Basic Knife Terminology

Blade Types

• Modern
  The entire blade tapers into the base of the handle. There is a gentle curve along the blade.

• New French
  The cutting edge of the French blades extends below the handle. The edge opposite the cutting side is more curved than an "Old French" blade. It does not taper in to meet the handle.

• Old French
  This blade is in between the Blunt Blade and the "New French" in both style and the popularity timeline. The edge opposite the cutting side is mostly flat like a blunt blade. The cutting edge of the French blades extends below the handle. It does not taper in to meet the handle as the modern blade does.

• Blunt
  The cutting edge of the French blades extends below the handle. It does not taper in to meet the handle.

Handle Types

• Pistol
  Pistol griped knives have handles that curve downward like the handle of dueling pistols.

• Flat
  The handle is a solid piece. Normally, one single piece of metal is both the blade and handle. Sometimes a separate blade is attached to a flat handle. Flat handles are found mostly in: butter knives, spreaders, fruit knives and some children's (or breakfast) knives. Many patterns offer(ed) a choice of flat or hollow handles to allow the customer to select a handle style.

• Hollow
  The handle is a hollow piece into which the separate blade is attached.