Author: Anonymous

Knives come in three basic cutting edges: serrated, straight, and partially serrated. I personally like a straight edge because it has a more precise cut, almost like a surgical blade in its sharpness, and it’s the edge I have the most experience with. But there are definitely serrated and partially serrated enthusiasts out there who would probably argue that these types of edges are the best. Me, I can’t say — I don’t think I’ve ever used those kinds of blades.

 

                   Serrated

For jagged, but deep cuts that will penetrate the material you’re cutting. Has a saw-like surface that might in some cases be more effective than a straight edge. This type of edge is used a lot in kitchen cutlery because it cuts food up beautifully, everything from meat to bread.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-mc0-sogfari-machete-opt.html   (Serrated edge is on top of blade)

 

 

Straight

If you want a scalpel-like cut, then this is your edge. No grooves or ridges in the material once you’ve bit into it with the blade. The straight edge is known to sharpen very efficiently.

 

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-fsa-7-flash-str-sat.html

 

 

             Partially Serrated

 

This type of edge is getting more popular with knife manufacturers, since it combines both the straight edge and serrated edge into one blade. This makes it extremely versatile, and able to take on a wide range of projects and tasks.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-twi98-cp.html

 

 

 

In this post, I’m going to talk about what style finishes and coatings are used on knives, from the popular, high quality types to the lesser quality kinds that perhaps you should avoid if you truly want a long-lasting, durable blade.

 

 

+ Bead Blasting —

A rather drab finish on knife blades that is achieved through striking the metal/steel of the blade with rough material, such as anything from beads to sand to even crushed walnut shells. While I don’t have a bead blasted knife, I do think its muted appearance is sort of attractive. Be forewarned, however, that it has a habit of rusting and being uneven in texture. If you like a duller look without the bumpy surface, you might want to try out a stonewash polish for your knife.

 

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-ff-salute-folding-opt.html

 

 

+ Satin —

Very popular finish that is common on knife blades sold today; it gives a shiny surface that is reflective and stands up well to rust and corrosion, and general wear and tear. Hides dents and scratches pretty well.

 

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-fsa8-cp.html

 

 

+ Titanium nitride —

This finish is being used more and more often to coat blades, because it is the ideal coating for steel, as it is one of the strongest coating materials; it makes the blade very tough, and has a great-looking appearance that will not scratch nor peel.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-tf-21.html

 

 

+ Mirror —

Extremely shiny finish, like its namesake. Not too common, because it can potentially cost a lot of money for the user/buyer, but there are some advantages to choosing this kind of finish, such as it being anti-corrosive and also very smooth. Unfortunately, the mirror polish is a magnet for fingerprints and scratches; so this fact should be taken into consideration as well when you select your finish or coating.

 

 

 
+ Powder coating/Black oxide–

A powder coating has the potential to wear off from the blade; it’s often used for cheaper knives that are not of great quality. Powder coating consists of black paint, which can be prone to flaking and accumulating nicks. Black oxide, on the other hand, can be applied to obtain a slight rust-resistant quality on the blade. I say slight because there are other finishes and coatings out there, including several listed in this article, that offer much better protection against rust and corrosion than black oxide does.

 

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sog-s37-seal-team-fix-opt.html

 

 

+ Stonewash —

This is a finish that is produced from jostling the blade with small stones or pebbles. Sometimes people will attempt this method for themselves at home, with mixed results. Stonewashing a blade produces a darker, weather-beaten look that is smooth and will withstand corrosion, scratches, dents, and other possible damage nicely.

 

I want to talk now about the various components that make up knife handles. There are a lot of different kinds of knife handles, and you’re sure to find the perfect one for you out of this list. The types of knife handle compositions are: glass-reinforced nylon/GRN, aluminum, Micarta, Kraton, G-10, carbon fiber, and natural materials, like leather, bone, and wood. For myself, I like the sturdiness of a classic wood handle; I inherited a couple of beautiful knives from my late father, one of which is a Bowie knife from the 1960s/1970s that has a thick wooden handle. The other is a smaller utility knife/work knife with a shorter, thinner blade that has a leather-wrapped handle. Regarding that one, I really like the feeling of the smoothness of the leather in my hand. I will go into each one briefly for you, so you can understand the differences among them and why each is valuable to the knife enthusiast.

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Last time I wrote, I talked about knife tangs and why they matter in terms of knife usage. Now I will discuss more types of knife tangs that you should own.

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A knife tang, which many people may not realize, is one of the most important structural components of a knife. It is the portion of the knife blade that juts into the handle of the knife and gives it resistance and strength and durability when performing tasks big or small. The tang comes in many different forms, such as a full tang (which is ideal to have), a partial tang, a push tang, and a skeletonized tang. The tang is most commonly found on fixed blade knives.

There are several other kinds of knife tangs, which I can’t cover today, but I will renew this discussion in a future post.

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This is the second portion of my discussion on knife grinds. Today, I’m going to talk about chisel grinds, compound/double bevel grinds, convex grinds, and asymmetrical grinds. This is essential to understanding the anatomy of a knife, and it will help you to learn to use any knife, basic or more specialized, and to use it more effectively in your tasks and activities.

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This time, I will take you through some common “grinds” used in knife manufacture. There are several different kinds, and they all have their own uses and unique qualities. A grind is a synonym for an edge, and it is one of the most important and most interesting parts of a knife’s anatomy. These grinds include hollow grinds, (full) flat grinds, high flat grinds, chisel grinds, convex grinds, compound/double bevel grinds, and asymmetrical grinds. There is also another one called the sabre, V-, or Scandinavian, grind, which is a subdivision of the flat grind. This article will be discussing the first few types of knife grinds. Please check back in future weeks for part II of this discussion.

 

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Knives are fascinating tools, because, appropriately enough, they have a dual nature in the fact that they are so straightforward, and yet they are so incredibly versatile. They are actually quite a complicated subject when you learn about them, but I will guide you through some relatively basic information about different types of knives and their characteristics. First off, there are two major categories of knives: folding and fixed. Both are equally interesting and valuable, but each has different uses depending upon your needs and your desires.

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