The differences in them are in form and purpose.
What are Tanto combat knives
The original tanto (短刀 = tan "short" + to "sword") is a traditional Japanese short knife available to civilians (as opposed to a long katana). National treasure of Japan. Combat knives Tanto is considered a melee weapon in all countries. In a safe form (made of plastic, wood, rubber, etc.) it is used in oriental martial arts.
Traditional samurai set - tanto, wakizashi and katana In the European classification of tanto:
- in size - a dagger;
- sharpening - a knife.
In the classical sense, Tanto knives are exactly the sword.
A Tanto knife in Japanese is hamono (刃 "blade, blade" + 物 "product, thing"). Despite the fact that both "jamono" and "tanto" have two hieroglyphs, the first is perceived as one word "knife", the second - as a phrase with the keyword "sword".
The second meaning of tanto is special form blade for modern knives:
- combat;
- tactical;
- folding, etc.
The thick tip of the tanto is a guarantee of the strength of the knife, even with inappropriate use This form has little in common with the classic tanto, but it is popular and widely used due to its strength.
Description of the Japanese sword Tanto
The classic tanto should be done like this:
| Parameter | Meaning | Japanese designation |
| Blade shape | slightly curved tip |
 The correct shape of the tanto blade is flat with a slight curvature |
| flat | ||
| Sharpening | unilateral | |
| Blade length | no more than 30.3 cm, otherwise wakizashi will turn out |
A standard school 30-cm ruler is exactly 1 exemplary Japanese shaku |
| total length | 35-50 cm | |
| Material | Japanese steel from sponge iron ingots |
 Tanto is made of "diamond steel" - tamahagane |
| Handle | Removable | |
| Bamboo pin |
 If you make a mekugi out of metal or horn, the sword will be decorative, not combat. |
|
| Garda * | Round |
 By the tsuba, you can recognize the owner of the blade. The samurai code forbade them to decorate, so they decorated the tsuba. Simple "guards" are the lot of commoners |
* Tsuba was never used by the Japanese to block weapons - only to hold the wrist when stabbing.
Tanto short knife parameters
Modern tanto knives differ from the canon in almost all respects:
| Parameter | Traditional tanto sword
|
Modern knife tanto
This kind of American tanto resembles a kitchen knife, but costs 10 times more. |
| Blade shape | slightly curved tip | Straight bevel under 45 ° |
| flat | With a stiffener | |
| Sharpening type | unilateral | One-sided or double-sided |
| blade length | 17-30.3 cm | 10-30 cm |
| total length | 35-50 cm | 22-50 cm |
| thickness | 5-7 mm | 2,5-7 |
| material | sponge iron steel | A variety of steels, including Damascus |
| Handle | Removable | non-removable |
| Attaching the handle to the shank | Bamboo pin | No bamboo hairpins in sight |
| Garda * | Round | Flat, round or none |
The sketch is so detailed that at least take and make a real Tanto sword yourself
American tanto took over the sharpening of the katana and added chopped shapes In pursuit of the spectacular appearance modern knives have acquired serious disadvantages:
However, the strength of the tip of modern tantoids is very high, so sticking them into something hard is much safer - and it will turn out much better than with other knives.
Tanto blades in Japanese culture
The Tanto blades are historically not a knife, but a sword, therefore, they were most often worn in a scabbard:
- for soldiers - behind the belt, on the right;
- for women - in a sleeve, a fan or behind an obi belt.
Samurai before the 14th century armed with a pair of swords - daisho ("big-small"):
- Daito ("big sword tanto") - the main one, more than 66 cm.
- Shoto ("small sword") - additional, 33-66 cm.
Sometimes japanese sword tanto was used instead of set.
A couple of things that distinguished the samurai from ordinary people- big and small sword. Guess which tanto originated from In the 14th century. the samurai's weapons have changed:
- instead of daito - tati, then - katana;
- instead of shoto - wakizashi, sometimes tanto.
The difference between tachi and katana is that the first was worn on a leash to the belt, and the second was tucked into the belt. Over time, tanto entered the military set on an ongoing basis, the third item. It was regarded precisely as a military weapon, and therefore was used accordingly:
- to finish off the enemy;
- for close quarters combat;
- for cutting off heads;
- for suicide (warriors-men, women, children);
- for self-defense (merchants, artisans, monks and other travelers).
