Greetings to knife lovers. In this tutorial we will look at how to simply make a small tanto knife. The Japanese came up with this knife design, and initially it was a combat sword. But experience shows that this knife profile is excellent for a regular knife. It is convenient, it is easy for them to plan, cut, and so on.
Making a knife is not difficult, the most difficult thing will be making the bevels, but if you have a belt sander, then this should not pose any problems. The most important thing is to choose high-quality steel for your knife. The author used good steel grade 01. This steel is good because it is very easily hardened, and it can be hardened using a torch and a container of oil. Tempering steel can be done in a household oven. This steel contains as much as 1% carbon, which means that the metal becomes quite strong after hardening. In addition, this steel grade also contains manganese (1.2%), silicon (0.75%), chromium (0.5%), vanadium (0.20%) and tungsten (0.5%).
Thanks to this composition, the steel is hardened to a hardness of 60 HRC. And thanks to the presence of chromium, steel is resistant to rust. So, let's take a closer look at how to make such a knife!
Materials and tools that the author needed:
List of materials:
- steel 01 or other similar;
- plastic or wood for linings;
- steel or brass tubes (for pins);
- epoxy adhesive.
List of tools:
- belt grinder;
- drilling machine;
- polishing agents;
- vices and clamps;
- forge furnace, household oven, hardening oil;
- band cutting saw.
Knife making process:
Step one. Preparing and cutting out the main profile
First you need to come up with or find a ready-made profile for a knife or tanto sword on the Internet. On a computer it can be reduced to required sizes, and then print it on the printer. Cut out the resulting template using scissors and stationery knife. We glue the paper template to the workpiece, in our case it is 01 steel. Immediately mark the places for the holes on the metal so that you can center the template if something happens.
Step two. Grinding
So, we have a rough profile ready, now we need to process it along the contour to get what we need. A belt sander is very suitable for these purposes. We grind the remaining corners and get the finished blade profile.
Step three. Forming bevels
This is the most crucial moment in making a knife. The bevels of these types of knives are quite wide, and the blade gradually gains thickness. Thanks to this profile, the blade is very sharp, like a razor. First we need to mark everything, take a black marker and paint over the place where the blade will be. Next, we take a drill of exactly the same thickness as our workpiece and flat plane draw a center line. Now we will have a shiny line in the center, and we need to sand off all the black that remains.
To form bevels, the author has a special clamp that allows you to form the desired profile. First, we work with a coarse-grained belt, remove the base metal, and then go over it with a finer grained belt. Before grinding, the author weighed the workpiece; its weight was 232 grams.
Step four. Preparing the overlays
For overlays you can use various materials, most often this is a tree. But our author prefers to use synthetic materials type of plastic. They are good because they do not require subsequent impregnation, are durable, are not afraid of moisture, and so on. We apply the shank to the material and cut out two overlays.
Step five. Drilling holes
Next, take the blade and drill two holes for the pins. The author's pins are quite large in diameter; he used tubes. First we drill holes of small diameter, and then we drill them out to the desired size.
In addition, the author drills another 10 holes of smaller diameter. These holes are needed to make the handle lighter, and this way the linings will stick better. The peculiarity of this knife is that the blade itself should be heavier than the handle, this will allow you to apply the correct force when cutting. Before such work, it is better to wrap the blade with electrical tape to avoid injury.
Step six. Quenching and tempering
When the blade is completely ready, we harden it. To do this we use a forge furnace or gas burner. We bring the blade to a yellowish glow; in this state, a magnet should not be attracted to it. Well, then we cool the blade in oil, this is how 01 steel is hardened. After hardening, the blade should not be taken with a file.
But hardening is only half the battle; after it, the blade will be very strong, but at the same time very fragile. We need to make it a little more elastic so that it springs back. Thanks to these properties, steel will no longer shatter when falling on concrete and so on. For these purposes, put the knife in a household oven for an hour or so. The temperature should be around 200 degrees Celsius. Then turn off the oven and let it cool with the knife closed. Now we have all tempered the steel, and we have a blade of excellent quality.
Step seven. Cleaning and polishing
After hardening, the steel will darken; this coating can be cleaned off and the steel polished. However, steel 01 is resistant to rust, and if you use another steel, then this coating can be left, it will not allow the metal to rust. First we process the blade on a belt grinding machine fine grain belt. And then you can proceed to manual processing. We clamp the shank with a clamp and grind the blade with fine sandpaper using special remedy or plain water. Then we polish the blade until mirror shine if needed. When everything is ready, wrap the blade with electrical tape again so as not to hurt your hands and not scratch the knife itself.
