25 Terms You Need To Know When It Comes To Cutting Knives

Below are 25 terms you need to know when it comes to cutting knives.

Why?

Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions has been making cutting knives since 1870. No, that’s not a typo. The “8” is supposed to be there.

In the nearly century and a half Hyde has been in business, we’ve gained a lot of experience. We know how to make a top quality knife that will perform to the highest standards and endure the test of time.

You, on the other hand, probably don’t have more than 140 years in the cutting knives business. That’s okay. You don’t need to. All you need is Hyde.

Yet, if you want to learn more about cutting knives you need someplace to start? . We think a great place to begin is learning a few vocabulary words.

Back – The back is the part of the cutting knife that isn’t sharpened.

Bevel – Bevel (or bevel edge) is the part of the blade that’s at an angle. It’s usually measured from the body to the blade’s edge and is generally the result of grinding.

Blade – Blade is the part of a tool that cuts, slices, scrapes, shears, or trims.

Burr – A burr is a bit of metal that forms on the edge of the cutting blade while it’s being sharpened. Burrs form on the opposite side of the edge being sharpened.

Ductility – Ductility refers to how well a blade flexes, bends, or absorbs an impact without fracturing.

Edge – The edge is the sharpened side of the blade. The edge of a blade may be straight, serrated, or scalloped.

Face – The face is the widest side of a blade with a single bevel. The face is opposite the bevel side of the blade.

Gage – When we talk about gage we are taking about a blade’s thickness.

Guard – The guard is found where the blade meets the handle. It’s usually metal and protects the user’s hand in case the cutting knife slips during its use.

Hardness – Hardness of a blade generally refers to its ability to hold an edge and is usually measured on the Rockwell “C” scale.

Hone – Hone is simply sharpening a blade.

Kerf – Kerf is the width of a blade’s cut.

Points – Points are the tips of a blade’s teeth.

Strength – Strength refers to steel’s ability to resist forces.

Scalloped – Scalloped is a type of cutting edge that looks “wavy.” This type of edge offers a very clean slice.

Teeth – Teeth are the sharp points found along the cutting edges of certain blades.

Tensile Strength – Tensile strength refers to the ability of a blade to resist breaking.

Toughness – Toughness is the ability of a blade to withstand impacts before fracturing.

For more terminology about cutting knives click here!