What knife for what, i.e. types of knife blades

There are a lot of types of specialized knives. You can distinguish, among others hunting knives , outdoor, survival or tactical knives. But what to consider when selecting knives? Which knife to choose ? Different shapes of the knife blade are of significant importance here. And it is this issue that this post will be devoted to. In this article you will learn what are the most popular knife head profiles and what is their best use. We invite you to read.

Popular knife head profiles

What is the easiest way to distinguish knives? By the shape of their blades. It is the type of blade that tells you the most about the characteristics of a particular knife. And when you have at least more or less orientation in knife blade profiles , you will also know how they cut and what they are intended for. Knowing what are the types of knives will allow you to later choose the one that will best suit your needs and requirements.

Drop point knives

Knife type drop point is one of the most popular types of blades. hunting knives often have such a profile. It is very easy to recognize because it has the characteristic curvature of the blade abdomen and a gentle slope on its back. A knife with such a blade always has a durable tip and excellent cutting properties, but it will be much worse at stabbing.

Straight back

Straight back knives have a characteristic curved cutting edge that coincides with a straight line of a blunt back. This shape of the knife head is hard to confuse with any other. This very classic design of the blade allows you to press it with your hand without any worries. The straight back knife is the perfect candidate for both cutting and chopping.

Clip point knives

The profiles of the clip point knives are characterized by the fact that the spines of their blades are cut flat, or even concave. A good example here will undoubtedly be the Bowie knife (although Bowie is often classified as a separate knife type ). What are knives with a clip point head used for? Due to their good penetration, it is a popular type of hunting knife. It is often used as a combat knife or simply a work knife for lighter everyday tasks.

Specialized types of knife heads

In addition to these types of blades, which are considered classic, quite popular and rather commonly used, there are also slightly more specialized types of blades that are used .in. in rescue, sailing or even when cleaning sheep's hooves.

Hookblade knives

The back of a hookblade blade (or sometimes called a guthook) is equipped with a special hook with an appropriately sharpened bottom. This type of hunting knives facilitates the evisceration and skinning of game. It is also used in rescue. An example of a knife in the Sapsan store with this type of head is the Outdoor Edge Wild Skin blister knife with a clear color of the handle that allows it to be quickly found in the field.

Wharncliffe head knives

Used in sailing.A flat or slightly concave cutting edge and a sloping back at a gentle angle are the hallmarks of wharncliffe-shaped knives. The blade designed in such a way ensures that the risk of injury with it during sailing expeditions in rough seas is reduced to a minimum. What is the most common use of this knife type ? For carving, cutting finely and also chopping. Most often you will find this type of blade in folding knives .

Sheepsfoot

The name of this type of blade comes literally from cleaning sheep's hooves. This blade is suitable for many precision jobs that require more pressure. A sheepsfoot blade is characterized by a straight, slightly concave cutting edge. What distinguishes this type of blade from the wharncliffe knife profile? First of all, the angle at which the ridge descends to the point. Here it occurs closer to the end of the blade. This makes its width increase faster. Thanks to this, there is plenty of room for the thumb. An example of a knife with such a blade in the Sapsan store is this Böker Knife.

Profiles of the blades, typical mainly for combat knives

The time has come for a few examples of blades that are most often used in combat knives. They are needle point, tanto, and talon . Let's take a closer look at these knife blade profiles.

Needle point

Literally a stab knife. The cutting edges of the needle point knife tapers in an almost straight line all the way to the point of the point. It has no cutting properties whatsoever, this shape is designed to deliver effective thrusts. This type of blade is also unlikely to be confused with any other. It is very distinctive.

Tanto

Knives usually straight from Japan, but also found in their varieties from the USA. This blade has a geometric shape and is sharpened like a chisel. Instead of the so-called abdomen, two types of rounding can be distinguished in these knives. They are rounded or angular (american tanto) or rounded (japanese tanto).

Talon

The tanto knife head tapers evenly and forms something like a claw with a sharp point. Although this profile finds its application also in utility knives, it must be admitted that it has gained the greatest popularity due to karambits.

All types of knives have something special about them and have their own unique history. We hope that after reading this post it will be much easier for you to recognize the different types of knives and tell what they are for. The most, however, about what are the types of knives can of course be told by those who have had the opportunity not only to hold in their hands, but also to use individual models for practical purposes. Therefore, test, check, collect, take with you on expeditions, and most of all use various types of knives in outdoor.