An Introduction to Knife Terminology

If you're looking to buy a knife, it can be confusing if you don't know what all of the knife terms mean. First, you'll want to decide what kind of knife you want. The basic divisions are fixed blade or folding blade. Folding blades, like pocket knives, fold between the handle and the blade. A popular type of knife is a fantasy knife, which is an artistic style of knife not usually meant to be used, but rather to be collected and displayed. Other styles include utility knives, which can be used in hunting, camping, and other outdoor activities. The description of a knife often uses the following terms to refer to different sections of the knife:

The Blade - The edge is the sharpened side of the blade. Serrated edges are those with a set of 'teeth' designed to aid in cutting. A knife may be single-edge or double-edged. For a single-edge knife, the back is the unsharpened side of the blade. The spine runs the length of the blade, and is both the thickest and the heaviest section. A wider and thicker spine makes the blade stronger. The point is the very tip of the knife blade. A groove cut into a pocket knife blade to allow opening using your fingernail is called a nail mark or nail nick. The belly is the curved part of the blade's edge, designed for enhanced slicing. It may be a straight or serrated edge.

The grind is what makes a piece of steel into a sharp knife. It is the thinning of the edge to form a sharp cutting edge. Besides straight edges and serrations, the knife blade may also have a gut hook, which is a hook found on skinning knives to assist in gutting animals.

There are many different knife shapes that you may encounter when looking for a knife. One of the most popular today is the 'tanto' knife, which is recognizable by its sharply angled tip. This is one of the strongest knife points because there is more metal supporting the point. A drop point knife, another style you're likely to see when shopping for knives, is a popular utility knife with a strong point.

Between the Blade and Handle - The bolster is a supportive piece between the blade and the handle, an area that is usually under a lot of stress when the knife is in use. The tang is a part of a fixed blade knife that extends from the blade to the handle. Often, it forms the handle itself, with the grips attached to the tang. If the knife is considered full tang, it means that the edge of the tang is visible along the entire length of the handle.

The Handle - The hilt is the entire handle of the knife. The butt, also known as a pommel, is the end of the knife's handle. These may be designed for hammering, or they may be removable, allowing the user to store small items in the handle of the knife. Grips are the contoured pieces of the handle allowing for better handling of the knife.

Handle Materials - The handle may be made of a variety of materials. Stag is a deer antler typically seen on folding knives, known for its slightly burnt look. Bone is common on pocketknives, and may be seen in its natural creamy color or dyed a bright shade. Other common handle materials include fiberglass laminates, carbon fiber (a strong material characterized by a woven pattern), titanium, and aluminum. Anodized blades are titanium blades colored using a special electrochemical process.

Other Features - The locking mechanism is a feature on folding knives that prevents it from being opened or closed accidentally. Different knife companies have developed different mechanisms for locking the knife; many are spring loaded to make it easier to open and close the folding knife.

Accessories - Your knife may come with a sheath or case. This is often called a scabbard for larger knives or swords. If you're looking at collectible knives, they may include a display stand designed to fit that particular knife. Besides the knife itself, you'll also want a sharpener, which is used to keep the blade edge as sharp as possible.

Sharpen 'Em has a full range of knife sharpeners for kitchen or hunting use. Also check for current specials on a knife sharpening system

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