also limits the capacity that other models can be produced at, and..

B) People losing their minds and buying up all of the ~1200 or so pieces that a sprint run brings of a knife that people partly only want because they can't get it anymore and/or because it's coming in a steel/handle variant that is more desirable than the original.


Even squeezing in a sprint or exclusive hinders the other regular production capacity, hence why so many regular production models and reveal models are slow getting released and being in stock. Just because everyone wants these limited number versions doesn't mean they'd sell the same if they were "a dime a dozen" in availability.

[ZrowsN1s]

Maybe I need to go buy a tanto blade and try carrying it for a while to see if it works for me.

This is the Tanto that defined the genre. They have a flipper version that's nice too, flipper acts as a gaurd when open.
https://emersonknives.com/shop/knives/e ... qc-7bw-bt/

[Manixguy@1994]

you do realize that most of the models you posted are discontinued because they weren't popular enough to sell well. spyderco doesn't say something isn't popular enough to sell from a place of ignorance. also, tanto spydercos look weird, but not in the normal good weird spyderco way (aside from that lum).

I agree with your opinion , I must say the Lum Tanto is a masterpiece in design , simplicity and beautiful blade lines . Dan

[wrdwrght]

This works for me from Spyderco. If I feel an itch I go elsewhere for more traditional. MG2

I'm not a big folding Tanto fan but do like a fixed blade. That said, I love the looks of that model!

Whoa. The ATR is neither a traditional nor an Americanized Tanto.

[bjz]

Leaving aside popularity, what advantages do tanto blades have in your uses?

This is easy. I used to carry a chisel ground tanto blade, and I've given it much thought. It would be cool to have one of my favorite Spyderco's with a tanto blade. And I'm talking about a tanto with straight edges, not the curved tantos that seem to be chic nowadays.

The long, back half of the blade is great for hacking big stuff. This is how I use all my knives.

The foreward section of the blade is reserved for delicate work. It's flat, so it can be used to "plane" a flat surface, like a wood chisel.

The "corner" of the blade is great for things like cutting open boxes. And the point, just like on other knives, is great for splinters, precision work, and getting stabby.

I have more thoughts on the ultimate tanto blade that I've not seen elsewhere. So when someone builds it and it becomes the most popular blade style of all time, you can tell your grandkids that you saw it here first. I think it would be GREAT to have a chisel ground tanto, where the back half is a Spydie Edge, and the front part is a plain edge. Think about it like a Combo Edge Plus, or SuperCombo. The back half would be optimized for hacking big stuff, and the front would maintain it's ability to do delicate work.

THIS! This makes a fantastic garage/workbench/shop knife, and it basically exists already. A big name tool company who like red plastic makes, it’s cheap ($25) and not half bad despite being an assisted flipper. Honestly, it’s the only non-Spyderco I currently own and USE!

I’ve always though that the tenacious line would be the perfect platform for such a blade. Right price-point, right materials and comes along with a similar market when compared to the folks who want say a PM2 tanto sprint/exclusive. Fret about trying to hop in line to nab an elusive PM2 tanto at $200? Nope, not when I have my $25 red tool knife…put out a trial run of a tenacious with a “super combo” tanto tip (preferably not chisel ground) for $55, h%#} YES! The frn version would be the PERFECT construction/job site knife.

[Airlsee]

I’ve always though that the tenacious line would be the perfect platform for such a blade. Right price-point, right materials and comes along with a similar market when compared to the folks who want say a PM2 tanto sprint/exclusive. Fret about trying to hop in line to nab an elusive PM2 tanto at $200? Nope, not when I have my $25 red tool knife…put out a trial run of a tenacious with a “super combo” tanto tip (preferably not chisel ground) for $55, h%#} YES! The frn version would be the PERFECT construction/job site knife.

I'm not personally interested in a combo edge, chisel ground tanto...but this idea makes a lot of sense.

I agree that the Tenacious would be perfect for such a blade and could sell surprisingly well, while being extremely functional.