Now tanto is a cultural heritage.
The only permitted uses are:
- wedding ceremony of the imperial family;
- oriental martial arts.
Types of tanto
In addition to the actual tanto, the short sword at different times had dozens of varieties:
| Title and photo | Difference and purpose |
 The tanto fan has a well-disguised scabbard |
Tanto scabbard in the form of a folded fan. Concealed wearing:
|
 The most despised by samurai tanto - gunshot |
Sheathed looks like a regular tanto. Outside the scabbard - a single-shot pistol. In the 17-18 centuries - as a weapon of self-defense;
|
 Like a spear - but no, yari-tanto |
The blade is exactly like the jari spear:
For piercing armor. It could be worn on the shaft like a spear. As a second hand weapon |
 Perhaps the hasiwari is the prototype of the Japanese sai weapon |
|
 Tanto saw not only cuts, but also cuts |
On the concave part there are saw teeth. Ninjas supposedly made holes in the walls to get into the house. |
 This is how tanto yoroi doshi looked like. |
|
 Aikuchi ("fitted mouth") was not considered a sword |
No guard, no handle braid, various sizes of tanto, more often short. "Civilian version", for finishing off the enemy (one who is lying down cannot be finished off with a sword, and aikutti, unlike tanto, was not considered a sword) |
 Kubikiri literally means "head cutter" |
More curved, sometimes without a point (or with a weak one), the cutting edge is on the inner side or on both sides.
|
 Tanto-kens were forged specially for monasteries |
Double-edged blade like a dagger two parallel cutting edges.
|
 The peculiarity of the hamidashi is in the handle, more precisely, in the garda-tsuba of modest size |
The specific shape of the garda-tsuba is very small, barely protruding beyond the edge.
|
 Kusungobu - a shortened version of the tanto for hara-kiri |
Ritual, the size of the tanto knife is 29.7 cm. Seppuku or harakiri |
 Too crowded for wakizashi? Use kaiken! |
|
 A kind of tanto with additional sharpening on the concave part |
Double-edged, curved tanto blade for close combat |
 Unokubi is a sophisticated Japanese tanto in the literal sense, as it becomes thinner along the entire length of the striking part and keeps only the tip and base thick |
The back of the blade becomes thinner in the middle, but thickens again closer to the tip. Tip difference:
Perhaps the stronger tip was used for stabbing. Plus, such a weapon is lighter than conventional, monolithic thick along the entire length |
 A short Japanese tanto knife with a stiffener is more like an American tanto |
Stiffening rib (approximately in the middle) |
More rare performances of tanto (as well as wakizashi, katana and naginata) are shown in the figure below.
Photo of tanto. Different geometries of Japanese bladesHistory of the tanto sword
In Japan, tanto has a long history - up to the present day:
| Eras of production | Period | Event |
| Koto, "old swords" | Heian (794 - 1185) | The emergence of tanto. Rough, not artistic |
| Gempei war (Minamoto and Tairo War) |
Tanto was included in the armament of the war:
|
|
| Kamakura | High quality, very artistic, mostly for samurai. The most famous tanto master - Yoshimitsu |
|
| Muromachi | Production peak | |
| Mamoyama (1573-1599) | ||
| Shinto, "new swords" | Edo (1600-1868) | At first, production declined, but Japanese daggers became popular. Then production increased, but quality fell. Gradually began to fall out of use, turning into a tribute to tradition |
| Shin-Shinto, "new new swords") | ||
| Meiji Dynasty (1868-1912) | The second birth is with aristocrats, ninja and yakuza. Weapons are manufactured industrially |
|
| Gendai, "modern" (1876 - 1945) | Edict Haytori (1876) | Samurai eliminated Carrying weapons is prohibited. Tanto goes out of use |
| 1940-1945 | Mass production of steel tantas for military use | |
| Shinshaku, "Newest" (after 1945 ) | 1950 - Cultural Property Law | Tanto entered the list of traditional weapons that need to be protected and preserved. Exception: WWII steel tantos forged on hastily... They are not considered cultural property and are destroyed so as not to disgrace the national heritage. |
| 1954 | The production of weapons according to ancient technologies is allowed - but only to licensed blacksmiths. At the moment, out of 650+ such manufacturers, about half are employed. |
After the 1950s, nothing interesting about tanto happened in Japan. But thirty years later, the tanto was reincarnated - in America, in the form of a combat knife.
