Crazy idea: Tanto Delica

[tonijedi]

I have a SOG Mini x-ray vision (from when SOG still did good knives...) that I keep in my tool box.
It's a great knife for some DIY tasks, it is the same size of the Delica. Here's a stock picture of it:

Would it be too crazy to ask for a Tanto Delica or Salt 2?
:D
Not a fan of tanto for EDC but they do make an excellent choice for some works.

[Jazz]

It would be crazy to me. Kind of a useless blade shape (to me). Change my mind.

[kennethsime]

I probably won't buy it, but sure! OP, have you seen the Tanto PM2 from Bladeshow?

[tonijedi]

I probably won't buy it, but sure! OP, have you seen the Tanto PM2 from Bladeshow?

Yes, I've seen the tanto PM2 and I like the looks of it.
We all know some people like tanto blades and others don't, I just find it useful for some works like scrapping and precision cuts.

Not everyone's cup of tea, even I only have one blade like this, but I remember all the enthusiasm from the PM2 thread. Today I grabbed my tool box and saw the SOG knife, hence this topic.

It would be crazy to me. Kind of a useless blade shape (to me). Change my mind.

It's like an anti-wharnie so I get your point :D

[Wartstein]

Don´t know... just in theory I don´t see much of a niche for a Tanto in my personal use, but I´ve never had a Tanto blade. So I am not entitled to weigh in here, maybe I´d even experience some benefits I can´t think of right now if I ever gave a Tanto a real chance...

[kennethsime]

I will say I'd be more likely to buy a strange bladeshape in a Dragonfly or Delica platform than anything bigger. I may just yet end up with a Wharnie or Hawbill Dragonfly, and perhaps I'd be more likely to purchase a Tanto Delica than a Tanto PM2.

[steelcity16]

Not really interested in a Tantlica, but I would be interested in a Worklica (aka Worker LW).

[curlyhairedboy]

If it was a Japanese style tanto I'd be down to try it!

[Haunted House]

I love tantos but Delica wouldn’t be my first choice for one I don’t think.
I mean... I’d probably buy it :D but I’d rather see it on something with a thicker/longer blade.

[Jazz]

I love tantos...

I’d love for you to explain why.

[SubMicron]

It would be crazy to me. Kind of a useless blade shape (to me). Change my mind.

It's not crazy, it's just one more tool in the toolbox.

I own zero tanto blades and recently found myself in the situation where a small tanto folder would have been the best tool for the job. I had to rehab 4 outdoor signs, which involved scraping off a multi year rock hard adhesive buildup. The sun turned the adhesive into something like cement and what scraped off was similar to sand.

The shape of what needed to be scraped prevented any other blade style from hitting a flat. This meant that I had to go back and forth, for hours, scraping a thin line where the belly could make contact with the sign. I was working with an awkward angle.

I tried a D2 sheep's foot on a CRKT Pilar, a S30V leaf on a Lil' Native, a M390 wharncliff on a Kershaw Dividend, and a S30V drop point on a Bugout. Larger knives were not an option. All of the steels held up well, except for fine edge loss.

The entire time during that project I found myself wanting a small Tanto. The BM Bailout crosses the line of what I can bring into work, so it's not an option, and is not part of my collection.

I'd buy a Tanto Delica with M4 steel immediately if it were available... especially if it maintained the metal liners.

The PM2 and the Delica are both prime candidates for alternative blade shapes that are practical, such as the Tanto.

[James Y]

Would a tanto-style blade even work with the Delica 4 handle? I think that the point would end up sticking way up out of the handle in the closed position.

Jim

[GarageBoy]

Visually, I get it, but could never get myself to use one - every time I bought a cs/Emerson style tanto - I used it like a Wharncliffe
What do you use that forward bevel for?

Also, how do you sharpen them and maintain that crisp transition?

[James Y]

Visually, I get it, but could never get myself to use one - every time I bought a cs/Emerson style tanto - I used it like a Wharncliffe
What do you use that forward bevel for?

Also, how do you sharpen them and maintain that crisp transition?

