Catalog Quick Order

Subscribe to Weekly Specials

Click on the link for the full article.

Blade Coatings

Blades have been coated in one form or another at least from the middle ages. The earliest I know of is rust bluing that would have been used to help reduce rusting and also for beauty especially where gold or silver was inlaid into the blade.

Blade Geometry FAQ

Author: Joe Talmadge
Source: rec.knives Newsgroup
June 1998

Welcome to the blade geometry FAQ. Our objective is to provide a working knowledge of blade shapes and grinds. After reading the FAQ, I hope you'll be better able to answer the question, "I need to do job X, what kinds of knives should I consider?". We will start with some general characteristics of blade shapes, then talk about blade grinds, then put it all together to discuss specific blade patterns. The last section, a brief analysis of some common designs, will build upon the previous sections. It's important to keep in mind that the characteristics can be as important as blade shape. When you're done with the FAQ, you should be able to make decisions not only on blade shape but on other attributes. If you need to slice, you'll know to look for a nice curving belly -- and not get hung up on what the ostensible blade shape is supposed to be.

Blood Groove

The blood groove on a knife probably is derived from the channel present on swords, where it is called a "fuller". There are some persistent myths floating around about the function of blood grooves, from "releases the vacuum when the knife is thrust into a person" to "no functional use, purely decorative".

Liner Lock Tests

A well-made liner lock is a beautiful thing. The action is smooth, the lock is very strong, and it can be opened and closed one-handed. However, it is easy for the knifemaker to make a mistake on a liner lock. Many common mistakes can result in the lock accidently unlocking, and this is a serious threat to fingers.

Serrated vs. Plain

There's been a jump in recent years in the popularity of serrated edges, and there's often confusion as to when a serrated edge is advantageous, versus when a plain edge is advantageous.

Steel

A comprehensive article about the properties of different steels used by knifemakers, built upon the experience of a collector and amateur knifemaker, numerous articles and books and countless conversations with custom makers.