Manufacturing history
In the United States, there was just a massive hobby for Japanese martial arts, and knife masters took advantage of this.
| Year | Event | Advertising | Image |
| 1978 | American Chinese Bob Lam creates a knife that looks like a miniature samurai sword, with the Japanese name - tanto. |  |
|
| 1979 | Individual blacksmiths picked up the style. Due to the high demand, the production of tanto is put on stream. | Increase of tanto models in the market. | |
| 1980 | Phil Hutsfield promotes a simplified version of the tanto - with a coarse chisel sharpening and a simple handle (sometimes the shank was simply wrapped in long epoxy-impregnated laces). | Fencing master Obata Toshiro cuts rice straw mats (tatami omote). Navy SEALs order tantos from Phil Hutsfield (and get them at half price). |
 |
| 1981 | Ernest Emerson designs and develops mass production folding tanto. | Again, for the SEALs. The knife has a lot of trendy attributes, including a retainer and a clip. |
 |
| 1982 | Lynn Thompson from Cold steel»Arranges mass production of tantos - both regular and folding ones. | It breaks several times in a row the car door, aircraft skin, metal barrels. Experiencing lethality on a Mexican pig farm. Forms a myth about special strength and penetration. |
 |
Ito Matsumoto 02-08-2012 21:18
So...
Senri Norihasa tanto replica.
Hiro-zukuri, makuri-gitae structure (soft core wrapped in hard steel).
Tosin 320 mm (full length of the blade)
Kami (blade) 252/25/6 mm.
Sori deflection 0 mm.
Futsu-gata nakago with kuri-jiri base, yasuri-me kesho notch (a kind of ceremonial).
Butt mune-hikushi.
Jamon notare.
Jihada ITAME.
Ito Matsumoto 02-08-2012 21:25
As for the Japanese names.
In previous works, I gave explanations to all the names, if anyone is interested - you can take a look, for reference. Or look a little at Japanese terminology, again if you're interested.
TANTO IN ONE DAY ...
It took 8 hours to make this blade FROM and TO.
Ito Matsumoto 02-08-2012 21:27
First, we recruit tateganes from pieces of pre-prepared steel (steel with 0.8% C is saturated with nitrogen and carbon). We fix the pieces by electric welding.
We weld the package. We add (1 addition = the number of layers doubles) the package 16 times. And we get about 40,000 layers.
We stretch the bag and get a rectangular bar. We chop this block lengthwise (make a depression) and insert a piece of iron (steel 20) there.
We weld. We forge a blank - a strip of sugukha, a blade will be formed from it.
Now only hand-forged. We forge a blade.
ALL...
This tanto demanded time from 10 am to 6 pm.
Kiisa 02-08-2012 21:33
Impressive blade!
But the question is, how do the Japanese define the quality of the blade? Here, I sanded / disassembled two moose with a hunting knife - very good. And for the Japanese, how many adversaries do you need to lime for the blade to be recognized as good?
------------------
Albion delenda est. "BR"
Shalim 02-08-2012 22:22
quote: We heat to the desired temperature and immerse in water.
Denis, hello. Everything is great. Current to what is the desired temperature? I understand that everything is in the forge by eye, I myself do it like that. Do you heat for hardening like ordinary carbon? Or is there a trick?
And one more question. What are you covering? I tried "KARAT", but when immersed in water or oil, the coating flies off.
sd pskov 02-08-2012 22:36
very cool and interesting, and it's clear now)
dnk 02-08-2012 22:38
I am a proponent of Sir Don Fogh's sanding method: sandpaper and lapping.
and after sandpaper? Or is that all on it?
Ito Matsumoto 02-08-2012 22:40
The temperature depends on the steel. The coating is a common high temperature oven sealant. It also depends on the geometry of the blade, the degree of shrinkage of the steel - how much more it will drag, the thickness of the coating layer ... There are many nuances. It is long and tedious to describe everything here ... It’s easier to explain it in person. Perhaps I can get out to Moscow in early September - business appears there, but it would be better to agree in advance - too many people want to meet ...
