Spear point vs Tanto for OTF

[mtngunr]

I'll have to dig it out and see what the markings say. I got it as a kid in the 90s, and who knows how long the neighbor had it. He was an old man at the time.

If you got it in the 90s, a good chance it is a late 70s or 80s Hattori, collectible enough that folk reliving youth pay $300 for modern Hattoris in limited runs. That firm also did the higher regarded Beretta and Browning knives. If yours is serialized, this article suggests it a post-Hattori blade, but you can compare what you have to this article.

Dive Knives – The Hattori Collector

 

[adamsredlines]

I know for positive its not one of the post-2012 rereleases. I know it's also red text on the sheath, not the blue shown on the newer ones. Pretty wild they're so popular???

 

[trbii]

Neither of those blade shapes are useful or a favorite of mine. Single edge, drop points are my choice. Ease of sharpening, making draw cuts and the drop point punctures as well as I have ever needed a knife to. Plenty stabby for my casual use. I’ve admired and bought, used many tanto and double edged knives over the last 40 years, but realized I just have no use for a dagger or the strong, thick tanto shaped blades. Got a Gladius short sword and a D handled saber that I like, too. I’ve wasted money on other bad ideas, some would say.

 

[mtngunr]

If you got it in the 90s, a good chance it is a late 70s or 80s Hattori, collectible enough that folk reliving youth pay $300 for modern Hattoris in limited runs. That firm also did the higher regarded Beretta and Browning knives. If yours is serialized, this article suggests it a post-Hattori blade, but you can compare what you have to this article.

Dive Knives – The Hattori Collector

Boot knives were a thing in the 70s/80s, as there was not much out there as for folders past classic slipjoints and the heavy brass framed Buck 110 and Puma Gamewarden. There was a Western boot knife and the (still) modern looking Tekna as for concealable. The all-stainless large/heavy Spyderco Police came out in 84, the lighter glass filled Zytel Delica in 1990 and then Endura, the early 90s saw the Emerson handmades, and Spyderco production mid-90s of the Caracci AFCK and Emerson CQC as first linerlock/ti frame/G10 factory tacticals. So, the boot knife quite popular until then. And a lot of older folk wishing now they had kept their Tekna. I bought an Emerson last year my own self to relive the glory days when I had an AFCK (the Emerson better than either of the early Spydercos, which helped excuse the purchase).

 

[mtngunr]

Neither of those blade shapes are useful or a favorite of mine. Single edge, drop points are my choice. Ease of sharpening, making draw cuts and the drop point punctures as well as I have ever needed a knife to. Plenty stabby for my casual use. I’ve admired and bought, used many tanto and double edged knives over the last 40 years, but realized I just have no use for a dagger or the strong, thick tanto shaped blades. Got a Gladius short sword and a D handled saber that I like, too. I’ve wasted money on other bad ideas, some would say.

Happy to see another common sense gladius owner (mine is previous page).
As for a practical OTF blade, this Microtech "spearpoint" (really a drop point) was pretty practical, and why it was bought at all.