| As ancient as mankind itself, the knife is the | | | | Forged in Japan during the Heian Period when |
| earliest form of weaponry for which there has | | | | Confucianism and other Chinese influences were |
| been no substitute. Essential for survival, the knife | | | | at their height, the tanto knife lacked any artistic |
| was developed out of necessity and has evolved | | | | value and was created purely as a weapon. Later, |
| through the ages. From knives made of flint, to | | | | it developed into an aesthetically pleasing weapon. |
| copper, to iron, humans have a unique relationship | | | | Yoshimitsu was the greatest tanto maker in |
| to this tool, creating it out of the strongest | | | | Japanese history and during his lifetime the tanto |
| material available and adorning them with patterns | | | | achieved a place of artful design. |
| and decoration. A knife is a personal possession | | | | A smaller version of the katana, the tanto differs |
| that is valued for its craftsmanship and usefulness. | | | | from others as it was designed primarily as a |
| Perhaps the most recognized knife in the world, | | | | stabbing instrument but possesses an edge that |
| the Bowie Knife has an intriguing history. The | | | | can slash as well. Unlike the katana, tanto are |
| story begins in 1831 when Jim Bowie brought a | | | | forged in hira-zukuri, meaning they have no |
| whittled wooden model of his ideal knife to | | | | ridge-line, unlike the shinogi-zukuri shape of the |
| blacksmith James Black. Several weeks later, | | | | katana. The classic Japanese tanto shape has the |
| Black had produced two knives. The second was | | | | point of the knife in line with the spine of the |
| a modified version of Bowie's design. Bowie chose | | | | blade and a graceful belly curve. With a blade |
| Black's version as it had a double edge. Soon, | | | | length of only 6 to 12 inches, the tanto cuts soft |
| Black was inundated with requests from | | | | targets very well. |
| customers who wanted a knife like Bowie's. The | | | | The tanto were most often carried by samurai, |
| knife's unique shape and hallmark large blade | | | | the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. Although |
| became popular for its use as both a weapon and | | | | commoners rarely carried a tanto, women |
| as a tool for fishing and hunting. | | | | sometimes possessed a small tanto in their obi, or |
| The knife also gained popularity as a result of a | | | | shash, for self defense. |
| fight Bowie was involved in Texas with three men | | | | A 12-inch fighting and utility knife, the Ka-Bar was |
| hired to hill him. Bowie killed his would-be assailants | | | | first used by the U.S. Marines in World War II and |
| and the reputation of the Bowie knife was | | | | has been carried into battle by Marines since. |
| established. After Bowie's death five years later | | | | Originally designed as a hunting knife in the 1800s, |
| at the Battle of the Alamo, both he and his knife | | | | the Ka-Bar reached popularity with soldiers who |
| became immensely famous. | | | | needed a knife suited to trench warfare. Its final |
| Over the years, many knives have been referred | | | | shape was decided by the Marine Corps, who |
| to as Bowie knives. The term has become a | | | | introduced a slightly longer blade, a smaller fuller, |
| generic one for any large sheath knife. Despite all | | | | or beveled groove, on the flat side of the blade, |
| the variations, it is said that for a knife to be | | | | and the stacked leather handle. From box cutter |
| considered a Bowie knife, it must be long enough | | | | to can opener to hand-to-hand combat, the |
| to use as a sword, sharp enough to use as a | | | | Ka-Bar is the preferred piece of equipment with |
| razor, wide enough to use as a paddle, and heavy | | | | the U.S. Marine Corps and has become a symbol |
| enough to use as a hatchet. | | | | of the Marines. |