Let's get back to business ...
Shalim 02-08-2012 22:42
quote: Let's get back to business ...
OK. I'll throw off the phone in a personal.
Ito Matsumoto 02-08-2012 22:44
quote: and after sandpaper? Or is that all on it?
All ... And everyone knows that. My sanding ends with a maximum of 2500 sandpaper - then themselves - if anyone wants. Or you can immediately agree and the grinding will be done by professionals ... The beauty, of course, cannot be revealed in my way, but ...
By the way, at the suggestion ...
dnk 02-08-2012 22:47
quote: Originally posted by Ito Matsumoto:
How about osoraku-zukuri-tanto with a total size of 300-330 mm. What should be the grinding stage.
How practical))))
Okay, do it as you are used to, and then I will continue.
Ito Matsumoto 03-08-2012 05:42
Va-78 03-08-2012 12:21
The wedge is very good.
A couple of points: for a length of ~ 25cm, you can safely put 8mm. at the base;
and give the wedge a normal polish, at least on a piece, in order to see clearly what happened with the temper, i.e. what elements are distinguishable.
dnk 03-08-2012 12:48
quote: A couple of points: for a length of ~ 25cm, you can safely put 8mm
You can safely bet on shorter ones. Next week, if all goes well, I'll show you some Japanese tanto blades. If their owner permits.)) Tanto blades with a thickness of 4 mm and thinner in mune-machi are the result of several re-polishing. Except for the wide blades.
riff 03-08-2012 13:08
quote: adversaries need to lime to make the blade good?
Enough to chop the mother-in-law into sixty-four slices!
dnk 03-08-2012 13:22
quote: Originally posted by Kiisa:
But the question is, how do the Japanese define the quality of the blade?
Tests, if we talk about historical weapons. Up to tests on corpses. Life and battle. They fought a lot before the Edo period. The beauty of hada and yakiba with ham, which spoke of the quality of the blade.
Stingy 03-08-2012 13:38
Very like! Like the previous ones ...
Va-78 03-08-2012 13:41
quote: You can safely bet on shorter ones.
yes, but here I am looking from a practical / fencing point of view. When wielding a large tanto against a katana, if we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to strike at the wrists (kote-giri / kote-uchi), then we are forced to work more selectively with the distance to reach the tsuki. Those. the variability in the use of the sword is reduced. Well, in parries, a bit of mass will not hurt.
and on shorter ones (15-19cm) this thickness is just "nice".
Va-78 03-08-2012 13:44
By the way - such blades as the last few - they are no longer ashamed to sign. If you want, of course. The main thing is not to screw up the signature.)
Va-78 03-08-2012 14:13
I also thought: well, Ito-kun is now riveting blades. The blades are good, I think the people who are interested will sniff out - and who will sculpt frames for all of them? Though unpretentious, correct shirasaya are at least needed.
Those. perhaps it is worth looking for reasonable cooperation. I really don't know who does this without brutal show-off.
dnk 03-08-2012 14:22
The blade is not an XO.
Dressed Blade - XO. In addition to those with a certificate of CC (cultural value), the conclusion of the ECC is a household or with an obscene absence of a cutting edge.
Well, admit it, who does XO?))
Va-78 03-08-2012 15:12
quote: Dressed Blade - XO.
Well, if strictly "academically", then shirasaya is not "frame" but "pencil case, box".
Well, no one canceled the general guests - you can dress in aiguti and not coldly, choosing the proportions.
dnk 03-08-2012 15:16
I recently (two days ago) showed a naked blade to a police officer - I heard - HO!
I also told him about the guests.
Academically it is not necessary, it is necessary practically. Or to score on everything, at your own peril and risk, but personally I am law-abiding.
There are corresponding articles for any product, if you don't want problems - fill out the paperwork.
Va-78 03-08-2012 15:42
quote: I personally am law-abiding
Also, in principle, I do not do XO, but what the law allows - sorry, move as they say. SM's illiteracy is not a reason for me.
If he really bakes, you can go and get a piece of paper. Corruption, of course, but here from the category of "shopade".
quote: Academically it is not necessary, it is necessary practically.
