How To Sharpen A Tanto Blade

Initially designed for armor piercing, the tanto blade was developed, invented, and popularized during the late 1970s by the Cold Steel company.

This type of blade is known for its sheer strength and power, multiple practical uses, and quality pommel, which all cooperate to form a more functional and durable tool.

How to sharpen a tonto blade mostly depends on its uses and the available resources, and undertaking the task requires at least a general knowledge of knife sharpening principles and techniques.

This article shall discuss the most common sharpening techniques and the importance of opting for a tanto blade.

1. How to sharpen a tanto blade with a stone

Before beginning any sharpening task, you need to have all the proper personal protective equipment such as gloves to protect your hands. 

For this particular type of sharpening, you first need to set up the slot stones that mostly resemble your blade angle.

You ought to use the coarse brown stones with the corners facing each other first.

After that, with the blade's cutting edge facing down, pass it from the blade's heel to the secondary location between the cutting edges.

Make sure you stop on or just before rounding the point. Repeat the procedure on both sides of the blade, ensuring at least 20 strokes on each side of the cutting edges.

 

2. How to sharpen a tanto blade with spyderco sharpmaker

Spyderco is an organization that produces the revolutionary set of fine Tri-Angle ceramic sharpening stone mostly used to sharpen a drop point knife for survival and hunting activities.

They provide you with the best blade sharpener in the market and a first-class knife sharpening set that will help you maintain your tools in optimal working conditions.

You are advised to use the rounded stone edges for serrated blades combined with a slightly loose grip, allowing the blade to flow smoothly into each serration's recesses.

The device is easy to use and is suitable for blade edges that are rarely used, but you can always get coarser stones that are not particularly aggressive and are better suited for those blades that are not full

Advantages of using tonto blades over other blades...

1. Easy sharpening 

Like many other blades, tanto blades have secondary bevels making them easy to sharpen and maintain. 

A blade with straight cutting edges can be easily sharpened using stone sharpeners, while ceramic stropping and rod can be applied where bent blades are concerned.

Tanto blades are easy to sharpen, and most of these blades have secondary bevels, just like most other knife designs.

A tanto with a straight blade can easily be sharpened on a stone, while a ceramic rod and stropping can be used for slightly curved blades.

2. Super strength

Tanto blades are arguably the strongest blades available, which proves to be the most prominent feature of these blades.

Each of the blades designed with a flat grind and a high tanto point. This structure design makes for an extra powerful tool that has the might to puncture the hardest of materials.

The blade is also reinforced, enabling the user to continuously use the blade on hard surfaces while not risking snapping the blade.

Additionally, their type of blade does not wear out over time than other blades, which often rust upon usage.

3. Chisel Blade Point

This blade has a similar style to a chisel, giving the cutting edge additional durability and power compared to other blade points.

For it to achieve such, much of the metal components are concentrated near the edge.

Even though this type of blade is used for survival activities in the wilderness, it also makes a good decorative and defensive weapon.

The chisel tanto point on one end is an excellent complement to the pommel on the opposite end and makes for a potent overall knife design.

Final thoughts

As for those of us who opt for freehand sharpening of the blade, don't be too disappointed when you find your angles are quite off. 

To keep the angle consistent, search around the web for tips and DIY skills you might adopt to help you adapt faster to the task.

You could also search for those blades that are too old or rusty to practice your angles before embarking on a pricy tanto blade.

How to sharpen a tanto blade should be one of the most crucial survival in case you get lost.