I personally don’t care for tangos, and I’ve had a few; Emerson, Cold Steel, and Benchmade Stryker. To sharpen and maintain that crisp transition, you have to treat the two edges as separate. The primary edge is taken care of first (or second, depending on one’s preference), and then the secondary edge is done. Don’t try to resharpen a squared tanto’s edge from heel to tip in one stroke, or you will most likely round off that transition point.

Jim

[alnico357]

I like tanto blades and have a Cold Steel Mini Tanto. It is not a folder. I think of a tanto blade as being more geared for self defense than a tool for general purposes.

[GarageBoy]

I personally don’t care for tangos, and I’ve had a few; Emerson, Cold Steel, and Benchmade Stryker. To sharpen and maintain that crisp transition, you have to treat the two edges as separate. The primary edge is taken care of first (or second, depending on one’s preference), and then the secondary edge is done. Don’t try to resharpen a squared tanto’s edge from heel to tip in one stroke, or you will most likely round off that transition point.

Jim

Right, but as you go near the transition, do you have to stop right at the transition?

[Haunted House]

I love tantos...

I’d love for you to explain why.

You asked me the same question in the shot show 2020 thread. Here was my response:

“ I carried a tanto for almost 10 years and I never found it underperforming.
From military service to plain old hard blue collar work, my tanto never left me longing for a different blade shape. They’re tough as **** and can do things like prying, opening paint cans, using as a screwdriver, etc that I wouldn’t dream of trying with a standard leaf shape ffg.
(They actually work surprisingly well for skinning too. I dressed a goat in Afghanistan with one and the front flat blade angle was mint up in the cavity separating the diaphragm from rib cage, and the secondary point worked great for cutting the esophagus/ windpipe).

It wasn’t until I got on knife forums & social media that I saw Internet knife bros saying they aren’t good for edc tasks, only good for stabbing, etc. :rolleyes:
Don’t you believe it.
If you’re one of those guys who wants the thinnest blade possible and your main daily task is cutting open amazon boxes, then yeah, a thin ffg will work better (or better yet, just get a box cutter).
But for daily tasks and hard use, they’re great ime.

*Also worth noting is different makers make the blades in different variations, and most aren’t awesome. Some make chisel grind, most make the blades too thick, or too thick of a spine, etc. I’d venture that’s why some folks have had less than stellar performance.

But from what Eric talked about on this new design, I imagine it’s gonna cut like a demon.
He talked about it having a hollow grind on the belly and being thin bte(awesome!), a specific flat grind up front with a well thought out spine & a unique swedge. They’ve clearly put a lot of thought into this, and I think folks are gonna be pleasantly surprised with its performance.

And yes, it should be plenty stabby as well :D “

[Haunted House]

I personally don’t care for tangos, and I’ve had a few; Emerson, Cold Steel, and Benchmade Stryker. To sharpen and maintain that crisp transition, you have to treat the two edges as separate. The primary edge is taken care of first (or second, depending on one’s preference), and then the secondary edge is done. Don’t try to resharpen a squared tanto’s edge from heel to tip in one stroke, or you will most likely round off that transition point.

Jim

Right, but as you go near the transition, do you have to stop right at the transition?

I do. I treat it like 2 different blades & sharpen each section separately. Long edge first and then the short edge.
When I first started sharpening them I was very precise & surgical around the transition. After a while you don’t even think about it.
The transition is a right angle, as long as you aren’t trying to sharpen the whole knife(both edges) in one fell swoop, you won’t round it out.

Here’s an easy way to think about sharpening tantos:
-The long edge is the same as any straight edge blade. Easy to sharpen.
-The front edge is like a chisel(technically a skew chisel). A short straight edge. Also easy to sharpen.

[rabbitanarchy14]

i think this would be a hit even if its not my cup o tea. i wouldnt mind a reverse tanto pm2, para3, manix 2 all in g10.

[tonijedi]

Would a tanto-style blade even work with the Delica 4 handle? I think that the point would end up sticking way up out of the handle in the closed position.

Jim

That's my only concern about this possibility :rolleyes: