Knife cutting edge. What types of kitchen knives are there? Special, particularly delicate cutting tools

Why is it bad to call the parts of a knife as you are used to (albeit incorrectly)? Well, at least because they won’t understand you on forums and news sites, or they will understand you incorrectly, or they will still understand you, but they will label you an offensive noob.

So, we look at the diagram, read the explanations and remember.

1. Strip - a blade together with a tang (full or in the form of a rod), without a handle.
2. Blade length is the full length from the tip of the knife to the place where the handle begins (to the shoulders of the blade or from the guard/pritina, if any).
3. The blade is the part of the knife with which we make the cut. This means the entire visible metal part of the strip, excluding those hidden by the handle and parts of the device - guard, guard, etc.
4. The shank is a metal part that is completely or almost completely hidden in the handle.
5. The butt is the upper unsharpened border of the blade from the tip to the handle; it may have a longitudinal rib for crushing cartilage, nuts, etc.
6. emphasis for thumb- a small area on the butt of the blade near the handle, usually with a notch, used to hold the blade with the thumb resting on it.
7. The bevel of the butt is the line of transition of the butt to the tip; in the European tradition, the bevel is straight or concave (the so-called “pike”), while Japanese-design knives have a smooth and convex bevel (“sheep’s hoof”).
8. Sharpened butt bevel – optional cutting edge, formed by two narrow slopes on the bevel of the butt to increase the efficiency of stabbing strikes, constructively brings the knife closer to the dagger (a knife with a double-edged sharpening).
9. A false blade is a part of the butt formed by two narrow slopes, which is sometimes sharpened.
10. Golomen – flat side surface blade from the butt to the beginning of the descent line.

Dol is what schoolchildren love to call blood flow. Naturally, the fuller does not have such functions, but rather it is intended to lighten the weight of the blade while maintaining its longitudinal rigidity.



11. Point/Toe - The point where the butt (or false blade if present) meets the cutting edge.
12. Sharpening edge / Trigger start line – can form a single plane with the trigger itself if they are made from the butt.
13. The slopes are two sides of the blade formed by forging or grinding that converge on the blade, forming its wedge-shaped cross-section.
14. Muzzle - a semicircular radius notch that separates the cutting edge from the unsharpened part of the heel; protects the heel from damage when sharpening and straightening.
15. The cutting edge is the line that is formed at the intersection of two leads.
16. Leads are two narrow sharpened side edges along the cutting edge that sparkle when we look at the blade from the side. Often mistakenly called a cutting edge, but this is not true: they form it at the toe line.
17. The rise of the blade is the place where the leads, together with the cutting edge formed by them, begin to rise to the butt. Shown here schematically, in reality the lifting can be performed not in an arc, but in a straight line, at an angle - for example, with the American tanto.
18. The working/fighting part often coincides with the length of the blade: this is the entire cutting edge from the unsharpened heel to the tip.
19. The working part near the heel - on some types of knives, the area for rough work (cutting, cutting) has greater strength, for example, due to a larger sharpening angle.
20. Serrator is a serrated, wear-resistant blade that can be used as a sling cutter.
21. Blade II - a semicircular radius notch that separates the cutting edge from the unsharpened part of the heel, protects the heel from damage during sharpening and straightening.
22. The heel is a thickened, unsharpened part that makes the knife, as the knives say, more grippy due to the possibility of an additional grip with the index finger and its application to the unsharpened part of the blade, and for the master it makes it easier for the master to pair the blade with the handle.
23. The sub-finger radius is an auxiliary notch near the heel, which also serves for the convenience of additional grip on the blade with the index finger.
24. Heel II - Another part, also called the heel, is thicker and can serve as a stop if you crush something with the holes of the knife.
25. Shoulders are recesses on the blade at the point of transition to the shank, which serve as limiters when the blade mates with the parts of the handle.
26. Mounting holes – through holes on the shank and dies for joint fastening. Both permanent fasteners (rivets) and shaped threaded fasteners (such as a furniture tie screw) are used.
27. Shank Thread/Screw - The threaded back portion of the shank that is used under the tightening nut for through-hole mounting of the handle.
28. Fastening/tightening nut – a shaped nut for fastening one-piece parts of the handle (handle, device, fittings, rings, etc.) to the shank.
29. Handle - the entire part of the knife, intended for holding it with the hand, with safety elements: linings, handle, guard, bolsters (bolsters), butt, pommels, stops, fasteners, etc.
30. The back of the handle is the part of the handle on the butt side of the blade.
31. The belly of the handle is the part of the handle on the side of the cutting edge, which can be shaped for ease of holding with the hand.
32. The handle is a solid part of the handle, attached during mounting between the parts of the device: the guard and the butt plate, put on the shank during installation, by which we hold the knife with our hand.
33. Handle dies/linings - during overlay installation, detachable paired parts that are attached to the shank with tie fasteners through holes or with adhesive compounds.
34. Pritins are paired metal parts mounted on the shank at the point of transition to the blade: on ordinary knives they are used for hygienic purposes, on folding knives - to increase the strength of the hinge connection between the blade and the handle.
35. Restrictor/bolster – also known as a guard (for example, tactical knives). A shaped part of the handle with a protrusion-limiter at the heel of the blade, usually on the side of the cutting edge, serves for safe handling of the knife and prevents the hand from slipping onto the blade during piercing blows.
36. The end of the bolster is the part of the bolster facing the blade.
37. The front stop is the lower part of the bolster, the limiting protrusion.
38. Crimping ring/clip - when mounting the handle on the side, a special ring is put on the end of the handle to strengthen it.
39. Cross/limiter - part of the handle adjacent to the heel, equipped with double-sided front stops - on the side of the blade and butt.
40. Forging - when mounting on horseback, an oblong metal cap is placed on the part of the handle at the heel.
41. Sub-finger notch - serves on the handle as an additional support for ease of use of the knife when pulling types of cuts or when chopping.
42. A pinch is a sub-finger rest, placed between the middle and index fingers, used for increased reliability of holding the handle with the hand.
43. Pommel/buttplate – a separate, not always present part on the back of the handle, like a plug, through which a tightening nut tightens the handle parts during mounting; can be decorated with engraving, tauching, etc.
44. Back rest – a rest under the little finger or the base of the palm, used on chopping type knives.
45. The end is the back part of the pommel.
46. Lanyard hole – a hole into which a lanyard cord/sling can be threaded; This is done both to prevent loss of the knife (when working at height or on water) and to make it easier to remove the knife from its sheath or pocket; it is mostly found on fairly large knives.
47. Decorative rivet - a decorated fastening or decorative element in the form of fasteners on a handle.
48. Rivets/screws – tightening fasteners for through installation of paired parts on the handle: linings, dies, rivets.
49. Spacers - are made to increase the grip of the palm with smooth handles (for example, thin brass washers on inlaid leather handles) or as decorative elements.

As a bonus, we also offer a diagram Nepalese kukri: You definitely won’t find, for example, a “Shiva tooth” in a European knife.

There are a huge number of different knife options. In fact, manufacturers go out of their way to make something original and different from other products. It's also functional. But all their creations can be reduced to a few basic profiles, on the basis of which masters are already beginning to create. And today we are talking about these basic blade profiles for knives and let's talk. Just to begin to understand the issue a little better.

1. Blade with a straight spine

One of the most common models. And not only due to the fact that such profiles much easier to manufacture, but also thanks to its versatility. This knife copes not only with specific tasks, but also performs well in everyday practice. It is permissible to increase the rounding - this gives a larger cutting edge and makes further work a little easier. It stabs well and cuts well. Often found on ordinary kitchen knives.

2. Drop-Point

In this case, the tip is slightly shifted relative to the butt line. The top chip is either smooth or slightly convex. Due to this, the effectiveness of the piercing blow increases, since the point of application of force coincides with the tip. The geometry of the blade itself makes it easier to insert into the material and pull it back out. In addition to piercing blows and movements, it cuts well. Often found on knives designed for . The butt is usually not sharpened.

3.Trailing point

In this case, the tip, on the contrary, is raised relative to the butt. This increases the cutting edge, but piercing actions become extremely difficult. Excellent cuts soft tissue. Often found in national knives, intended exclusively for processing hides and cutting carcasses. The butt can be sharpened, which significantly increases the versatility of using a knife with such blade profile.

4. Clip Point

Also called Bowie type, after Colonel Bowie, who is considered the inventor of this profile. The tip is even lower relative to the butt line than in drop-point profile. Due to this, the effectiveness of the piercing blow increases even more, since the point of application of force is located almost on the central axis of the blade. The top bevel is a concave notch that is sharpened. It can be either short or long. This significantly expands the scope of use of the knife, especially in skinning. Such blade profile often observed in combat knives, since it copes equally well with both piercing and cutting blows. In the second option, you can use both the blade and the sharpened notch, causing additional damage when pulled out after a stabbing blow.

