My First Fixed Blade - Smith & Wesson 910 Tanto grind

[pmaxey83]

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This is the Smith and Wesson 901 in Tanto grind. This knife comes in both drop point and tanto. It is a fixed blade, made with 7Cr17MoV high carbon steel with a gray coating. It has a skeletonized handle wrapped in black 550 paracord. The knife comes with a so-so edge, but it's extremely easy to give it a razors edge. Obviously with the metal being equivalent to AUS 6, it won't have the best edge retention; and if the coating goes away, it will need maintenance to keep the rust away. This knife was about $19.00, so not bad at all for what I need it for.(which is simple camping, I plan on getting a larger fixed blade for heavy duty tasks)

Thoughts?

[Neilau]

I’m curious, why did you get a Tanto point for general camping?

Tanto points are designed for stabbing through armor (car doors?). This grind was developed for fighting (armor piercing). You will find it a pain for general use.

A drop point would be much better for general use. Try skinning something with a Tanto or even cutting up veggies etc.

The general purpose camp knife is a 4-6 inch clip point or since Loveless popularized them, drop points. Think of the old Boy Scout belt knife.

Knife designs have been settled for thousands of years. Different designs have been developed for different tasks. A lot of modern knives are more steel sculptures than useable tools (fantasy knives) and the desire to make something different. When Cold Steel brought out their large Tanto grind knife years ago, everyone started making them.

As someone that uses a knife almost daily (I live on a farm) and have been collecting knives for years. I can tell you that the Tanto design is not very practicable for general use. This one, I think, is also a bit short, even for self defense.

Still for $19 it is a nice little knife but I wouldn’t have selected it for a general purpose camping knife.

Also, if you are thinking of getting a large camp knife for “heavy duty use”, consider getting a small hatchet instead. A large knife is heavy and awkward to carry around and for what you are likely to use it for, a hatchet will do the job a lot better.

Just my thoughts.

[pmaxey83]

Thank you for the info Neilau. I understand the design isn't entirely practical, but I went both ways with it. I needed a belly to thin down to a nice edge for anything requiring a good edge plus it doesn't hurt to have something I can stab into some flesh if needed. I don't plan on hunting, just some basic camping.(set up the tent, dig a little fire pit, relax, I'm just looking to get away) Plus the price makes it "ok" for me to do essentially anything I want to the knife and not regret it.

The hatchet does make more sense, any specific ones you can suggest?(I'm trying to stick to the same lower price point, obviously it won't be $19 :p)

[Neilau]

Check out the Fiskars X7. Light, comes with a nice head cover/carrier plus the steel seems to be of good quality.. I would thin down the edge a little. A lot of small hatchets “become too thick too soon” as it were. I’m sure others over there will give you other options that are available to you.

I don’t know what they cost over there (I’m assuming that they are available). They are probably not the cheapest but not expensive either and will give you good service around the camp and house for years.

[escher7]

Tantos are also good for prying etc. Almost impossible to break a tip.

[Neilau]

Tantos are also good for prying etc. Almost impossible to break a tip.

Using a knife tip for prying !!!

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH !!!!

Time to break out the screw driver/bottle opener on the Swiss Army Knife.

PS I know there are divers knives that are prying tools with a sharpened edge.

[escher7]

Tantos are also good for prying etc. Almost impossible to break a tip.

Using a knife tip for prying !!!

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH !!!!

Time to break out the screw driver/bottle opener on the Swiss Army Knife.

PS I know there are divers knives that are prying tools with a sharpened edge.

I wouldn't use a decent knife for prying but for $19 you get to do whatever. And in an emergency even a good knife can fulfill a need. Most don't carry a hammer or crowbar.

[Neilau]

Escher7.

I agree. I was just being silly.

[Doogs]

If you want good blades at great prices you have to check out AliExpress (free delivery on most) and ebay (shipping can be pricey) I've bought half a dozen or so now for under ten bucks Can. They have an unbelievable selection to choose from and you'll find some nice hatchets, machetes and even spear points also.

[MBI]

Tantos are also good for prying etc. Almost impossible to break a tip.

I heard that so I eventually put it to the test on a couple of popular designs.
Don't believe the hype.

[escher7]

Tantos are also good for prying etc. Almost impossible to break a tip.

I heard that so I eventually put it to the test on a couple of popular designs.
Don't believe the hype.

Depends on the quality of the steel, but clearly a thick point is stronger than a clip point etc. As Neilau says, prying with any knife is not your first choice. Most knives today are tempered back to around 56 - 58 RC, which is still pretty brittle but necessary to hold an edge. Hence it is not surprising they break if subject to a lateral force.
A Bill Moran knife, on the other hand, is hard at the blade, but softened to spring at the spine. (Not that anyone would ever pry with a Moran blade). I attended a forging seminar with him at Knoxville, back in the day, and learned how to keep the blade edge in water while flaming the back to temper it further to spring. The handle is left annealed so there are 3 different degrees of hardness in one blade. I used this technique on most of the using knives I made.

[Neilau]

I dug out my all time favourite and useful camp blade. This and a bit of parachord and you can whittle up a campsite in no time.

It's a post WW11 machete that was issued to Australian jungle fighters.

If you are looking for a machete type tool this is the best design that I have come across. Modeled on what the SE Asian natives use.

The Bolo type machetes, I have found to be pretty useless here and I imagine for your bush.

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[Neilau]

Hey pmaxey

Here's another piece of kit you might consider.

I was going through the cars "survival" kit and came across this unit that my wife bought me a few (many??) years ago.

It's 12 inches long and there are other makers doing similar things.

Used it once when setting up a camp and it was very useful. The back of the hatchet is a hammer for tent pegs etc.

The steel seems pretty good.

Anyway here it is.

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[HT4]

I dug out my all time favourite and useful camp blade. This and a bit of parachord and you can whittle up a campsite in no time.

It's a post WW11 machete that was issued to Australian jungle fighters.

If you are looking for a machete type tool this is the best design that I have come across. Modeled on what the SE Asian natives use.

The Bolo type machetes, I have found to be pretty useless here and I imagine for your bush.

M1.jpg

Looks very similar to my "go to" wood processing tool: the ontario sp-8. I've been abusing mine for about 10 years now with no ill effects... As you would expect from a 1/4" thick piece of carbon steel. Between that and the 4" fixed blade hunting knife my dad gave me when I was 12 y/o, there's very little I can't do. And I agree that those long flimsy monstrosities are darn near worthless... At least in North Anerican back country.

[escher7]

Now there is a knife you could pry with!