NICE and SHARP

Every Blade Deserves a Nice and Sharp Edge

Examining the parts of a chef's knife will provide a good understanding of what each part plays in the knife and what to look for when selecting a knife.

A - POINT

This is where the edge and the spine meet at the tip. Sharp points, such as those found on chef and utility knives, are for piercing foods such as cutting into a watermelon.

B - TIP

This is the 1^st ¼” to ½” of the cutting edge. This is usually the thinnest and most fragile part of the knife and is used for fine or delicate cutting and trimming small items. The tip on chef’s knives and utility knives are often used as pivot point when chopping or mincing. The curve of the tip should be such that you can easily hold the knife and quickly and comfortably cut up food while keeping the knife under control.

C - CUTTING EDGE

This is the entire bottom of the knife from the point to the heel. This is the most used part of most knives. This is where you would do most of the chopping, peeling and slicing.

D - HEEL

This is the area of the cutting edge that is the last ¼” of the blade, just before the handle. This is usually the thickest part of the knife and is used when a lot of leverage is needed. Because it is so close to the handle, you can deliver more force so its the spot to use when chopping through small bones.

E - SPINE OR BACK

This is the top of the blade, opposite the edge. The thick spine makes the knife less flexible. Gripping this area between thumb with forefinger and your other fingers around the handle, will give much more control. Using the spine to push items off the cutting board will save wear and tear on the blade. The spine can also be used for cracking bones.

F- RETURN

This is the bottom of the finger guard. This is used as a rocking point when chopping or dicing. The return should be curved to allow a rocking motion.

G- BOLSTER

This is the thick metal collar between the blade and the handle. It provides balance and weight to the knife. With forged knives, the bolster is constructed with the blade; if a stamped knife has one, it is attached separately.

H –FINGER GUARD

This is the bottom of the bolster.This helps strengthen the blade at the heel and provides added weight in front of your hand. This gives the knife a better feel. As the name implies, it does help protect your fingers if you accidentally slip.

I - RIVETS

There are usually 2 or 3 rivets holding the handle scales to the tang creating the handle. Rivets go through the tang securing the blade to the handle. They should be flush with the handle so that food or water cannot get trapped around them.

J - SCALES

These are the 2 pieces of material attached to the tang . Scales are generally wood or plastic. Scales should fit smoothly behind the bolster and on the tang without any space.

K-HANDLE-GUARD

This is the end of the handle This is a small lip at the bottom of the butt to help with gripping and help prevent the hand from slipping off.

L - BUTT

This is the back end of the knife also known as the handle head.

M - TANG

This is the metal that extends into the knife handle. (Can not be seen in picture above). Full tangs are cut to the exact size of the handle and handle scales are attached to both sides with rivets.

Last Updated: Dec-07