[Woodpuppy]

I like the idea of a tanto, but haven’t really enjoyed the ones I have had. I still have a Benchmade AFO tanto that has a taller tip, less pinched down as they’ve all seemed to go. The Lum tantos are gorgeous. I think it would be awesome to have a machete sized traditional tanto for fun / camping.

The most useful form factor for a tanto for me would be on the Squarehead frame. That I could get excited about.

[sal]

Trying to serve a group of very smart and dedicated blade afi's in the world of knife design and function is an interesting challenge. We accept the challenge.

I have had the thought about making a run of Traditional Tanto's as an ethnic series.

sal

[ZrowsN1s]

Tanto Para 3 would be cool too. Just sayin.

[ladybug93]

Trying to serve a group of very smart and dedicated blade afi's in the world of knife design and function is an interesting challenge. We accept the challenge.

I have had the thought about making a run of Traditional Tanto's as an ethnic series.

sal

i would love to see a titanium handled tanto ikuchi kwaikenesque front flipper kind of thing.

[ZrowsN1s]

Also... if at all possible, not a liner lock.

Backlock
CBBL
Compression
Integral Compression

[Notsurewhy]

The tanto blade shape has never appealed to me aesthetically (a bit too tacticool for my tastes). However, I recently picked up a cold steel code4 tanto as a lark and I've been pleasantly surprised at how useful the shape turned out to be. I guess I should work judging things based on function instead of appearance. You think Spyderco would have cured me of that, but we all have our biases.

The hollow ground primary edge slices very well and the secondary edge of the flat ground tip is great for scraping stuff off of flat surfaces. The point where the grinds meet is useful for opening packages and mitigates the blade's biggest weakness for my use, the very thick tip (I know that's a feature for some folks use and not a bug, but I don't generally stab things).

I've gotten far more use out of it than I thought I would. Not bad for an impulse buy during a pitstop on a road trip! SMKW is a fun but potentially expensive place to stretch your legs if you're driving through eastern Tennessee.

I would like to see a regular production Spyderco with a similar blade. Maybe not quite so thick at the tip. The cold steel is nice, but the ergos aren't up to spydie standards and I'm not big on metal handles.

[Blueboost]

Trying to serve a group of very smart and dedicated blade afi's in the world of knife design and function is an interesting challenge. We accept the challenge.

I have had the thought about making a run of Traditional Tanto's as an ethnic series.

sal

As the OP, and a forum member for almost 20 years that has been busting your chops for a production tanto since the day I registered- I would love this. I would also love to provide some very important input. You don't want a mall ninja America tanto, nor does anyone else really, and they have been done to death. You have said it's hard to compete when others who specialize in it. I've always failed to understand why I never liked anyone else's tantos. It's because you ruined them for me. Spyderco is the only one that ever did it the right way, by making a folding Japanese style tanto, not the American (mall ninja) tanto. I'm referring to the C46 Lum. That's a real Japanese folding tanto and I think what everyone wants, but settles for American tantos because, what other choice is there?

I'd love to see Spyderco take what you can from that C46 and make something new. A C46 version 2.0 so to speak, would be the gold standard tanto on the market If done right.

The PM2 tanto is nice, I'm glad to have one, but the downswept spine and hard angles/transitions (americanized) design isnt organic, it's... digital, where the C46 was analog Hendrix. There's a reason the C46 is one of the most saught after collectable models Spyderco ever made!

The 2000 era C46 grinds left a bullet shaped indestructible tip that the two follow up sprint runs couldn't even perfectly recapture, at least on the several I had. Using the laminated HAP40 blade forming a "Hamon" was a genius idea, whether intentional or not that was super cool!

The tanto tip should be more like a Japanese sword. Imagine a normal straight spine knife and american tanto had a baby. There's shouldn't be any sharp angles.

Curved and elegant Spyderco tanto, not harsh angles like all the others do. Spyderco Tanto on top of cold steels recon behind it, crkt and microtechs below

Bullet/blunt point tip like a Japanese sword extremely strong

Japanese sword DNA abounds in the Spyderco C46


Original C46 #683...



Not such a radically different cutting tool as made out to be.

No more chipped or broken tips