Parts of a Knife
By: Frank Silkin

Like most things that we cannot live without, the knife has become so much a part of our lives that we fail to realize just how complex of a tool it really is. Although many people would have trouble naming more than two distinct parts on a knife (the blade and the handle), the fact remains that there are six separate parts to a knife.

When you try to visualize a knife, you will most likely think of the blade. The metallic part that extends away from the handle is officially termed the blade. A cutting edge is ground onto one side of the blade and the tasks a knife is suited for are determined essentially by the shape of its blade.

Depending on the shape of the blade, a knife can be used for skinning, filleting, chopping, and a number of other duties. The steel used to make the blade will determine its overall strength and durability. For both hygienic reasons and to ensure the long life of your knife, get blades made out of stainless steel as they are more germ resistant and will not rust or corrode like 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.

Many knife experts consider the top quarter of the knife blade to be the tip. This is the part of the knife that will do most of your cutting and included in this part is the point (although it is important to remember that these are, in fact, separate parts of the knife).

The cutting edge is the part of the knife that is…well, designed to cut things. It is the part of the blade (facing away from you) that has been sharpened and honed so that it cuts through whatever needs cutting. While there are several types of edges available, the straight and serrated edges are most common. A serrated edge is good for cutting things like bread while the straight edge is better for trimming meat.

The handle is the most familiar part of the knife apart from the blade. Handles are made of innumerable materials, the most common being wood, steel and plastic.

The butt of the knife, like the butt of a gun, is located at the far end of the handle or the exact opposite of the tip. Many companies place a compass in the butt of the knife. When it is pulled out it reveals storage space for things like matches and other survival essentials.

There are many survival knives that come with hand guards to protect your hands from slipping in the direction of the blade. However, you need to know the basic components of a knife in order to reduce the chances of getting hurt while using one. Also, you need to know how to sharpen and maintain your knife to get the best out of it for a long time.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleJoe.com

Frank Silkin is the owner of F knife, a fantastic resource for information about knife. For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.yflknife.com/articles
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