Knives might not be as complex as a wristwatch or automobile but there’s more to them than meets the eye.
Photo by Henry Phillips
Blade, handle — the vocabulary that describes the different parts of a pocket knife are simple … right? Think again. Though sharp tools may not be as complicated as mechanical watches or automobiles, there’s more to knives, both folding and fixed, than that.
Aficionados will bandy around terms like action and slipjoint but these aren’t even the most complex or specific words that can be used to describe every part of a pocket knife. For those new to the world of blades, consider this guide your shortcut from novice to pro.
Action
Refers to how a folding knife opens. A knife’s action can be described in many ways, but it will be either manual (requiring more involvement from the user, such as using two hands or flipping) or automatic (often deploying at the touch of a button).
Belly
The curved part of the blade used for slicing.
BellyIllustration by Gear Patrol
Bevel
The tapered part of the blade that extends from the spine down to the cutting edge.
Butt
The end of a knife’s handle.
Knife buttIllustration by Gear Patrol
Choil
The unsharpened portion of a knife’s cutting edge that’s close to the handle. Some choils are notched.
ChoilIllustration by Gear Patrol
Clip Point
A common blade shape, the clip point is characterized by a spine with a front section that appears to be clipped off. This seemingly cut-out area can either be straight or concave and results in a fine point, as seen in Case’s Mini Copperlock.
Drop Point
One of the most common blade shapes, the drop-point is characterized by a convex spine that curves down from the handle to the point, as seen in Benchmade’s Bugout. This creates an easily-controlled point and a bigger belly for slicing. Ideal for hunters.
Flipper
A folding knife that features a tab that juts out from the back when closed to allow a user to deploy the blade quickly and easily with the pointer finger.
Framelock
A locking mechanism in which a piece of the handle falls into place behind the butt of the blade to hold it open. To close the knife, push that piece of the handle out while simultaneously folding down the blade. The frame lock was invented by Chris Reeve and is also known as the Reeve Integral Lock.
Front Flipper
A type of flipper (see above). In this construction, the contact point is situated on the blade’s spine and is more of an exposed corner of tang than a tab.
Guard
Part of the handle designed to prevent the hand from slipping onto the blade. This can be integrated into the handle or a separate component.
Gut Hook
A sharpened hook on the spine of a hunting knife designed for field dressing.
Hardware
The screws, bushings and other small pieces that hold a knife’s main parts together.
Jimping
A notched portion of the spine close to the handle, designed for extra grip.
Linerlock
Similar to the frame lock (see above), the liner lock is a common locking mechanism in which a handle insert falls into place behind the butt of a blade to hold it open. To close the knife, push the liner out while simultaneously folding down the blade. The liner lock was invented by Michael Walker, the founder of Spyderco.
Lockback
A type of folding knife in which the spine acts as a locking mechanism to keep the blade open. When unfolding the knife, the spine clicks into a hidden notch on the tang of the blade. Pressure applied to an exposed piece of the spine disengages the lock, allowing you to close the knife. Lockback constructions are common to classic American pocket knives, like Buck’s 110 Hunter.
Quillon
The part of the guard or handle that extends beyond the tang of the blade to provide additional protection to the hand.
Ricasso
The flat and unsharpened portion of a blade between the handle and the bevel. Not to be confused with choil, ricasso refers to the flat side of a knife, not its edges.
RicassoIllustration by Gear Patrol
Sheepsfoot
A blade shape characterized by a straight edge and a spine that curves down to meet it at the point, as seen in the Spyderco Roadie. Sheepsfoot blades are designed for slicing while minimizing the potential for accidental piercing with the point. Originally made to trim the hooves of sheep, hence the name.
Slipjoint
A common type of folding pocket knife that uses a spring to keep the blade in either a closed or open position.
Spear Point
A symmetrical blade shape with a point that’s in line with the center of the knife, as seen in the Pro-Tech Godson Dessert Warrior. Commonly used for throwing knives.
Spine
The unsharpened “back” or “top” of a knife. The spine is the side opposite the sharp edge. Double-edged knives do not have spines.
SpineIllustration by Gear Patrol
Swedge
Also known as a “false edge,” this is a portion of the knife’s spine that is unsharpened but has been ground to give the appearance that it is.
Sweep
See “belly.”
Tang
The portion of the blade that extends into, and is held by, the handle. With a full-tang fixed-blade knife, such as The James Brand’s Hell Gap, that portion extends all the way to the butt.
Tanto
Inspired by the short swords worn by Samurai in feudal Japan, this blade shape replaces a curved belly with an angular edge transition that makes for a much stronger and prominent point. A great example is the SOG Kiku XR.
Thumb Stud
A piece of hardware, typically small, attached to the blade of a folding knife near its pivot to allow for one-handed opening.
Wharncliffe
Like a sheepsfoot blade, this shape has a straight edge and a curved spine, but the curve extends gradually from the handle to the tip, as seen in the Gerber Fastball. The shape is similarly ideal for slicing while minimizing the possibility for an accidental puncture with the tip.