Welcome To Our Glossary Of Knife Terms
Our mission in creating this glossary is to provide you with definitions and illustrations for knife related terms.
If you can not find a particular term that you are looking for, please let us know by sending an e-mail to
bryan@allaboutpocketknives.com. We will try to add the information as soon as possible.
Back: The unsharpened side of a blade. Click here for illustration
Bail: A half loop at the end of some knives; enables the user to
clip or tie something on for carry and to ensure it does not get dropped.
Click here for illustration
Barehead: This term refers to a knife that does not have a rear bolster.
Belly: The curved part of the blades edge. Click here for illustration
Blade Bevel: The ground-away portion of the knife blade that tapers
from the spine to the edge. Note that the blade bevel does not include the
cutting edge called the edge bevel. See illustration
Blade lock: The mechanical part of a knife that engages or disengages
the blade of a folding knife. A back Lock is the most common (Click here for illustration)
Others have a liner lock or some other mechanism.
Bolsters: Metal covers that are located between the handle and the blades.
Also found on the rear of a single end knife; usually made from nickel silver, brass, or stainless steel. Click
here for illustration
Carbon: Often found in knife blades; it takes an edge easier than
most other steels, but is highly susceptible to corrosion if not properly maintained.
Choil: An unsharpened part of the blade located opposite the point on the
sharpened side. Click
here for illustration.
Circa: This is a term that you may hear mentioned when someone
is describing the date of a knife. It simply means around or
approximately. For instance, circa 1930 means approximately 1930.
Clasp: A style of jack knife that curves upward at the
end. Click here for illustration
Clip: An accessory on some knives used to attach a knife to clothing or a belt.
Click here for illustration
Clip Blade: The clip blade is generally the most common blade found on American folding
knives. They have a concave curve from the back of the blade to the point,
and a cutting edge that slopes upward to the point. These features make them
extremely versatile and enable them to perform almost any cutting tasks.
Some of these blades have a longer concave curve on the top that generally makes
for a more narrow blade. The narrower blade creates a sharper tip that is
better suited for detail work but are not as strong. The narrow clips are often called
California clips, muskrat clips, or Turkish clips. Click here for illustration
Concave ground: A grind that results in a blade bevel that tapers from
the spine to the edge in an arched manner. It is the easiest grind to keep
sharp, but has a weak edge that will chip easier than most other grinds.
Click here for illustration
Coping Blade: These are narrow blades that have a sharp point. The edge
is flat like a sheepsfoot, but the back angles sharply from the spine.
They are ideal for cutting patterns on a flat surface. Also, their thin
size makes them handy when cutting in tight spaces. Click here for illustration
Cover: The material covering the liner between the
bolsters. Click here for illustration
Crink: A bend at the beginning of the tang of a multi-blade knife that prevents the blades from rubbing one another.
Click here for illustration
Damascus steel: Very beautiful steel that is crafted by incorporating both
hard and soft steel and welding and layering them together. Click
here for illustration
Drop-Point Blade: The drop-point style blade has a convex curve on the back that slopes
downward toward the point, and a cutting edge that slopes upward in a slightly
more dramatic fashion to the point.
These features create a wide tip that is very stout and ideal for heavier
tasks. The wider tip is not as handy for penetrating through an object as
the spear and clip blade. Click here for illustration
Easy Opener: This is a style of knife handle that has a curve shaped cut
out that exposes enough of the blade for the operator to grasp the blades
between two fingers for easy opening. Click here for illustration
Edge: The sharpened side of the blade. Click here for illustration
Edge Bevel: The honed part of the blade that starts after the blade
bevel and continues to the cutting edge. Click here for illustration
EZ Opener: See Easy Opener.
Flat ground: Also referred to as a V grind, it results in a blade bevel
that tapers in a uniform fashion from the spine to the edge bevel. Most pocket knives are flat ground.
Click here for illustration
Front: It is the side of the knife with the company logo or the side
that the master blade folds to.
Guard: The metal piece located where the blade and the handle
meet. It is designed to stop the hand from slipping into the blade. Click
here for illustration
Handle: The handle of a pocket knife serves several purposes. It
serves as a sheath, handle, and spring mechanism. Materials used in
constructing handles range from deer antler to bone, hardwoods, synthetics, and
various metals.
Hardness: The compactness of the steel molecules determine the hardness
of the steel. Harder steel tends to hold an edge longer, while softer
steel is easier to sharpen. A blades hardness is measured by the Rockwell test
which is understood and accepted worldwide. A Rockwell hardness above 60
will be difficult to sharpen, but a hardness below 56 will not hold an edge very well.
High Carbon Steel: This describes any steel that is made up of .5%
carbon or more. Blades made with high carbon steel sharpen more easily and
hold an edge better, but are more susceptible to corrosion. The higher the
carbon content, the more this is the case.
Hollow ground: A grind that results in a blade bevel that tapers inward
in an arched manner from
the spine and slightly back outward to the start of the cutting edge. Click here for illustration
Inlays: Any material inlaid into the handles
of a pocket knife.
Jigged bone: Bone that has been given a textured finish. This
is done for better grip. It also adds to a knife's look. It was
first used to imitate genuine stag scales.
Kick: A projection on the front
end of the tang that keeps the blade from touching the spring. Click
here for illustration.
Laminated handles: Handles that are made from various materials
that are layered together and held together by an adhesive.
Lanyard: A piece of leather attached to the butt of a knife used for carrying or
holding or hanging from the belt, neck, or wrist. Sometimes referred to as a thong.
