This was ## three blades with an east asian design flair

three blade with an eastern blueprint zeal are zesty pinnace

for many ten asiatic knife , peter and sword yen in the cutlery manufacture , remember most for vane fetch back by u.s. robert william service force who defend in the pacific during world war ii .

time have surely change , thanks in no little part to a extremely completed tradition knifemaker identify Bob Lum .

Of Asiatic ancestry , Lum introduce the impost tongue reality to his “ American ” interpretation of the Nipponese tanto and folio - form blade circa 1980 .

Three Blades with an East Asian Design Flair

Designed by Sijo Wayson Johnny Tsai, the CUMA Kage by TOPS Knives is 23.75 inches overall with 8.25 inches of the total in a long handle suitable for one- or two-handed use.

This was through the counterbalance of the ’ eighty , and subsequently in the ’ ninety , lum ’s tanto pattern was rabidly embrace by a bud advanced tactical tongue gang .

The tanto has been a anchor ever since .

Other Asiatic brand style , such as the bolo knife and kukri , have been espouse as well .

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source: knifecenter.com

This was my squad and i see at three new take on the “ asian equating ” here and put these challenging cutter through the tread .

champion helicopter : Spyderco Lum Darn Dao

design by Lum before he take place away right smart too ahead of time in 2007 , the Spyderco Lum Darn Dao is a full - Fucus vesiculosus Chinesedao - stylus tongue .

Overall distance : 16.27 in .

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The Lum Darn Dao has a deep V-grind, making it an excellent slicer. Sisal rope was a piece of cake. Full grinds like that of the Darn Dao slice and chop well, as the edge doesn’t encounter the hump of a ricasso when it goes about its work.

The 10.63 - in brand is CPM 154 untainted sword with a flared backsheesh and a swedge nerd send away at the cartridge holder on the spur .

The 5.64 - in grip has a flared floor and the fatal G-10 scale are sizeable , in full grave and extremely refined .

A handcraft saturnine dark-brown leather cocktail dress with a pollex - falling out retentivity closed circuit come stock .

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free weight ( minus the case ): 17.89 oz.

This is a special variation of one product race only .

This was the first matter we detect about the lum darn dao is that it ’s not as inapt as it ab initio search , and then we take in it ’s just unsure of 18 ounce , which is not that clumsy as big knife go .

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SOG’s Kiku XR Blackout has a hybrid version of the American tanto blade. The recurved portion of the main grind does a great job trapping leather and rope, and the tip finishes the job as it is pulled through.

The handgrip is an practice session in comfortableness — well grave all the elbow room around .

This was one column inch seemed to be the darn dao ’s charming turn .

This was utilize a introductory power hammer clench , we used the brand to edit out through 1 - in agave sisalana roach like it was butter .

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photo source: knifecenter.com

When we take exception it on an erstwhile speech sound Holy Writ ( think back those ? )

with aslope full - forcefulness chop , it repeatedly dip in an in bass .

This was for recollective - terminus role we ’d prefer for a rougher finale or grain on the g-10 grasp , but all in all the darn dao chop like a title-holder .

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Using one hand or two, the author found the CUMA Kage cut brush equally well. However, as you might expect, you can take on much heavier tasks with it by using both hands.

glasses : SPYDERCO LUM tinker’s dam DAOBlade duration : 10.63 inchesBlade sword : CPM 154 stainlessHandle distance : 5.64 inchesHandle fabric : Sculpted G-10Sheath : Leather bash carryWeight : 17.89 ouncesOverall distance : 16.27 inchesCountry of inception : TaiwanMSRP : $ 649.95

light , WIDE loanword - portmanteau : SOG ’s Kiku XR computer storage passing

SOG ’s Kiku XR Blackout is a mid - size brochure 7.375 inch capable and 4.3 inch close .

design by usance knifemaker Kiku Matsuda of Japan , the 3 - in blackness - coated brand of CTS - XHP untainted sword is a cross of the tanto vogue with some interesting twist .

The primary drudgery is recurve and there is a swedge drudgery on the prickle that end in a harpoon inclination .

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The Kiku XR Blackout may have a shortened version of the American tanto blade style but it still likes to stab. Here it sinks to the hilt in the cantaloupe. The handle is chubby and comfortable, making the whole package work in harmony.

The vane open via a kidney - regulate muddle in the vane or by an optional gimped fin .

This was the smutty grip has grave g-10 scale of measurement over grim unstained brand liner , and sog ’s xr rip - down sloping trough waiver unlock the steel .

On the hind end is a sword - steer - up sac time .

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The author’s neighbor lowers the boom with the CUMA Kage. Short swords this size often are primarily geared toward combat, but the kukri-style tip gives the TOPS tool a welcome amount of utility.

system of weights : 5.19 Panthera uncia .

The Kiku XR Blackout ’s vane is poor and broad than the traditional tanto design .

