Knife Anatomy 101: Infographic & Phrases

In case you get pleasure from gathering and utilizing knives like we do, it is essential to know the terminology related to blade designs. You can most likely get away with referring to “the stabby half”, “the sharpened bit”, and “the factor you maintain onto”, however you are not precisely going to sound educated on the topic. Utilizing the right knife anatomy phrases eliminates confusion and exhibits you recognize what you are speaking about.

Each knife has its personal distinctive traits and variations—like snowflakes, however lethal.

We’ll admit that knife phrases might be complicated and laborious to recollect at first. So, we have created the infographic beneath as an instance 20 completely different components of a set blade knife. Particularly, we used the TOPS Knives Hazen Legion 6.0 for this illustration—you’ll be able to learn our full evaluation of this fastened blade right here.

This is some extra element on every time period, since we could not match all of it within the diagram above:

1. Grind Line – The assembly level of a grind with a flat floor or opposing grind. Within the illustration above, the road proven is the place the swedge meets the flat and the first bevel.
2. Swedge (additionally spelled swage) – A tapered or beveled false edge (normally not absolutely sharpened) alongside the backbone of the knife. It reduces the purpose thickness for improved piercing means.
3. Jimping – Repeating ridges or cuts. These could also be ornamental (akin to these on the backbone), or used for extra grip on the knife (akin to these on the thumb rise).
   

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   This knife options jimping on the thumb rise and additional ahead on the backbone.

4. Backbone – The highest fringe of the knife, reverse the blade edge. The backbone runs all the best way from the tip to the butt.
5. Thumb Rise (additionally known as thumb ramp) – A slight incline within the backbone, meant to supply a spot for the person’s thumb whereas reducing.
6. Tang – A continuation of a fixed-blade knife’s metallic into the deal with. The TOPS knife above is “full tang”, that means the metallic continues via the complete deal with, all the best way to the butt.
7. Pin/Rivet – {Hardware} that holds the scales onto the deal with.
   

   An Emerson brand and mannequin info are etched onto the flat of the CQC blade.

8. Flat – The unground face of the knife. You will usually discover etching or emblems utilized to this flat floor.
9. Deal with – The half you maintain. This one’s straightforward to recollect.
10. Tip (additionally known as level) – Precisely what it appears like. Technically, the tip is the very finish of the purpose, and the purpose consists of the primary few inches of the knife.
11. Stomach (additionally known as sweep) – The upwards-curved part of the blade edge. Some knives, such because the Wharncliffe design, lack a curved stomach.
    

    The ZT 0630 incorporates a distinguished swedge and compound grind.

12. Main Bevel or Main Grind – The primary grind utilized to the knife edge. Many knives solely have a single bevel that types the blade edge.
13. Secondary Bevel or Secondary Grind – The second grind utilized to the knife, which alters the first bevel to a unique approach. Knives with two bevels (like this TOPS knife) are thought-about “compound” or “double” beveled.
14. Plunge Line – The abrupt ending of the bevel, the place it meets the flat close to the deal with.
15. Choil – A curved indentation or notch on the finish of the blade edge. Typically this may be giant sufficient to suit a finger into, however on the knife above, it is fairly small.
16. Ricasso – A thick, flat, unground portion between the top of the bevel(s) and the start of the deal with.
    

    The Gerber Strongarm has serrations, a distinguished plunge line, and a brief ricasso.

17. Entrance Quillion or Entrance Guard – A part of the knife deal with that forestalls your fingers from slipping onto the blade whereas pushing the knife ahead.
18. Rear Quillion or Rear Guard – A part of the deal with that forestalls your fingers from slipping whereas drawing the knife backward.
19. Scales – Items of deal with materials (akin to wooden, bone, or polymer) which might be connected to the knife’s tang through rivets, pins, or different {hardware}.
20. Butt – The rear finish of the knife, which can include a lanyard gap or glass breaker. Some knives could have separate metallic pommels connected right here.

The TOPS Anaconda has ornamental components minimize into its broad backbone.

Our infographic on knife anatomy ought to offer you a very good head begin on the important thing components of a blade, however there are a couple of different phrases that we did not present there. Listed below are a handful of extra phrases you would possibly hear:

• Bolster – A thick junction between the deal with and the flat of the blade. Bolsters might be discovered on the entrance and the rear of some knives, they usually strengthen the knife and add steadiness.
• Guard – A part of the deal with that forestalls the person’s hand from slipping. A curved quillion on the deal with could kind the guard, or a knife could have a separate guard plate put in between the deal with and blade.
• Fuller (additionally known as cannelure or blood groove) – A groove minimize into the blade, usually on the middle of double-edged knives and swords. These have been known as “blood grooves” as a result of fable that they launch suction or vacuum created by stabbing a dwelling factor, thus permit blood to expire extra simply. Nonetheless, there’s little to no proof that this truly occurs. In actuality, a fuller lightens the blade by eradicating metal, and may additionally stiffen some blade designs (akin to a broadsword).
• Serration – Repeated jagged cuts into the blade edge, offering the power to noticed and tear via powerful supplies.
  

  This CRKT Liong Mah 6 has three distinct serrations on its edge.

• Pivot – Solely discovered on folding knives, that is the place the blade attaches to the deal with. Some knives function caged ball bearing pivots for smoother opening.
• Liner – Flat metallic plates contained in the deal with of a folding knife. These present construction for the pivot and deal with scales, and may additionally function a part of the locking mechanism (known as a “liner lock”).
• Line Cutter or Seatbelt Cutter – A sharpened notch within the blade, which is designed to slice via cordage or seatbelts. Some knives use a slotted opening within the deal with or sheath, reasonably than a notch within the blade edge itself.
  

  The SOG Seal Strike incorporates a line cutter constructed into its sheath.

• Glass Breaker – A sharpened level on the butt of the knife, designed to crack and shatter glass. Some knives could function a devoted carbide level, whereas others could use a pointed extension of the tang for this goal.
• Finger Groove – Distinct grooves or notches on the deal with, designed to suit between the person’s fingers and supply additional grip.
• Clip – A portion of the backbone close to the tip that’s angled down (or “clipped off”) for improved piercing means. Knives with this function are sometimes known as “clip level” knives.

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Written by Patrick McCarthy