All About Pocket Knives

Looking for some help here, any idea what this blade was meant for, it looks fairly specific.

Might be more help, if we could see entire knife.

Harold

Posted here also:
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=87362

stockman wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2026 3:58 pm Might be more help, if we could see entire knife.

Harold

Yes, seeing how the blade is oriented in the knife might help. Can't really tell much other than where the point is from the pictures.

Looks like it'd be good to dig in the dirt.

Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

Sorry you didn't get more replies.
If no one knows, why reply? You're going to throw disrespect because of that?
But just so you can get a reply...

I have no idea.

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

...or you could just post another pic...

To me, being right on the swedge, it looks like a custom mod, maybe for a whittler or someone who wanted more precise control over the blade end.

letting AI take a stab at it (pun intended):
With a pic, I asked what the indent might be for:

That specific notch on a knife, located right where the sharp edge meets the unsharpened part of the blade (the ricasso), is most commonly known as a **Sharpening Notch** or a **Choil**.

While it might look like a manufacturing flaw or a random design choice, it serves a few very practical purposes for both the user and the maker.

---

### 1. Easier Sharpening
This is the primary reason for that indent. When you sharpen a knife, you want to maintain a consistent angle along the entire length of the edge.
* **Without a notch:** As you reach the back of the blade, the sharpening stone often hits the thick, unsharpened ricasso or the handle guard. This leads to an "unsharpened flared heel" over time, making the knife look messy and perform poorly at the base.
* **With a notch:** It provides a clear "termination point." The stone can run off the edge into the empty space of the notch, ensuring the entire cutting edge stays uniform and sharp right to the very end.

### 2. Stress Relief (Structural Integrity)
During the **heat treatment** process, steel expands and contracts. Sharp 90-degree angles are "stress risers" where cracks are most likely to form.
* By grinding a small radius (the indent) into that corner, bladesmiths distribute that tension over a curve rather than a single point.
* This makes the blade significantly less likely to snap or crack at the junction where the blade meets the handle during heavy use.

### 3. Finger Placement (Finger Choils)
In some designs, if the indent is large enough, it acts as a **Finger Choil**.
* This allows the user to "choke up" on the knife, placing their index finger into the notch.
* This provides much better control for fine detail work, like skinning or precise carving, by bringing your hand closer to the tip of the blade.

---

> **Note:** Looking at the photo you provided, yours appears to be a **Sharpening Notch**. It looks a bit too small/sharp for a finger to rest comfortably, but it's perfectly positioned to keep that edge clean during a session with a whetstone.


Is this a knife you use for specific tasks, or are you looking to sharpen it soon?

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:52 pm

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

Sorry you didn't get more replies.
If no one knows, why reply? You're going to throw disrespect because of that?
But just so you can get a reply...

I have no idea.

Wow, grow a thicker skin guy !
i don’t see any disrespect in my post, just a basic question.

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

Pictures of the whole knife are essential. The handle is integral to the functionality of the knife. As are other blades, markings, or any context of any kind

Thanks for your replies , I’ll just let the topic die out.
!

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

And the silence is your answer!

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 3:06 pm

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:52 pm

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:46 pm Disappointing that all i got was these replies from the largest knife community on the web…all i was asking was if anyone knew what that notched spine could have been for.

Sorry you didn't get more replies.
If no one knows, why reply? You're going to throw disrespect because of that?
But just so you can get a reply...

I have no idea.

Wow, grow a thicker skin guy !
i don’t see any disrespect in my post, just a basic question.

Is there some reason why you won't show the whole knife?

bighomer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 1:31 pm Looks like it'd be good to dig in the dirt.

This is the post that I commented on and i stick by what I said,,,,, “ disappointed “ i come here occasionally to find information . Why SW took personal offense & disrespect to this, I don’t know. I’ve been around here for years, and for the most part get along well. As for not showing the whole knife…. It wasn’t my knife, those are the only pictures i had.
Thanks for your input folks.
JJ.
PS
Maybe Bryan can just delete this topic.

Looks like one side of a pair of scissors to me.

folding oyster shucker?

wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 8:58 pm

bighomer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 1:31 pm Looks like it'd be good to dig in the dirt.

This is the post that I commented on and i stick by what I said,,,,, “ disappointed “ i come here occasionally to find information . Why SW took personal offense & disrespect to this, I don’t know. I’ve been around here for years, and for the most part get along well. As for not showing the whole knife…. It wasn’t my knife, those are the only pictures i had.
Thanks for your input folks.
JJ.
PS
Maybe Bryan can just delete this topic.

Whoa I didn't mean any disrespect, and I wasn't trying to be a smart- - - . The op photo doesn't even look like a knife blade to these old tired eyes, maybe a wood gouge of some sort, but I'd use the dang to dig in this old TN. red clay to loosen it up some. But that's just me.