Paired Tanto Blades (Also a cool mechanical thing! No glue, assembles smooth!)

Are you a person on the internet who just saw a cool video of some tanto knives, only to learn that they cost $500? Like, yes, it’s cool that they retract into the handles in an unexpected way, and it’s cool that the blades look impossibly long when you unsheathe them, but five hundred dollars? Right now? Wouldn’t you rather just print a lower-quality prop version that performs the same trick?

Hi, it’s me, girl who makes lower-quality prop versions of sharp things. Today, I have an exciting offer for you: two matching tanto knives, each only made of four printable components. As always, this design uses no supports, no glue, and no off-the-shelf fasteners. When assembled, the blades deploy by pulling apart both handles in a smooth arc motion. Then, they retract by sliding the tip of each blade into the open port of the opposite handle. Rotating locks hold the blades open when deployed and mutually lock them against each other when retracted. Confused yet?

I don’t know. I’m tired. It works. You kinda have to print it to see how.

These are fake plastic prop knives but they are a little sharp and look realistic enough. Please use them carefully and don’t do anything stupid with them. Have fun!

https://www.patreon.com/cw/giedzinski