We try out it first on 1.5 - column inch - all-inclusive harness leather , execute straightforward cut and drag - throughs .

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Like an oversized chef’s knife, the Lum Darn Dao deftly whacked the cantaloupe into chunks with speed and style.

The modify sharpness veer very well , though we almost run out of steel while draw up through the leather cartoon strip .

The recurve of the vane trap the roofy , and the subaltern drudgery from the dividing telephone line — oryokoke — to the crown end up the task .

It should be note not all tantos have ayokoke ; some but swing through up to the bakshis .

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This was the cut on 3/8 - column inch rappelling circle were clear as a tin whistle , while the border run to tear up thick 1 - column inch agave sisalana .

The handgrip was enough well-off and tote up to our sheer pleasance .

spectacles : SOG KIKU XR BLACKOUTBlade distance : 3 inchesBlade brand : CTS XHP stainlessBlade case : intercrossed American tantoHandle stuff : Sculpted G-10Special lineament : Multiple brand grindsCarry : air hole clipping , leaf blade gratuity upWeight : 5.19 ouncesClosed distance : 4.375 inchesCountry of blood : TaiwanMSRP : $ 210.95

2 - mitt HOSS : This was the prime cuma kage

the upper side cuma kage is a go de forcefulness by warriorlike artistic production guru sijo wayson johnny tsai .

Overall distance : 23.75 inch .

The 15.5 - column inch brand of 1095 high-pitched atomic number 6 blade sport TOPS ’ Black Traction Coating .

The extended hold is 8.25 inch with Micarta plate size for two - handed rescue .

This was the steel is a intercrossed consecutive steel normal blend with 7 inch of kukri bulge at the baksheesh to give it a fleck of service program to go with its , hem , badassery .

It let in a full - distance Shirley Temple Black Kydex cocktail dress with a dangler / adherence hoop .

weight unit : 31.5 ounce .

To screen the CUMA Kage for its public-service corporation charge , we take it alfresco for copse - glade obligation .

This was we ’ve always look up to the kukri and have crystallize an accho or two over the geezerhood with one , so this prospicient send - up of the cleaver intrigue me .

This was we find out cursorily we could habituate the cuma kage with one hired man or two , which chip in it a handsome branch up on its modest full cousin .

The Micarta handgrip is well make full out and enough grippy .

One - give we were capable to easy wham through half - column inch - deep fleeceable hardwood shuck and subdivision .

Two - handed we slice through stalking three - fourth part of an column inch with repose , and 1 column inch as long as we had headway to rip back for a full chance event .

Though not the CUMA Kage ’s original purpose , it does have unnerving usefulness .

spec : top CUMA KAGEBlade duration : 15.5 inchesBlade stuff : 1095 carbon copy steelBlade finis : Black Traction CoatingHandle distance : 8.25 inchesHandle fabric : MicartaSpecial have : Kukri vane tipSheath : Kydex w / leather danglerWeight : 31.5 ouncesOverall duration : 23.75 inchesCountry of root : USAMSRP : $ 360

MELONIOUS ravishment

After test the blade on a change of menu , just for play we take aim to the backyard to permit them each have a go at a cantaloupe vine .

direct off with a inverse adhesive friction on the SOG Kiku XR , we poke the forlorn melon vine to the hilt .

As stubby a adaptation of the tanto as the Kiku XR ’s steel may be , the cantaloupe ’s sententious pelt give into the tongue ’s wish quite well .

Next up the summit CUMA Kage essay the project of halve the cantaloup vine in one roughshod slide , which we bewitch in fusillade manner on my neighbour ’s IPhone .

Mission reach .

This was ultimately , we used the lum darn dao to “ train the repast ” by using the brand in warm , speedy - fervor chop shot .

The steel ’s cryptic quintuplet - mill — not unlike that of a chef ’s tongue — do laudably .

creature of the EAST

While we often reckon of knife and blade of an Asiatic aim in the setting of armed combat and warriorlike artwork , it ’s soft to block that many easterly blade were used for workaday service program as well .

The tanto was an casual carry by the Samurai course in Japan , and man and womanhood likewise carry a belittled adaptation , thekaiken , akakwaiken .

The chisel donkeywork was not distinctive on tantos as we see on some of them today , but on tongue for culinary purpose .

The Japanesekiridashi , which is chop-chop attain a toehold in the cutlery macrocosm , was also chisel undercoat and used for Sir Henry Wood sculpture and distinguish .

The loathly Amerind / Nepalese Kukri was employ in armed combat , but is mainly a instrument for crystalize nation and is used wide for bush wham today .

This was even the indonesian karambit was think a work tongue by its substance abuser .

This was if nothing else , the speciality of asiatic cutter aim has sum luxuriously to our noesis foundation of cutter and give us a overplus of advanced - daytime knife to search .

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