Imagine the number of different types of knives there are in the world! Spread across all 7 continents with the vast diversity of climate and terrain, there has to be a fair number of knives to suit all the different kinds of work that goes on amidst it all. If all these areas of expertise were all clumped under one blade type, we’d never be able to get things done.
So, of course, there will be loads of different types of knife blade style and shape. People are always coming up with new efficient innovations to make jobs more manageable or make playtime more fun. Hey, who doesn’t like throwing sharp objects through the air.
The only problem that we keep finding is that with all the new designs and old variety of blades comes excellent confusion. Which one do you choose? Which one is the best? It can be exhausting, but after a while of perseverance, you’ll know exactly what you want, and lucky for you, we’ve researched to make more sense of this tremendous big dilemma.
What Are the Different Types of Blade
There are over twenty different types of knife blade style and shape, all having a different approach to the same task. To cut something! Whether it be throwing the knife, using the knife to protect yourself, or simply just using it in your kitchen, all knives have that part in common.
So then, what’s the fuss all about? Why are there so many shapes and sizes? Well, let’s have a look. We’ll be discussing the top twelve types of knife blade or shape.
Drop Point
The drop point blade is one of the most common types these days. It is praised for its safety and controllability, and that’s why most pocket knives or folding versions employ a drop point. It has an unsharpened back, which curves around to the point. The point is not sticking out, and the back is safe to hold without causing any danger.
Clip Point
This blade style is commonly used in hunting; it’s excellent for skinning and other practical purposes. It has an extended point that can be used to “clip” things and is often known to be sharp on the spine’s downward curve. It is also used with pocket knives but mainly used on fixed blades or larger folding knives. The benefit of having a partially sharpened back is that it allows cutting going down as well as going up.
Spear Point
The spear point is used on the vast majority of knife types; kitchen paring knives, throwing knives, hunting knives, and survival knives. This blade type is massively helpful due to its double-sided blade, and it is sharpened on both sides for effective slicing in two directions.
Not all spear points have to be double-sided blades; sometimes, they come with the back part unsharpened, which is the case for pocket knives. The joy of this type of blade is its central tip that has even support from the top and bottom of the blade.
Tanto Point
This style of blade is a utility military-type shape. It has a sharp edge angled from a flat bottom edge into a curved top side that’s also sharp. The benefit of this style is its extra-strong ability to pierce through rigid material, and with the angled front tip. It creates a slanted point of strength so that the tip doesn’t take the full brunt of the force. It is used mainly for outdoor activities and survival and rescue.
Trailing Point
The giant underside cutting surface makes this style of the blade a topnotch filleting and skinning knife choice. The increased sharp area allows for better slicing and more contact against the object, meaning the blade’s efficiency is increased.
Straight Back
This is the most typical type of shape for a knife. It doesn’t have very many curves and is used for more essential tasks. It has an even distribution of force and is said to be very sturdy, making it great for deboning or cutting away hardwood, for example. The straight back is safe for pressing against as support which adds versatility to the blade’s function.
Wharncliffe
A Wharncliffe blade has a straight edge for cutting and a gradual curve on the spine extending to just over half of the blade length. These knives are sought out because of their flat edge, which provides excellent cutting precision for more delicate tasks.
Needle Point
This is more of a tactical approach to a knife shape. It is designed with the intent of the widest range of damage possible. It is commonly used in throwing knives and by special forces. Also, it has a double-edged sword-like blade with two-way cutting and is typically made with extremely strong steel making them immensely sharp.
Hawkbill
This type of shape is pretty self-explanatory. It looks like a hawk’s beak, with a smooth downward curve that extends to a tip that pushes out past the blade’s flat underside. This style works wonders for electricians or anyone who works with chords etc., because the protruding tip gives the edge extra effective wire and cord-cutting ability.
Sheepsfoot
This blade shape is similar to the Wharncliffe point, except it has a more abrupt curve on the back, and the blade doesn’t have a tapered edge. It has a flat blade edge which is excellent for precision cutting. It is called the Sheepsfoot because of the everyday use for cleaning sheep’s hooves, but nowadays, it is used mainly for whittling or carving knives.
Cleaver
This is a very Japanese-style blade, intended mainly for the kitchen, and is traditionally rectangular. Although a few variations have come into play in the modern kitchen, they’re still primarily rectangular. This gives the knife great weight and downward for as well as more effortless rocking motion type cutting for more experienced chefs.
Leaf Shape
This is an exceptionally aggressive-looking shape with a high intimidation factor. It is a cross between a clip point and a drop point, with everything more emphatic in size and shape. It has an extended point with a more curvy top and bottom. This shape of the blade is often used for self-defense and can also be found in throwing knife sections.
Food for Thought
There are other types of knife blade style or shape, but the ones I have talked about here today are the most common. These types can accomplish most tasks. However, not all tasks might be done easier by any of these if it is not explicitly designed for that purpose.
If you’re doing more specialized work, then a different knife shape might prove helpful in making the job easier. There are many versions of these blades that are serrated or partially serrated and many variations like Persian, Kukri, and Recurve, which may suit a tonne of other spheres better than any on our list.
Whatever the case, you’re on the right path because if you’ve read this far. Then it probably means that you’re a knife fanatic and possibly have more knowledge on these topics than we do. So keep up the excellent work!