And in practice, it is still necessary to convey to the experts a bright idea about the irrelevance of blades! Genuine shirasai to XO.
After all, there are dynamic tests that clearly demonstrate that two boards glued with rice glue are not suitable for repeated powerful blade strikes.
or play on the bend. But you never know ...
dnk 03-08-2012 16:01
And people don't want shirasai, but kosirae.
Ito Matsumoto 03-08-2012 20:26
All the latest tanto blades are one customer. Further polishing and clothing will be carried out at his place.
I will sign - but for now I practice to write correctly and clearly. Learning English still all right, but now also Japanese ... it's a little stressful. The brain does not yet perceive the flow of information properly, it has not gained momentum.
Va-78 05-08-2012 13:37
quote: All the latest tanto blades are one customer.
Damn ... By the way, one could have warned.
quote: And yet, for order and understanding: hav mach +/-.
dnk 05-08-2012 14:33
quote: It is ugly to scold such things - like how to make money.
No matter that there is nothing to scold here - in principle, it is ugly. ((
I absolutely disagree.
I posted it - be ready for criticism. Here you just need to separate criticism from criticism. Criticism is constructive, reasoned, competent - for the benefit of everyone. But, there are people who perceive her painfully, and this is understandable, everyone has pride)).
Critics - you can safely ignore)).
Earning money by a persistent practitioner will not pass)).
Ito Matsumoto 05-08-2012 18:36
If I was afraid of criticism, I would not post it here ...
My earnings do not break from this criticism ...
Maybe after 10 years of persistent practice I will be able to do something more intelligible and correct. Although my interests are not limited to Japan itself.
Many people know that the tanto is a Japanese knife, although the variant that is known to most people is the so-called "American tanto", that is, an American replica of the Japanese knife. The real Japanese tanto knife has a rounded blade tip, while the Americans simplified their version of the Japanese knife by cutting the tip at 45 degrees.
Japanese samurai set
Japanese tanto knife (or short sword tanto) is included in a set of three samurai swords:
- Daito (long sword);
- Seto (wakizashi or medium sword);
- Tanto (short sword or knife).
Since the long sword could only be worn by representatives of the samurai class, it was wakizashi and tanto that were the main weapons of traders and artisans who used them for self-defense.
Although the tanto is just a stylish traditional knife for the US residents, the Japanese have never perceived it that way. A real tanto is a cold weapon, moreover, it was forbidden to use it for any economic purposes. By the way, wearing a tanto in Japan is illegal and punishable by a high fine. For Japanese people who really want to carry a knife that looks like a tanto, American firms have come up with folding models with tant-like blades. Their dimensions do not fall within the definition of edged weapons in Japan.
The introduction of tanto knives in Japan
The first tanto knives appeared during the Heian period from 794 to 1185. These knives did not differ in workmanship. During the Kamakura period, better materials were used to make tanto, and the knife itself became an invariable attribute of samurai weapons.
Besides the samurai, the tanto knife was the weapon of choice for the yakuza. The ninjas also liked to use it, as this knife was worn by various social groups population, and he did not arouse any suspicion. The tanto scabbard was also richly decorated. All tanto blades, made according to traditional technology, are the cultural heritage of the country.
Significance of tanto to Japanese culture
In the United States, tanto knives are produced by many arms companies, a real Japanese tanto knife can be made only after obtaining a special license from a master gunsmith. There are no more than 300 such masters throughout Japan. Each tanto, created by their hands, bears the mark of the master on the blade.
Although you can find many tantos from the Second World War on sale now at auctions in various countries, you should not strive to get them in your collection. These knives were not produced using technology, using low quality steel. The Japanese government systematically disposes of such blades, as they are low-quality consumer goods that have nothing to do with real short swords.
Most often, tanto blades are sharpened on one side, although blades with the usual double-sided sharpening have been found.
Since tanto knives are very popular among martial arts sections, the industry produces many plastic or rubber copies of these knives, which are used to practice knife fighting techniques with a real enemy. Traditional educational tanto is wooden dummies, which were used in the Middle Ages. The material for training wooden weapons is very carefully selected, so they can serve for years.
Often there are combat specimens of tanto, designed for piercing armor. They are distinguished by a thick and faceted blade. Tantos without a protective guard were called aikutti, and small tantoids called kaiken were used by women for self-defense.
