Just got a new old one: Lum Tanto, circa 2001.

[American1776]

I just purchased a new old stock Bob Lum Tanto with ATS-55 and G-10. This is an interesting design.

The blade grind is very unique, in that the Tanto is very much akin to a Katana. No acute angles found on the Americanized Tanto a la Emerson’s or Cold Steel. It’s very traditional with a thick point.

Also, the pivot is very unique. When I got the knife, the liner lock was quite late in lock up (85 percent). I tried to adjust the pivot, and it seems the pivot has built in set points (different clicks), which result in different degrees of lockup. I was able to adjust to a pivot point that results in a 40-50 percent lock up, which is perfect for me.

Has anyone had any experience with this model? What’s the opinion among collectors?

This is a beautiful blade, and I’m glad to have made this purchase.

[GarageBoy]

I love the original, they changed the grind for the tip (the hollow grind for the main edge doesn't extend as far forward) slightly on the newer sprint runs, and it's slightly more "American" tanto now

[Paul Ardbeg]

Incredible find! Love these older colabs. I have never seen it IRL so can't comment.

[Scandi Grind]

Lovely knife. I'm not a fan of partially serrated but this knife just looks right to me.

[American1776]

Thanks.

I put a few drops of Ballistol in the action and it’s very smooth, almost hydraulic feeling like a Sebenza.

I like the Spyderco era of late 90s and early 2000s. I have quite a few from that period.

[sv4]

I just purchased a new old stock Bob Lum Tanto with ATS-55 and G-10. This is an interesting design.

The blade grind is very unique, in that the Tanto is very much akin to a Katana. No acute angles found on the Americanized Tanto a la Emerson’s or Cold Steel. It’s very traditional with a thick point.

Also, the pivot is very unique. When I got the knife, the liner lock was quite late in lock up (85 percent). I tried to adjust the pivot, and it seems the pivot has built in set points (different clicks), which result in different degrees of lockup. I was able to adjust to a pivot point that results in a 40-50 percent lock up, which is perfect for me.

Has anyone had any experience with this model? What’s the opinion among collectors?

This is a beautiful blade, and I’m glad to have made this purchase.

Very nice, congratulations!

[PM2Josh]

I love the Lum Tanto. Hoping someday to find one myself or have Spyderco make a tanto style folder. Even if only on their Byrd line up.

[American1776]

I got mine from knives plus. Last I checked there’s one more Lum Tanto left.

[N. Brian Huegel]

As a matter of history, Bob Lum created an entirely new cutlery genre and blade pattern. He took certain design elements of Japanese long swords (katana and wakizashi, principally their unique chisel-like point (kissaki) and put them on a fighting knife. He then curved the blade upwards to give it better balance and flow. On some designs he also added a spine swedge. His designs created a sensation in the custom knife circles, inspiring many copies and variations, but few makers acknowledged his influence, and I am sure many do not even know he created it. He was that unassuming and humble, kind of like Sal and his pocket clip. It was Bob’s innovation that started an international trend, but it was Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel, who recognized its commercial potential, promoted it, made his fortune because of it, and put the name tanto into our knife vocabulary. Surprisingly, Bob did not originally, if ever, call this knife design with a chisel-like point an American Tanto, but referred to it as an Armor Piercing Dagger. Please note that traditional Japanese tanto (considered a sword in Japanese nomenclature, but the equivalent of a dagger in Western tradition) are straight spined and do not have a chisel-like point. As a matter of fact, there are virtually no known extant examples with a chisel point.

FYI, it was through Sal’s prodding that the pragmatic Bob finally learned to build folding knives and his own folding tanto. I am sure many who saw them thought he was just following the trend and was not the inventor.

Bob Lum should be recognized as the unsung creator of the American-style Tanto and for this contribution alone should be elected to the Blade Hall of Fame, notwithstanding his legacy as a knife maker and his passion for Asian-influenced cutlery, combine exotic materials and clean flowing modern lines, melding these together with pointedly tactical and American features.

nb

[Holland]

Very cool background and awesome knife!

[Larry_Mott]

I'm a huge fan of Bob Lum's designs!