5. Scramasax

Quite specific profile. It is also called Wharncliffe Blade. It looks as if they took the standard version, turned it over, and then sharpened the butt and dulled the blade. Ideal for scraping and provides a perfectly straight cut because the cutting edge is even along the entire length of the blade, without any bending. Can be used for slashing attacks. Not suitable for piercing actions. Due to the nature of its application, it is rare.

6. Tanto

More precisely, "American Tanto". Classic japanese knives with this name were blades with a straight spine. But in order to simplify manufacturing, some craftsmen began to limit themselves to two smooth cutting surfaces, instead of one rounded one. Due to its shape, it perfectly withstands strong piercing blows on hard material, without the risk of breaking the tip. Provides a good cut because the cutting surface is uniform. Copes well with slashing blows. Often found in combat knives.

7. Spear-point

Or spear-shaped profile. Ideal for stabbing, provides deep penetration into the tissue and easy removal. Double-edged. Most often found in combat or hunting knives and daggers. Other applications are extremely limited, so this blade profile is relatively rare. However, this profile is very popular among throwing knives.

8. Spay-Point

This profile Most often used for hunting knives used for skinning. The shorter blade provides more control over the cut. The upper bevel is not sharpened to prevent damage to the leather during operation. The large curve of the cutting edge provides a more efficient cut, and the tip located in the center allows you to effectively pierce dense materials.

9.Hawkbill blade

Blade profile shaped like a key bird of prey. The tip is thin, located significantly below the center line of the knife, giving the blade a sickle shape. It is this part that is sharpened. This form is extremely ineffective in everyday life and work, but for inflicting cutting wounds it is just right. Classic karambits- this is exactly a hawkbill.

10. Needle-Point

Classic stiletto. Narrow, long, double-edged. For very specific applications, for household and household needs it is practically useless. Only for piercing your neighbor.

11. Gut-hook

If in drop point profile make a small hook on the upper bevel, sharpen the inside of it - we get gat-hook profile, ideal for cutting game. With its help it is very convenient to cut skins and gut prey. As for the rest, the efficiency is the same as that of drop point profile. It is better not to use it only for hard stabbing blows - the hook noticeably reduces the strength of the blade when impacted in the center.

These are the main and most common blade profiles. In addition, there are more highly specific options, for example: sheepfoot, dagger point, shark tooth, but more on all that next time. Moreover, many simply consider them to be variations of the main options.

To correctly understand the following material, you need to decide on terminology, which is not always correctly presented on the Internet.

Blade anatomy

Of course, different blades have different cross-sections different shapes, but their common details can still be identified and clearly defined. Therefore, let’s take an average image, using which we can understand all the necessary terms.

Bold italics indicate details that can be found in the figure.

• Blade thickness - thickness, usually measured closer to butt , where they have not yet begun descents .
• The thickness of the reduction is the distance between the points where the descents end and begin. carts (one point on each side, see picture). Why the thickness of the information? Because that's where metal starts come down in one line - cutting edge.
• Leads are narrow planes that, when converging at one point, form a cutting edge. When examining the blade, it is they that shine in the light, and not the edge, as is mistakenly believed.
• Cutting edge - an almost “imaginary” line, which still has a thickness of several microns, but is conditionally only a place where the leads converge.
• Sharpening angle - the angle at which the leads intersect (or descents - in the absence of leads); This term is popularly understood as the “sharpness” of sharpening. By the way, this angle is always greater than the one at which the slopes meet.

The smaller the angle between the slopes (and this value ranges from 8 to 50 degrees), the sharper the knife, that is, we have to apply less force to cut.

How to correctly set the overall cutting edge angle

This is important: if we are talking about a knife with symmetrical slopes, then the sharpening angle will be twice as large as the one under which we place the sharpening stone. For example, if for your hunting knife we prefer to do a 30-degree sharpening, then there should be an angle of 15 degrees between the blade and the block.

From this we derive two concepts:

• full angle, which is the sharpening angle (in our example - 30 degrees);
• half angle is the one at which we place the blade in relation to the block (in our example - 15 degrees).

We determine the angle itself based on the purpose of the knife.

Special, particularly delicate cutting tools

By these we mean surgical instruments, shaving devices, blades, etc.

The sharpening angle for delicate instruments is 8–10 degrees.

Knives for working on soft materials

These are mostly kitchen knives: fillet knives, vegetable chopping knives, etc.

