The Anatomy of a Knife

The knife is such a common object in our everyday lives that most of us fail to see what a complex tool it actually is. Most of us think that a knife has only two distinct parts: the handle and the blade. But, in truth, the knife is much more complex, comprising six separate parts.

The blade of a knife is the most obvious part. It is the metallic part that extends away from the handle and has a cutting edge ground into it. It is the particular shape of the blade that defines the nature and function of the knife.

There are knives suitable for various functions based on the shape of their blades. There are filleting knives, skinning knives, chopping knives and many more. The durability and strength of a knife is determined by the steel used to make its blade. Stainless steel blades are longer lasting, more hygienic, rust and germ resistant and don’t corrode as easily as other steel products.

The point of the knife performs the task of piercing and stabbing things. We use the point to help gut and clean game as it can pierce through the membrane around the skin and help us get to the meat of the quarry.

The top quarter of the blade of a knife is commonly considered the tip by knife experts. Most of your cutting can be done with the tip and the "point" is included in the tip. However, don’t forget that the tip and the point are indeed two separate parts of the knife.

The cutting edge is the part of the knife that cuts things. It is the part of the blade that faces away from you. It is sharpened and honed so that it cuts through whatever needs cutting. The cutting edge can be of many types, but the most common are the straight and serrated edges. A serrated edge is used for cutting things like bread while the straight edge is good for trimming meat.

Now comes the other part that most people are familiar with: the handle. There are plastic handles, steel handles, wooden handles and handles made of various other materials.

The butt of the knife is much like the butt of a gun: it is located at the far end of the handle or the exact opposite of the tip. This is where some companies place a compass that can be pulled out to reveal storage space for things like matches and other survival essentials.

Now some knives do come with hand guards that are designed to protect your hands in case they should accidentally slip in the direction of the blade. Many survival knives have this feature. But, whether your knife has a guard on it or not, it is important to familiarize yourself with the basic components of a knife as this will reduce the chances of your being injured using one. The next step is to learn how to sharpen and maintain your knife so that it lasts as long as possible.

Article Source: http://www.lifestyle-information-services.com

Frank Silkin is the owner and operator of F knife, the best place on the internet for information about knife, For more articles on knife why not visit: www.yflknife.com/articles
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