Best Tanto Hunting Knives of 2025
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Tanto hunting knives are a popular choice among hunters and outdoor enthusiasts due to their durability and versatility. These knives typically feature a sturdy blade with a sharp point and a comfortable handle for easy grip. Tanto knives are known for their ability to pierce through tough materials, making them ideal for skinning and field dressing game. Additionally, their compact size and lightweight design make them easy to carry on hunting trips or for everyday use in the great outdoors. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just starting out, a tanto hunting knife is a must-have tool for any outdoor adventure.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Tanto Hunting Knives
Mossy Oak 10 Inch Fixed Blade Knife
The Mossy Oak Fixed Blade Knife is designed for outdoor enthusiasts who need a reliable tool. Its 14C28N steel blade offers great resistance to corrosion and wear, ensuring it stays sharp for longer. The tanto blade shape provides excellent piercing ability, allowing you to tackle tough cutting tasks with precision. With a full tang construction, the knife boasts enhanced strength and durability, making it perfect for survival situations. The ergonomic handle ensures a comfortable grip, even during extended use, so you can work confidently in various conditions.
Cold Steel Recon Tanto Fixed Blade Knife
The Cold Steel Recon Tanto Fixed Blade Knife with Sheath is a reliable and proven combat knife that has seen active military application in numerous conflicts. Developed and refined through pioneering research, the "American Tanto" style reinforced point has proven its value beyond question. With a blade length of 7 inches, handle length of 4 3/4 inches and weight of 9 ounces, it continues to redefine the standard for combat knives around the globe.
Smith & Wesson Border Guard Folding Knife
The Smith & Wesson Border Guard Folding Knife is a reliable and dependable tool for outdoor, tactical, survival, and everyday carry activities. The blade is made of durable 7Cr17MoV Black Oxide High Carbon Stainless Steel and has a black aluminum handle. The knife features a convenient pocket clip, finger flipper, and ambidextrous thumb knobs for quick and easy access. Additionally, the liner lock provides security and the jimping ensures a firm grip. With a weight of only 3.5 ounces and a Limited Lifetime Warranty from Smith & Wesson, this folding knife is a must-have for any adventurer or collector.
ONLYHANDMADE Damascus Classic Tanto Knife
The ONLYHANDMADE Tanto Blade is a durable and reliable tool designed for outdoor enthusiasts. With its hand-forged construction using high-quality 1095 and 15N20 steels, this knife is built to withstand tough tasks like hunting and camping. The blade features over 512 layers of unique Damascus steel, ensuring a sharp edge that lasts for years, provided you handle it with care. You can easily create a personalized knife using basic hand tools, making it a fun project for any DIY enthusiast. Plus, you can shop confidently, knowing that satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back.
Cold Steel Kobun Tactical Fixed Blade Knife
The Cold Steel Kobun Tactical Fixed Blade Knife with Sheath is a lightweight and durable knife that is popular with the military due to its discreet profile and cutting potential. The knife features Cold Steel's iconic reinforced "American Tanto" point, which makes it highly resistant to bending or breaking. The deeply checkered Kray-Ex handle offers maximum grip and is contoured to resist turning or shifting in the hand. The blade is made with expertly heat treated Japanese AUS 8A Steel, which is tough, corrosion-resistant, has good edge holding ability, and is easy to re-sharpen.
OMMI FORGE Tanto Hunting Knife
The OMMI FORGE Hunting Knife is a robust tool designed for outdoor enthusiasts. Its premium 1095 high carbon steel blade ensures exceptional durability and edge retention, allowing you to tackle tough tasks with confidence. The full tang construction enhances strength and balance, making it reliable for hunting and camping adventures. With a hardness rating of 58-60 on the Rockwell scale, this knife retains its sharpness over time, providing you with a dependable cutting tool. The 6mm thick blade adds to its durability, ensuring it can handle various cutting challenges you may face in the wild.
Prime Damascus Skinning Tanto Knife
The Prime Damascus Hunting Knife is a custom handmade tool designed for outdoor enthusiasts. Its sharp stainless steel blade makes it ideal for various tasks such as chopping, skinning, and starting fires. The thoughtful design ensures it is easy to handle, providing balance and comfort during use. Additionally, the durable leather sheath not only protects the blade but also enhances its overall appearance. With this knife, you can confidently tackle camping, fishing, and hunting activities, knowing it is crafted for reliable performance.
Cold Steel Tanto Lite Knife
The Cold Steel Tanto Lite is a lightweight and durable fixed-blade knife that weighs just 6.6 ounces, making it an ideal companion for outdoor enthusiasts. Its 6-inch Tanto blade, made from high-quality German 4116 stainless steel, offers excellent edge retention and is resistant to rust, ensuring it performs well during various tasks. You’ll appreciate the non-slip Kray-Ex handle, which provides a secure grip, even in wet conditions. Plus, the included Secure-Ex sheath allows for easy carrying, whether on your hip or in your backpack, making it convenient for any adventure.
Survivor HK-759 Fixed Blade Knife
The Survivor HK-759 Knife features a sturdy 7-inch overall length, making it a reliable choice for various outdoor activities. Its two-tone stainless steel tanto blade, with a thickness of 3mm, offers excellent durability and cutting power, ideal for both slicing and piercing tasks. The 3.25-inch black cord-wrapped handle provides a secure grip, ensuring comfort and control during use. Additionally, this knife includes a fire starter and a nylon sheath, enhancing its versatility and convenience for camping or emergency situations.
FAIQENTERPRICE Handmade Damascus Tanto Knife
The FAIQENTERPRICE Damascus Hunting Knife is a versatile tool perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Its 10-inch overall length and 5-inch hand-forged blade made from high carbon steel ensure durability and performance, making it ideal for hunting and camping tasks. The included cowhide leather sheath features a convenient belt loop, allowing you to carry it securely while on the go. The ergonomic handle, crafted from American flag resin, provides a comfortable grip, helping you maintain control during challenging jobs. With its razor-sharp blade, you can tackle various tasks effortlessly, from wood cutting to military drills.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are tanto knives good for hunting?
They work great for a hunting knife, they work great in survival situations, they work great for tactical situations.
2. Why would you want a tanto blade?
Tanto knives are easier to spot than nearly any other blade type. They're characterized by an angular, almost noncontinuous edge made up of two cutting planes instead of the flat or curving belly of most pocket knives.
3. What is a tanto knife good for?
Just like the original tantō short swords, modern tanto blades have strong tips, which makes them great for piercing cuts. This is where the knife truly excels: stabbing. That strong piercing tip is excellent for penetrating and piercing. In ancient times a tantō was used for ritual Seppuku.
4. Are tanto blades hard to sharpen?
Conclusion. Sharpening a tanto blade isn't as hard as it may sound. The sharpening process for a tanto knife is nearly identical to sharpening any other kind of knife. The goal is to remove steel from the edge of the knife until it's fine and consistent.
During our tanto hunting knives research, we found 24 tanto hunting knives products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 39,101 customer reviews through our big data system to write the tanto hunting knives list. We found that most customers choose tanto hunting knives with an average price of $28.27.
The tanto hunting knives are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of tanto hunting knives, including Mossy Oak, cold steel, Smith & Wesson, ONLYHANDMADE, OMMI FORGE. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 10,441 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.
Paul Tilton is a fitness enthusiast. He doesn't like to work in front of a computer screen so he quit his job and runs a gym in Washington. He spent a lot of time on the road and has been a contributing writer for a well-known travel guide website. He is now happy to share his travel experience and professional knowledge of travel gear and fitness here.