Cold SteelTanto Lite Durable Lightweight German 4116 Stainless Steel 6" Fixed Blade Outdoor Hunting Utility Knife, Non-Slip Kray-Ex Handle, Secure-Ex Sheath

No clue how "deadly" this is.I have purchased a fair amount of "drop" knives over the years.I do not EDC anything preferring to use my "environment" and " body" as security.But if I had to use a drop knife to defend myself this is as good as any.Personally I leave the knives and axes around as distractions, I keep a very large metal water bottle nearby as I do a wooden cane.All striking points hurt when hit.

I am a part-time Ninja and I recently lost my original Japanese Tanto which I won in a fight with Sho Kosugi back in the 80's If I had more room, I would tell the story in detail. Suffice it to say, he put up a good fight, but in the end, he was more actor than Ninja... That knife saw me through many duels, trips to the Octagon, etc. I am ashamed to say I lost it, or my wife hid it because she wants me to get out of the lifestyle. Just like Sho Kosugi, old Ninjas never quit, they are eventually put down by a better fighter.Now Tanto's like that do not become available everyday. This one was made by Hattori Hanzo, a legendary blade maker and divine general in the Tokugawa Clan during the 16th Century. Needless to say, this would be a hard blade to replace. Being the practical Ninja that I am, I went to Amazon.com and found this Tanto for an amazing price. I know what you are thinking, how could such an exceptional fighter go from using a knife, made by a legendary blade maker, that he won in a fight against the most accomplished Ninja of recent times? Because in the end this knife still does stabby stabby just like the one I lost. Truly any object in the hands of a trained master is a deadly weapon, if not the very hands that hold it.

This knife is sharp and has held an edge pretty well. It is a little tough to put an edge back on but by keeping up with it on a strop or steel it doesn’t need that often. When I do touch it up I found that it’s still a reasonable task with a diamond stone.The handle is comfortable and doesn’t slip in my hand. I have been using it primarily for heavy cutting/chopping and carving on sticks doing rough shaping for decorative walking sticks. The knife is easy to shift my grip on with the shape, size, and texture of the handle. The blade does hold up well to this harsh use as well.I am not a fan of the sheath as far as kydex goes, it is a basic sheath. I don’t prefer kydex, though it is not the kydex that I am rating the sheath on. The belt loop sticks up well above the bolster, to the point that it gets in the way of trying to draw the blade from the rigid, tension retention sheath. Since I don’t wear it on my belt because I’m usually sitting in a chair or stool in the back yard carving, the belt loop makes the draw particularly awkward for me. I would prefer more, or more flexible carry options other than the rigid plastic belt loop.The aesthetics are what they are. If you like a modern looking brilliantly shiny blade on a black polymer handle, you’ll love the looks. If you prefer more traditional organic material, or at least the appearance, then it may not be as appealing to you visually. The blade is smooth and shiny. It certainly wipes clean easily. I am in the camp with preferring a traditional/organic look, but more importantly, I’m a practical guy and utility is more important than aesthetics in my tools.I think it is ugly, but I still very much like this knife. It’s a strong package that does everything I ask it to. It is definitely a workhorse. I recommend it to anyone who needs a solid large tool and is comfortable with the tanto blade design. I would not hesitate to get it again, though I would prefer a less shiny finish on the blade and I am going to do some leather tooling soon to replace the sheath.

I am very pleased with this knife. It came quickly and is very sharp. If you are reading reviews you may have noted a lot of complaints about the included sheath.About the sheath: Once you hold the blade in your hand it becomes very apparent that the blade was initially designed to be a diving knife. As a diving knife and because of basic economics, the sheath needed to be plastic with a positive lock (retention) system. The blade locks into the sheath very snugly and will not fall out of the sheath, I turned it upside down and shook it for a few minutes; it did not come even slightly loose. The sheath does have a hole in the bottom to prevent hydro-locking.As a diving knife the blade has ONE flaw. It does not have a hole in the hilt to allow for a lanyard, so it you drop it you will be looking for it.For my purposes this knife is almost perfect. Because of the 4116 steel, It will hold an edge for a very long time. The blade is well balanced for most common uses but because it is blade heavy it would not be a good throwing knife (but it’s not designed to be throwen).

What can I say, it’s what you’d expect from a reputable company like ColdSteel. Nice fit & finish, plus a razor sharp edge. I can’t find anything I don’t like about it. The knife is good to go. The shipping speed however, left a lot to be desired. It took 5 weeks to receive this from the date of order. That’s very unusual for something shipped directly from Amazon. Other than that, solid knife for the money.

As always, Cold Steel has made another wonderful knife. This is not advertised as a diving knife but that's exactly what it is. It has a positive locking plastic sheath with a drainage hole to prevent vacuum lock. The knife comes razor sharp from the factory, but that's Cold Steel knives for you. The handle is totally nonslip, only missing a lanyard hole but the handle has a spot that one can be added. I'm completely pleased with this purchase and would definitely recommend if you're in the market for a great diving knife.

Be careful you’re gonna cut yourself

Sharp, useful