Step eight. Glue the handle
To glue the handle we use epoxy glue. We apply it to the linings, install the pins, and then we compress the whole thing thoroughly in a vice and clamps. We leave the glue to dry for a day, this is usually enough. We immediately wipe off any remaining glue so that there is less sanding to do later.
Many people know that the tanto is a Japanese knife, although the version that most people know is the so-called “American tanto”, that is, an American replica of a Japanese knife. A real Japanese tanto knife is distinguished by a rounded tip of the blade, while the Americans simplified their version of the Japanese knife by cutting the tip at 45 degrees.
Japanese Samurai Set
The Japanese tanto knife (or short tanto sword) is included in a set of three samurai swords:
- Daito (long sword);
- Seto (wakizashi or medium sword);
- Tanto (short sword or knife).
Since only representatives of the samurai class could carry a long sword, it was wakizashi and tanto that were the main weapons of merchants and artisans who used them for self-defense.
Although to the US the tanto is just a stylish traditional knife, the Japanese have never seen it that way. A real tanto is a bladed weapon; moreover, it was forbidden to use it for any economic purposes. By the way, wearing a tanto is illegal in Japan and is punishable by a high fine. For residents of Japan who really want to carry a knife that looks like a tanto, American companies have come up with folding models with tanto-like blades. Their size does not fall under the definition of edged weapons in Japan.
The appearance of tanto knives in Japan
The first tanto knives appeared during the Heian period from 794 to 1185. These knives did not differ in quality. During the Kamakura period, tanto was made using more quality materials, and the knife itself became an invariable attribute of the samurai’s weapons.
Besides the samurai, the tanto knife was the favorite weapon of the yakuza. Ninjas also loved to use it, since this knife was worn by various social groups population, and he did not arouse any suspicion. The sheath for the tanto was also richly decorated. All tanto blades made according to traditional technology, are the cultural heritage of the country.
The meaning of tanto for Japanese culture
In the USA, tanto knives are produced by many weapons 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 has the mark of the master on the blade.
Although now at auction various countries You can find many tantos from the Second World War on sale; you should not try to get them into your collection. These knives were not produced using technology, using low quality steel. The Japanese government systematically disposes of such blades, since they are low-quality consumer goods that have nothing in common with real short swords.
Most often, tanto blades are sharpened on one side, although blades with a regular 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 opponent. The traditional educational tanto is wooden dummies that were used back in the Middle Ages. For educational wooden weapons The material is selected very carefully, so they can last for years.
Often you come across combat specimens of tanto, designed to pierce armor. They are distinguished by a thick and faceted blade. Tantos without a protective guard were called aikutti, and small tantos called kaiken were used by women for self-defense.
Different varieties of Japanese tanto knives
Although it is believed that tanto knives are divided 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 were various sizes, although short blades were most often used. In battle, knives of this type were used to finish off the enemy, since the code of honor of a warrior prohibited killing a lying enemy with a sword. Since aikutti (unlike tanto) was not considered a sword, finishing off with it was not prohibited;
- The kubikiri knife has a more curved blade. A knife of this type may not have a blade tip and was intended to cut off the enemy’s heads. According to one version, knives of this type were worn by samurai servants who collected unique trophies for their master. Because this knife 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 work. 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 utility knives based on military knives;
- The tanto fan was a type of concealed bladed weapon and, along with the battle fan, was a fairly popular Japanese weapon. Most often, low quality steel was used for these knives, although professional killers 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 personnel, monks and other people who needed concealed weapons to protect their lives. At the end of the 19th century, the tanto fan was sold as a souvenir for tourists. Naturally, the souvenir weapon was completely unsuitable for self-defense due to the low quality of the materials used;
- Tanto-ken is one of the oldest tanto-shaped knives. The first knives of this type appeared in the 7th century. The tanto-ken has a double-edged dagger-type blade. This is a ritual knife that is used in Buddhist ceremonies. Since blades of this type are real works of blacksmithing, they came to 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 examples with a hollow handle that could be put on a shaft and used as a spear. Like any military weapon, some Yari-tanto blades had rich inlay. Some examples of these weapons were used as off-hand weapons;
- Tanto pistols, although they were quite interesting samples weapons were quite rare. After the Portuguese brought matchlocks to Japan in the 16th century, firearms quickly gained immense popularity, although real samurai treated them with contempt. Tanto pistols appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries and gained popularity not only as a weapon of self-defense, but also as a thing that emphasized the status of its owner. In appearance it was an ordinary tanto knife, but when removed from its sheath, it turned out to be a single-shot pistol. Although the quality of execution often left much to be desired, such a concealed firearm in the world of swords was a significant advantage in the event of a dangerous situation;
- Another weapon intended exclusively for war was the hasiwari knife. This weapon was intended to capture the enemy's blade using a hook. The Hashiwari blade was strong enough to pierce helmets and armor. The length of the hasiwari blade varied from 30 to 40 centimeters, which was quite enough to deliver 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 we remember that Japanese ninjas often penetrated homes by cutting holes in the walls, we can assume that the tanto saw is a specific tool for shadow warriors.