The sharpening angle for fillet and vegetable knives is 10–20 degrees.

Universal kitchen knives

Chef's knives for various purposes can work on both soft and hard materials - cartilage, small bones, frozen fish or meat.

The sharpening angle of kitchen “universal” is 20–25 degrees.

Knives for hunters, fishermen, survivalists. Tactical knives

Such tools are often found not only with soft camping products such as sandwiches, but are also designed to cut branches and fishing lines. Sometimes they are even used as sling cutters.

The sharpening angle of “street” knives is 22–25 degrees.

Knives and other tools for working on hard materials

This includes kukris, machetes, garden knives, tourist and ordinary household axes.

The sharpening angle of knives for heavy work is 20–40 degrees, sometimes up to 50.

How to understand what kind of sharpening a tool requires

Sharpening does not always follow a single algorithm. For example, if we use an expensive and high-quality knife for its intended purpose and regularly care for it, most likely it only needs editing. But an old tool that has not been touched by a sharpening stone for a long time may require not only sharpening, but first of all repair.

The task of both editing and sharpening is to restore the original state of the cutting edge. What could happen to her? It either becomes blunt (that is, instead of the line on which the leads meet, an additional rounded surface is formed), or damaged (jams and chips appear on the line of intersection of the leads), or it is completely pulled towards one of the leads. The last case is typical for knives with one-sided sharpening.

• Edit

If the cutting edge is simply slightly deformed and deviates from the specified straight line (without cracks or microscopic chips), it can and should only be corrected without removing large quantity metal On hard steels this is done using laps, belts and slings with fine-grained abrasives, on softer steels - with the help of musats, almost smooth dressing devices, since sometimes even abrasive materials are not required.

• Sharpening

If the leads are already a little worn, covered with micro-scratches and micro-chips, and the line where they intersect is slightly rounded (usually they say that “the edge/blade/blade is becoming dull,” but this is not entirely correct), sharpening is needed. In this case, the shape of the inlets is restored using diamond bars or water stones.

• Repair

The blade that is subject to repair is the slopes and leads of which have already lost the geometry necessary for work: deep chips or severe wear have appeared on the blade, and the thickness of the lead has increased by one and a half to two times. Therefore, in order to bring the knife into working condition, you will have to re-form the descents and approaches, which is beyond the power of a person without experience and special tools.

How did you learn to draw the angle correctly? Or maybe you haven't had to do this yet? In this case, you can contact us for the service of sharpening knives and other cutting tools: we know how to do this professionally.

One of the main elements of working in the kitchen is a kitchen knife. It would seem, what could be simpler? But not every housewife knows what they are and why to use one or another type.

Especially for you, we have prepared a selection of the main types of kitchen knives and their purposes with photos and brief characteristics. Let's try to figure out which of them are really needed in the kitchen, and which ones will be useful only occasionally and will simply take up extra space.

Main types of kitchen knives

Despite all the diversity, three knives are rightfully considered the main chef's troika, without which the cooking process seems extremely complex and labor-intensive. Let's take a closer look at each of the knives.

Chef's knife. A universal tool that can replace most other knives - except, perhaps, a bread knife. However, many chefs make do with only them - a matter of technique. A fairly large, heavy knife, despite its size, is easy to use. Shredding vegetables, slicing meat, peeling fruit... All this can be easily done with a chef's knife.

A wide blade, eighteen to twenty-five centimeters long, should be perfectly sharpened and quite durable. Durability is essential for handling frozen foods.

Considering that the highest demands have always been placed on the quality of this knife, we have prepared for you.

Another important component of the “big three” is a bread knife with a serrated blade. The length of such a knife is about twenty-one centimeters. His characteristic feature- a blade similar to a hacksaw, processed using the serrated sharpening method. The specially serrated blade easily cuts the bread pulp, but does not crumble it.

The last required tool is a small one. paring knife, with a blade of about seven to eight centimeters. Its small size allows you to hold it comfortably in your hand and thoroughly peel potatoes, zucchini and other vegetables or fruits - something that is difficult to handle with larger knives.

Popular types of knives

Of course, these are not all types of knives for use in the kitchen. If you go to a specialty chef's store, the variety of knives will amaze you. We suggest studying in more detail those of them that can become a successful addition to the main chef's troika.

Perhaps first on this list should be utility knife, which is found in almost every home. The classic-shaped blade usually reaches fifteen centimeters. This knife is suitable for both meat and vegetables. It is easy to use and does not require special skills.
However, such a knife will not cope with soft or, on the contrary, too hard products.

