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Understanding The Different Parts of a Knife

Understanding The Different Parts of a Knife

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Understanding the knives used in the kitchen can go a long way in helping you to maximize their use. Many people don’t know that certain parts of a knife are also useful; they only know they can use a knife for cutting or slicing, and that’s all.

You could also ask for help from Knife Depo’s guide, before buying a knife. With an expert recommending a knife to you, you can never go wrong when knife shopping.

But the use of a knife goes beyond that. As you read through this article and you will come to understand the functions served by the different knife parts.

what are the different parts of the knife we have?

1. Blade:

This is the flat, sharp part of the knife. If you need to cut something, this is the part of the knife you will need. The blade is usually made of metals such as ceramic, steel, or titanium. Some blades are also made of plastic depending on the purpose the knife is meant to serve. Whether it is the meat you want to slice or it is a cake you want to cut, the part you will need to do all these is the blade. Companies also often print their trademark on the blade. The blade itself also has different parts, including the point and the edge.

2. Point:

This is the end of the blade. It is the tiniest part of the blade with a sharp edge. If you need to score or pierce the surface of a fruit or food, this is the part you should use.

3. Edge:

if you see a knife and you find a sharp part in it, that sharp part is what we call the edge. A knife-edge is usually the flattest and sharpest part of the knife. The blade cannot on its own do much cutting if the edge is absent. If a knife is blunt, it is not the blade that is; it is the edge that is being referred to. In order to make a knife cut through objects well, the edge has to be well sharpened. In the event that the edge begins to get blunt, it can easily be sharpened again, and it will be fully functional once more.

4. Tip:

This part can be found in the front of the knife’s edge just below the point. If you need to carry out any delicate cutting and chopping work, the tip will be handy in this regard. It is usually a very sharp part; hence, caution must be taken when using this part.

5. Heel:

The heel is situated immediately before the handle. It is located on the lower edge of the blade. The heel is far away from the tip but closer to the bolster. It is not a sharp part; instead, it is the widest part of the blade. You can’t cut through soft foods or fruits using the heel. For example, the job of cutting foods and fruits like meats, fish, and oranges can best be done using the edge and not the heel. On the other hand, if you need to cut through tougher and thicker foods that require more pressure and strength, the right part to use will be the heel. Also, you need to be careful when using the heel, so you don’t get hurt.

6. Spine:

this part is located opposite to the edge. It is the upper side of the blade. The spine is usually blunt and cannot be used for cutting through soft foods and fruits. Its thickness is what strengthens the blade. The usefulness of this part is to provide balance to the knife as a whole. A thick spine means a strong blade and vice versa. You can use the spine to break soft bones that may destroy the edge.

7. Handle:

The handle of a knife is the part that allows you to grasp the knife without getting hurt easily. For most designs, this part is usually made of plastics. The handle can be straight or designed to be finger grooves. Generally, any kind of design given to the handle is made to ensure easy handling. Depending on the manufacturer’s choice, some knives are designed with just single steel. This means the tang of the knife, which is steel, also serves as the handle. Such a knife comprises mainly steel with no additional materials. On the other hand, some manufacturers design their knives to have a plastic handle which is then attached to the tang. When buying this kind of a knife, you should check out if the handle doesn’t shake.

8. Tang:

This is the part of the blade connecting the blade to the handle. It is usually unsharpened.

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