Different varieties of Japanese tanto knives
Although it is believed that tanto knives fall into only two categories (Japanese and American tanto), there are several varieties of the traditional Japanese tanto knife:
- The aikutti knife differs from the usual tanto in the absence of a guard. These knives came in various sizes, although short blades were used most often. In battle, knives of this type were used to finish off the enemy, since the code of honor of a warrior forbade killing a lying enemy with a sword. Since aikutti (unlike tanto) was not considered a sword, they were not forbidden to finish off;
- The kubikiri knife has a more curved blade. A knife of this type might not have a blade edge and was intended to cut off the enemy's heads. According to one version, knives of this type were worn by the servants of the samurai, who collected their master's peculiar trophies. Since this knife is devoid of a blade edge, it was used only for specific tasks. Some believe that this knife was used for chopping wood or for gardening. It is noteworthy that knives of this type were made by Japanese blacksmiths at a time when traditional swords were practically not ordered. It is possible that this is how Japanese gunsmiths made household knives on the basis of combat copies;
- The tanto fan was a kind of hidden weapon and, along with a battle fan, was a fairly popular Japanese weapon. Most often, low quality steel was used for these knives, although professional assassins and ninjas made their tanto fans from high quality steel, since the life of their owner often depended on the quality of the weapon. In addition to professional spies, such knives were used by women, retired military men, monks and other people who needed hidden weapons to protect their lives. In the late 19th century, the tanto fan was sold as a souvenir for tourists. Naturally, souvenir weapons were completely unsuitable for self-defense due to the low quality of the materials used;
- Tanto-ken - is one of the oldest knives in the form of tanto. The first knives of this kind appeared in the 7th century. Tanto-ken has a double-edged dagger-type blade. It is a ritual knife used in Buddhist ceremonies. Since blades of this type are real works of blacksmithing, they ended up in monasteries as gifts;
- The real military weapon is the yari-tanto. This blade was used to pierce armor. The blade of this knife almost completely copied the blade of the yari spear. There were specimens with a hollow handle that could be worn on a shaft and used as a spear. Like any combat weapon, some of the yari-tanto blades were richly inlaid. Some examples of these weapons were used as second-hand weapons;
- Tanto pistols, although they were quite interesting examples of weapons, were quite rare. After the Portuguese brought match guns to Japan in the 16th century, firearms within a fairly short time gained immense popularity, although real samurai treated him with contempt. Tanto pistols appeared in the 17-18 centuries and gained popularity not only as a weapon of self-defense, but also as a thing that emphasized the status of its owner. It looked like an ordinary tanto knife, but when it was pulled out of its scabbard, it turned out to be a single-shot pistol. Although the workmanship was often poor, such concealed firearms in the world of swords were a significant advantage in a dangerous situation;
- Another weapon designed exclusively for warfare was the hasiwari knife. This weapon was intended to grab the enemy's blade with a hook. The hasiwari blade was strong enough to penetrate helmets and armor. The length of the hasiwari blade varied from 30 to 40 centimeters, which was quite enough to inflict a fatal blow;
- One of the most unusual species tanto was tanto-saw. Many experts still cannot understand what it was intended for. Although if you remember that Japanese ninjas often entered dwellings by cutting holes in the walls, it can be assumed that the tanto-saw is a specific tool of the shadow warriors.
In addition to the traditional Japanese types of tanto, there are many more tant-like blades produced by various knife manufacturers. Due to the great popularity of folding knives, many models with tanto-type blades have appeared. Their advantage over other types of blades is the high strength of the blade edge.
There are many tanto-shaped knives on sale now. When buying such a product, remember that most of the models sold have an American tanto-shaped blade, which even looks very different from the classic Japanese tanto.
Greetings to all those who like to work with metal. I propose to consider the instructions for making a quality knife in the Japanese style "tanto". In general, initially such knives were swords, but then this shape of the blade fell in love with the masters and they began to make knives in this style. Such knives are very convenient for woodworking, they can also be successfully cut and chopped, this blade profile was approved by some chefs.