Liner: An interior part of a knife frame located between the handle and blade edge
(when closed) used to prevent damage, usually made of a soft metal that resists corrosion.
Click here for illustration
Liner lock: A lock incorporated into the liner of the handle.
Lock back: Design of knife that has a locking mechanism located on the
back of a folding knife. The mechanism keeps the blade
open in a safely locked position when open. Click here for illustration
Long Pull: This term refers to an extra long nail
mark that runs the length of the back of the blade; from the tang to the swedge.
Mark side: It is the
side of the blade with the nail slot and company logo. Click
here for illustration
Master Blade: This is the largest blade in a multi-blade pocket knife also known as
the pocket blade.
Nail: A pin that holds the knife together. Click here for illustration
Nail Mark or Nail Nick: Located on pocket knife blades. It is a
semi curved slot cut into the steel used for opening with a thumb nail. Click
here for illustration.
New Grind: This term describes a knife that has an even taper from
the back of the blade to the tang. It was used on some Case knives in the
mid 80's. Click here for illustration
Pen Blade: This blade is very common on knives with two or more blades.
It is popular because of its versatility in performing smaller
tasks. The back and the edge of the blade generally slope evenly (at the
same degree) to the point. They are much like the spear blade but
are smaller. These blades were originally designed to sharpen quill
pens. Click here for illustration
Pile side: The opposite side to the front or mark side. Also
called the reverse side. Click
here for illustration
Pins: metal pieces used to hold a pocket knife's parts together.
They are usually made of brass or nickel silver. Click here for illustration
Pruner's Blade: These blades have an edge that curves in a concave fashion to
the point. The back of the blade curves in a convex type fashion to the
point. These characteristics result in a blade that resembles a hawk's
bill. Because of this, they are often called hawkbill blades. They
were originally used for pruning shrubs and fruit
trees, but are now more handy for cutting sheetrock, carpet,
roofing paper and other such materials. Click here for illustration
Pocket blade: This is the largest blade in a multi-blade pocket knife also known as
the master blade.
Retention: The degree to which a blade holds an
edge.
Reverse: The opposite to the
side of the blade with the nail slot and company logo. Click
here for illustration
Rockwell Hardness Test: a standard test used to
determine the hardness of steel whereby a diamond point is forced in a finished
blade at a set pressure. The depth of penetration is then measured.
Hardness above 60 will be hard to sharpen, while hardness below 56 will not hold
an edge well.
Run up: Click
here to see illustration.
Saberground: A grind that results in a blade bevel that is flat from
the spine to about the middle of the blade where it then begins to taper toward
the edge. Ideal for heavy chores. Click here for illustration
Scales: Any material used to make the handle.
Scrimshaw: The art of cutting designs into the handle of a
pocket knife. Click here for illustration
Serpentine: Used to describes the shape of a handle. Serpentine knives have an
s curve, much like a snake or serpent (hence the name). Click
here for illustration
Serrated: Edge bevel that has teeth cut into the blade. Click
here for illustration
Sheepsfoot Blade: This blade has a flat cutting edge, and a back that slopes
to the point. The blade looks much like the hoof of a sheep (imagine
that.....). This blade is ideal in yielding a clean cut on objects lying
on a flat surface. Click here for illustration
Shield: A metal inlay on the handle of a knife. It is
often placed there as a trademark or decoration. Many times, it will have
a name on it or a symbol that identifies the maker. Click here for illustration
Slip joint: A term used for a folding knife that does not have a
locking mechanism. These knives rely on a backspring for resistance in
keeping the knife open.
Spear Blade: This blade has a back and cutting edge that curves in the
same fashion or degree and meet at the point. Some spear blades are
more thick than others. The thinner blades are ideal for penetrating
through an object, while the thicker versions are slightly less handy for
penetration, they are quite stout and are handy for heavier tasks. The
blade tip is less likely to break than the thinner version. Click here for illustration
Spey Blade: This blade has a very blunt point that makes it unsuitable for
penetrating objects. This makes them ideal in skinning. They are
much less
likely to be accidentally poked through a surface. These blades were originally
developed for use in castrating animals. Click here for illustration
Spine: The unsharpened edge of a blade opposite to the cutting edge, also known as the
back.
Click here for illustration
Spring: A flat piece of steel kept
under pressure by the rivet assembly that holds the blade in an open position.
They can be one end springs or two end springs. One end springs hold a
single blade open, while two end springs hold two blades open; one on each
end. Click here for illustration.
Stainless steel: There are many different grades of stainless steel, but
almost all stainless steel blades contain a large amount of high carbon, so none
are completely "stainless". All are subject to corrosion from body acid, humidity, salt, etc.
The term has come to mean that the steel has less carbon and more cromium, and thus will stain less than most other steels.
Swedge: An unsharpened bevel on the spine or back of the blade
Usually toward the tip. Click
here to see illustration.
Tang: The back portion of the blade that extends from where the blade attaches
to the handle to the start of the edge. Click
here to see illustration.
Tang Stamp: Any markings located on the tang of a knife. Most
often, the stamp will have the manufacturer\'s name, date identification, or
other informative markings. Click here for illustration
Walk and Talk: This describes the actions of a pocket knife when opened
and closed. The walk describes the feel of the tang as it moves along the
spring when the blade is opened. The talk refers to the sound of the knife when the blade is closed. A well adjusted knife
"walks and talks" (has a
nice strong snap and has blades that slide smoothly across the springs).
Wharncliff Blade: These blades have a strongly curved back and a flat edge. This design
results in a neadle type point that is ideal for cutting cleanly on flat surfaces and for
cutting meticulous designs. Click here for illustration
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