Few people know that the potato peeler found in almost every home is actually also a type of knife. A vegetable peeler, to use the official terminology, thanks to two blades facing each other, is very convenient for peeling vegetables and fruits. Floating blades provide additional ergonomics - the hand from such a knife gets tired much less than if you were trying to peel potatoes or apples with a regular knife.

Another useful knife - kitchen hatchet. A wide square blade up to eighteen centimeters long is indispensable for chopping meat. Due to its high strength, it allows you to easily cut through large pieces of meat, including frozen ones.

Its peculiarity is also interesting: if most knives need to cut along the product, such a hatchet should be lowered deeper.

Important: if you decide to purchase a kitchen hatchet, pay attention to the handle! It should be comfortable and not slip in your hand - otherwise you may get injured.

For a non-professional home kitchen, it would be a good idea to purchase a small sandwich knife with a slightly rounded blade shape. Who among us doesn’t like to make a couple of sandwiches for breakfast or for evening tea?

The unique shape of such a knife will allow you to conveniently spread butter and other soft foods on bread: pates, processed cheese, soft cottage cheese or mousse, jam...

A wide eight-centimeter-long blade will make it much easier for you to prepare sandwiches.

A fillet knife with a narrow and long blade of twenty centimeters is also useful in the kitchen. The shape of the knife and the raised tip make it easy to fillet fish, separate the fillet from the bone, and cut the meat into thin slices. But be careful: this knife is not suitable for hard foods, so avoid cutting frozen meat or fish.

The Japanese santoku knife is not very popular here. Oddly enough, this convenient wide twenty-centimeter knife is not very famous. But Americans have long appreciated it - many professional chefs are switching from chef's knives to santoku. And in almost every home you can find such a model.

Thanks to the lowered tip, the knife is more ergonomic than its chef counterpart. It is convenient for chopping or shredding meat. The tip allows you to delicately cut even the most capricious products, including bread.

Another less popular knife will come in handy for many cheese lovers. That's what it's called - cheese. It is better to use it for soft varieties - a universal or chef’s knife can handle hard ones. The grooves or holes on the knife blade allow you to cut soft cheese, avoiding its deformation and sticking. Nice bonus- at the tip of such a knife there is often a small fork for carefully transferring the cheese to a plate.

Unusual knives

If you really love to cook without being intimidated by experiments and unconventional dishes, you should be interested in the following types of knives. They are not so often used in the home kitchen, but they can make life much easier for an enthusiastic cook.

For lovers of stuffed vegetables, it will undoubtedly come in handy knife for cutting out the cavity. The oval shape of the blade looks unusual, but once you pick it up, you will understand how convenient it is. The pointed edge allows you to quickly remove the pulp from zucchini, eggplant and other vegetables. If you wish, you can even prepare pieces of meat for stuffing - but for this it will be more convenient to slightly freeze them.

Another one interesting model- cucumber knife. However, with its help you can quickly cut any hard vegetables or fruits into thin, neat slices. Seven parallel blades ensure a clear and precise line, so your plate of fruit or vegetable slices will look perfect.

The so-called chopping knife is also interesting to use. The semicircular blade is crowned with two handles. It is recommended to work with it with both hands. This knife is suitable for cooking chopped steaks, quickly chopping large quantities of meat or vegetables, and so on.

The knife is often used in professional kitchens, but amateurs are wary of it. And in vain. Yes, working with chopped meat requires certain skills - but after spending a couple of hours training, you will notice how much easier it has become to work with chopped products.

Popularity Japanese cuisine could not but affect the Russian kitchen appliances market. If you love sushi bars, why not try making their menu at home? A kitchen sashimi knife, thanks to its flexible long blade (about twenty centimeters), will allow you to cut salmon and any other fish into thin, almost transparent slices. Your sushi will look perfect!

The eternal competitor of sushi is pizza. Fans of hot flatbreads with cheese are familiar with trying to cut a hot product fresh out of the oven. The cheese stretches unsightly and sometimes falls along with the filling... To avoid such troubles, purchase round pizza knife. The rotating blade with fine teeth allows you to quickly cut pizza into neat, aesthetic slices.

Of course, we could not describe all types of knives - experts number up to two hundred. However, we hope that the selection will help you decide on the necessary minimum, which will greatly facilitate the cooking process and make work in the kitchen quick and enjoyable.