The author decided to make his knife from a file, this metal is strong, hardenable, the knife will be sharp and durable. The file must be correct, good metal is found only in old samples. At the fracture, the metal of the file should be of a uniform gray color, and when cutting the core, thick bright sparks should pour out. Modern files are made of poor metal, cementing only the outer part. In addition, the manufactured blade must be properly hardened, otherwise carbon may burn out, which makes the steel strong.
Materials and tools used
List of materials:
- old file;
- wood for the handle;
- epoxy with black dye;
- rope;
- copper tubes and copper sheets;
- a deer horn and a thick board (for a stand);
- wood for the scabbard;
- oil for wood impregnation.
Tool list:
- grinder;
- drill;
- files for metal and wood;
- plane;
- sandpaper;
- hammer;
- chisels;
- forging furnace and accessories for forging;
- hacksaw;
- vice;
- hammer;
- gas-burner;
- clamps;
- polishing paste or fine sandpaper.
Knife making process:
Step one. Making the main profile
It should be noted right away that it is impossible to manually process the file just like that, since the steel is hardened and very strong. Here you either need a vacation, or you can simply use forging, as our author did. We heat the metal to a red glow and slowly, using a hammer and anvil, set the desired blade profile. The metal should not be overheated too much, as the alloying element may burn out, and the steel will turn into raw material. It is advisable to perform forging as high quality as possible, so you will then have less time for grinding.
Step two. Let's start grinding
Next, we need to grind the blade to remove all the defects left after forging. For this we need files, clamp the blade and process. Of course, the fastest way to do this is with a belt sander. Metal can now be processed manually, since we released it.
Next, you can use the already sandpaper attached to the block. It is helpful to moisten the paper with water as it works much more efficiently by cleaning it. As a result, we work with the finest sandpaper or on a fine-grained grinding stone. The metal needs to be brought to an almost perfect state, as further hardening is to be done.
Step three. Hardening
We proceed to hardening, since we previously let go of the metal. To do this, the author coated the blade with a heat-resistant compound so that the alloying elements remain in place. Well, then we warm up the blade to a bright red glow and dip it in oil. After that, we check the blade, trying to scratch it with a file. If there are no scratches, great, then the steel is hardened. As for such a moment as a vacation, the author did not do it, but it is recommended.
Step four. Bolster and emphasis
On the blade there is a so-called bolster or overlay, thanks to which the scabbard is fixed. In addition, this detail has ethical significance, the knife looks more beautiful with it. We make this part from a piece of copper pipe, cut off the desired piece, and then form the desired profile with a hammer. The author welded the ends of the pipe, they can also be soldered. In addition, we need to focus, here we need sheet copper. We cut out the necessary workpiece and cut a hole for the profile of the tail of the blade.
Step five. Back and handle
The author makes the base for the handle from wood. We select a block of hard wood and form the desired profile with a plane. Next, we drill and bore a hole for the knife shank. We form the final profile using files.
Also, the author made a backplate for the pen, thanks to which it will last longer, and it looks amazing. The back is made from a piece of copper pipe and a piece of copper sheet. Both parts are welded together gas burner, they can also be soldered or glued with epoxy. The author goes through the stop and the back with a hammer, making dents. This gives the impression that the knife is made antique, looks beautiful.
Step six. Pin and decorations
An interesting feature of this knife is that the handle is installed without glue, it is held on one carefully fitted pin. But if you want, you can put it on glue. First, drill a hole in the handle where the pin will be installed. A brass or copper rod can be used as a pin. Next, we make two "flowers" as a decoration. The author makes them from sheet copper, the hole needs to be punched, so the flower will be securely fixed. For more details on how such details are made, see the photo.
Step seven. Finishing the handle
The main material of the handle is wood. From above it is wrapped with a black rope impregnated with glue. As a result, he gets a very strong and beautiful handle. For these purposes, we need epoxy and black dye. We wind the rope and saturate it well with glue. When the glue is dry, you will get an excellent long lasting finish. We also install the back plate on epoxy. Let the glue dry for a day.
Step eight. Scabbard and stand
We make a scabbard for the knife, they are wooden from the author. We take two boards and with the help of a chisel we form a hollow part into which the blade will go. Then these parts are glued together with epoxy and the desired profile is formed using files and sandpaper. Coarser processing can be done with a plane.