In addition to the traditional Japanese types of tanto, there are many more tanto-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 tip.
There are many tanto-shaped knives on sale now. When purchasing such a product, you need to remember that most of the models sold have a blade in the shape of an American tanto, which even in appearance is very different from the classic Japanese tanto.
The proposed drawings of knives with dimensions show that each product is individual, it is unique, and good “in its own way.”
We decide on the shape of the product.The knife manufacturing technology is the same for any of the selected options.
This?
Or this one?
Or more?
Selection of material:
- steel, R6M5 (tool steel) has sufficient hardness and holds an edge well. You can use 65G (carbon steel) or a piece of spring steel (a clean plate without corrosion, from a used one, must be used) car spring worth refusing). Select the plate in such a way that after roughing the intended contour of the finished product is preserved
- We recommend using wood (oak, walnut, pear, birch, beech, mahogany and other species) to make the handle
- rivets with a diameter of four or six millimeters
- brass or bronze plate three or four millimeters thick
Tools, accessories:
- set of drills
- set of files (flat, round)
- sandpaper (number one hundred twenty and two hundred forty)
- sandpaper and electric drill
- clamp
- workbench and vice
Manufacturing technology.
- Transfer the drawing of the knife from paper to metal plate, strictly maintaining all dimensions.
- We grind the workpiece along the selected contour. We make holes for rivets.
- We draw out the slopes of the cutting edge of the blade. We fix the resulting workpiece to the workbench (you can use screws in the holes for the rivets). Using a flat file or emery, grind the metal down the right angle(each side) to the center of the workpiece (future edge of the blade). After finishing the rough processing, we proceed to finishing processing using sandpaper.
- Hardening. We make a fire in the yard. When a good heat has formed, place the knife blank in the coals of the fire. The heating process lasts about fifteen minutes. Every two or three minutes we take out the workpiece for a few seconds. The steel should heat up to a cherry red color. Check the readiness of heating using a magnet. If the steel is no longer attracted to the magnet, heating must be stopped. We lower the slowly heated workpiece into the oil ( cutting edge down) two-thirds of the width of the blade and hold for about a minute, the oil should go out. Then we completely immerse the rest. If the smoke stops coming out, remove the workpiece. You need to do this without rushing.
- We bake in a preheated oven. The heating temperature is four hundred degrees. We stand for forty-five minutes.
- Finishing. We grind and polish the blade. We cut out an oval from a brass plate and make a hole for the shank of the blade. We make a handle from the selected type of wood, in which we drill holes for rivets. We collect all the details. Once assembled, we grind and polish the handle.
Drawings of knives with other sizes can be found in the article
In this article you will learn how to do Wooden tanto (Japanese 短刀 literal translation - "short sword" - samurai dagger). A wooden tanto is mainly used for trainers in various martial arts, and can also become a gift (decorated, for example, with carvings) or an interior element.
Reference: Tanto has a one-sided, sometimes double-sided blade with a length of 25 to 40 cm. If the length of the blade is longer, then it is already a short wakizashi sword. The tanto is made of sponge iron (tamahanane) and has a characteristic hamon, a removable handle attached to the shank with a bamboo menuka pin and a removable round guard - tsuba. Tantos are usually forged in the hira-zukuri style, that is, flat, without a stiffener, although there are also examples with a stiffener - moroha-zukuri, double. Some tantos, which had a thick triangular blade, were called eroidoshi and were designed to pierce armor in close combat.