Also, the author decided to make a stand for his masterpiece. Of course, this is not necessary at all. For these purposes, the author used deer antlers. We select the material for the base, it can be a piece of a thick board. With the help of a chisel, we make a recess in it under the nose of the scabbard. The horns should be secured so that the knife rests on them. We fix the horns using epoxy glue, additionally fix the horns with a screw, and so on.
Step nine. We collect the knife and test
Polish all parts of the knife. For its assembly, the author did not use glue, everything is kept on a pin, which is very accurately fitted in place. Thanks to this design, the handle can be quickly disassembled and polished or replaced. If you use brass instead of honey, you can assemble everything with glue, because brass is much more resistant to oxidation.
That's all, now the knife is ready, it remains to sharpen it to the state of a blade and put it in a sheath on a chic stand made of horns. Everything looks amazing. That's all, the project is over, I hope you liked it. Good luck and creative inspiration if you want to repeat. Don't forget to share yours
With which you have to work, you can try to make a knife - tanto.
It should be said right away that the length of the knife ranges from 24 to 26 cm. Therefore, you must prepare a block of wood 260x40x20 mm in size. The thickness of the bar can be from 16mm.
The warping of the tree does not affect such a length of wood. This observation is true if you chose dry wood. Wet can dry out.
On this block, from the side, draw a sketch of the future knife according to the template.
In this file you will find a full-size sketch of the knife 1:1 that can be printed and used as a template when making tanto. It looks like this:
Then draw a center line on top, which you draw along all four sides. Make all subsequent marks from it. This allows you to draw symmetrical lines regardless of the original curvature of the wood block.
Pay attention to the proportions of the blade and handle!
With a knife length of 26 cm, the length of the handle is 11 cm.
With a knife length of 25 cm, the length of the handle is 10.5 cm.
With a knife length of 24 cm, the length of the handle is 10 cm.
But of course you can choose "your" size.
On the side, make small marks with a pencil:
From the very edge of the knife - 7mm. and from this mark - 10mm.
Make these marks along the entire length of the knife at a distance of approximately 20 - 30mm.
From the end of the handle, from the outer edges, make 7mm marks.
From the line of the beginning of the handle, make marks:
1. - from the top edge - 7 and 10mm.
2. - from the bottom edge - 7mm.
Apply the following markings on top:
Near the tip, from the main centerline, on both sides of it, make marks of 4.5mm.
From the start line of the handle, on either side of the centerline, mark 5.5mm.
Near the end of the knife, on both sides of the center line, make 5mm marks.
Do the same below:
Near the point, from the center line, make two marks:
1. - 1mm.
2. - 4mm.
From the start line of the handle, on either side of the center line, also make two marks
1. - 2.5 - 3mm.
2. - 5.5mm.
Near the end of the knife, on both sides of the center line, mark 5mm each.
This is where the initial marking ends and curly cutting begins.)
But seriously, you should take a sharpened cutter or knife and cut off excess wood along the marking lines.
Begin cutting carefully, observing the direction of the grain. Depending on this, cut strictly in the direction of the grain.
You should have something like the following:
View from the side of the tip:
Now we need to shape the blade of the knife.
To do this, you need to make the following markings on the side of the knife:
From the edge of the future blade 7mm, at some distance between each other, draw marks with a pencil, which you connect in one line.
View from the side of the tip:
Now we form the very edge of the knife:
On the side, we draw a line from the edge of the knife at 20 mm.
From the end of the tip, draw parallel lines of 3.5 mm. from the center line.
The next step is the final shaping of the knife edge. To do this, on the resulting workpiece from the edge of the tip, draw a parallel line of the tip with a width of 8 mm. From this line towards the center end line, cut off the excess wood.
It should look like this:
As a result, you should have a knife of the following type:
The knife is almost ready. It remains only to process the sharp edges of the knife.
To do this, fixing the knife with a clamp to the table (or with a vice, but always through a spacer - a piece of hardboard or thick cardboard), process the edges with a file - with light movements !!!
DO NOT TOUCH the top of the blade!
Only machine the handle to round it and the blade to remove the bulging edges. After that, use sandpaper to polish the knife.
Everything! This ends the making of the knife!
All that remains is the final treatment: polishing, staining, protective coating, etc.
Method of attaching tanto for processing