Materials and tools:
- oak block measuring 260x35x16cm;
- knife (wood chisel), hacksaw;
- file, sandpaper (various from coarse to fine);
- pencil, marker;
- stain and linseed oil.
Step 1
To make a tanto, let's take an oak block and a sketch of the future tanto.
The tanto will be 26cm long, the handle will be 10cm. In order to maintain correct proportions during manufacturing, you should adhere to the sketch.
Let's transfer the sketch to the block. To display the characteristic curve of the tanto, we divide the length of the bar in half. In the center, measure 1/7 of the width from the edge (in in this case 5mm) and connect this point with the corners. We measure 10 cm along this line - this will be the length of the handle. The rest of the part (the future blade) is divided crosswise in half and the intersection point is connected to the beginning of the handle, thus creating the main curve of the tanto.
On the handle, at a distance of 1/4 from the edges, mark a rounding line. The blade is divided in half along the lines of the beginning of the descent. The upper part is divided in half - this will be the descent of the false blade.
Step 2
Let's start processing the block - following the sketch, we will remove all unnecessary things. Along the line dividing the block into handle and blade, we will make cuts on both sides to the thickness of the blade - this will protect the handle from chipping when removing wood with a knife. Now remove the main layer of wood with a knife.
Step 3
We will carry out rough processing with a file and final sandpaper from coarse to fine so that the surface becomes smooth.
Step 4
To give more beautiful view Let's apply a pattern to the handle or, as is customary on a tanto, make a winding around the handle. We apply the pattern to the handle with a pencil (marker) and slightly deepen (cut) the pattern along the pattern.
Step 5
After applying the pattern, we emphasize it with stain. Let us soak it in linseed oil for a day; the wood treated in this way is protected from moisture and other negative influences. It is necessary to dry tanto soaked in oil in the sun - under the influence of ultraviolet oil, creating protection.
After drying, the wooden tanto is ready for use.
With which you have to work, you can start making 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 measuring 260x40x20 mm. The thickness of the bar can be from 16mm.
For such a length of wood, warping of the wood does not affect it. This remark is true if you have chosen dry wood. Wet can cause drying.
On this block, on the side, draw a sketch of the future knife using a template.
IN this file You will find a full-size sketch of the knife 1:1 , which can be printed and used as a template when making a tanto. It looks like this:
Then draw a center line on top, which you draw along all four sides. From there you make all subsequent notes. This allows you to make symmetrical lines regardless of the initial 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.
Make marks from the beginning line of the handle:
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 center line, on both sides of it, make 4.5mm marks.
From the line of the beginning of the handle, on both sides of the center line, make 5.5mm marks.
Near the end of the knife, on both sides of the center line, apply 5mm marks.
Do the same thing below:
Near the tip, from the center line, make two marks:
1. - 1mm.
2. - 4mm.
From the line of the beginning of the handle, on both sides 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, make 5mm marks.
This is where the initial marking ends and figure cutting begins.)
But seriously, you should take a sharp cutter or knife and cut off the excess wood along the marking lines.
Begin cutting carefully, following the direction of the grain. Depending on this, cut strictly in the direction of the grain.
You should get something like this:
View from the tip:
Now we need to shape the knife blade.
To do this, you need to make the following markings on the side of the knife:
From the edge of the future blade, 7 mm apart, at some distance from each other, apply marks with a pencil, which you connect in one line.
View from the tip:
Now we form the tip of the knife itself:
On the side we draw a line from the edge of the knife 20 mm.
From the end of the tip we draw parallel lines of 3.5 mm. from the center line.
The next step is the final formation of the knife tip. To do this, on the resulting workpiece, from the edge of the tip, apply a line 8 mm wide parallel to the line of the tip. From this line towards the center end line you need to cut off the excess wood.
It should look like this:
As a result, you should get a knife of the following type:
The knife is almost ready. All that remains is to process the sharp edges of the knife.
To do this, securing the knife to the table with a clamp (or 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!
Process only the handle - to give it a rounded shape and the blade - to remove protruding edges. After this, polish the knife with sandpaper.
All! This is where knife making ends!
All that remains is the final processing: polishing, staining, protective covering etc.
Method of attaching tanto for processing
