Do you have an interest in knives but get lost when it comes to their details. You know some basic types like
balisong knives and
switchblade knives but want to know their purpose. Then you are in the right place. The brief descriptions will help you understand the use of different types and which one you should reach for to perform certain tasks. We bet that after reading this article, you will never reach for a chef’s knife again when what you actually need is a boning knife.
WORK KNIVES
In this category, we have compiled a list of knives that are used on job sites for carrying out some specific tasks. Hence, some are relevant to specific professions. They include
DIVER’S KNIFE
This knife is sharp with a strapping, heat-resistant handle. The handle fits well in a sheath which has a strap that can be attached to the leg. The
diving knife works great under water.
ELECTRICIAN’S KNIFE
The knife has special insulation to provide protection against electric shocks. Many of electrician’s knife resembles a pocket knife.
CARPENTER’S KNIFE
This knife’s specialty is its retractable blade. A carpenter knife is also known as a utility knife. The blade can be refilled and can cut tough materials like carpet. Such knives are also used by tailors to cut clothes.
HUNTING KNIVES
Hunting knives are fixed blade knives with a good grip/ Hunters use these to gut their game. Versions with additional gut hooks also exist. Some of the Hunting knives are deliberately painted in camouflage.
SCALPEL
A scalpel is a sharp knife made up of high carbon steel. They are used in medical science to cut open patients during surgeries. They are usually accessible to people in high-end medi-kits.
MULTITOOLS
Also known as Gerbers and Leatherman, Multitool knife combines different types of into one weapon. Some have pliers, bottle openers and screwdrivers. This tool is usually carried in belt carriers.
MACHETE
A
machete is a very long and bulky knife that is used to cut trees, coconuts and tree limbs. This heavy knife is also used to gather firewood and also in the kitchen. Machetes are popular worldwide and every region has its own version of machetes. Such as Latin America has a Latin Machete and Malaysia has the Parang etc.
KUKRI
This knife is from middle Asia and is pretty bulky at the front. This gives the person more force and power downwards.
Kukris are excellent at chopping and hence, is used to chop tree limbs.
BALISONG KNIFE
Balisong knives, also known as
butterfly knives is a work knife from the Philippines. This knife can be opened using one hand while the other hand can remain free. In this knife, two handles are attached to a pivot point. The flick of the wrist can expose the full tang blade. Flipping Balisong knives is a popular recreational activity as well.
X-ACTO KNIFE
The X-Acto knife has a replaceable blade that is used in the art industry to form detailed cuts. These knives are also popular among architects in creating miniature models.
POCKET KNIFE
These knives are small knives that can easily fit in your pocket. This is because the blade folds into the knife’s handle. Most of the knives have a lock to fix the blade in an open or closed position. Switchblade is a type of pocket knife that can open with a press of a button.
Pocket knives are used for various daily routine tasks like cutting fruits, removing splinters, cutting hair and self-defense etc.
SURVIVAL KNIFE
The
survival knives are used in the outdoors. Some versions of these knives have handle compartments to store survival gear. They may also include a whistle and fire starter.
COMBAT KNIVES
These knives are used by the soldiers during the war. The combat knife is categorized by the origin of its first use.
BAYONETS
This knife is attached to the front of the rifle. It is a sword-like tool great at thrusting. It can also be used to parry the opponent’s rifle.
TRENCH KNIFE
This knife is a mix between a bayonet and knuckles. It is a multipurpose tool that can stab, slash and punch. It first appeared during World War I and now is illegal in many American states.
TACTICAL KNIFE
It is a modern fighting knife that can also be used for utility purposes. You can open something with
tactical knife and also kill an enemy.
TACTICAL AXES
Tactical axe is a small blade attached to a handle that acts as a weapon. The military and police use this to cut doors and barriers. It is also used as a hand-held weapon during close combats.
RECREATIONAL KNIVES
These knives are just for fun. They Include:
THROWING KNIVES
These knives are used in the popular sport, knife throwing. They are usually between 6-12 inches long. The
throwing knife blade is dull with a very sharp point.
THROWING STARS
This knife is a variant of the throwing knives. They have been shortened to give a round shape.
KNIVES FOR COOKING
Cooking knives are specially designed to help you work in the kitchen. They are usually made of stainless steel to prevent rusting in the wet environment. They are also flexible to assist in chopping. They have a handle that prevents slipping when wet. They are also easy to clean and the simple design help in preventing the building up of dirt and microorganisms. They Include:
THE CHEF’S KNIFE
A Chef’s knife is the prime knife in your kitchen. If you can have only one knife in the kitchen, make sure it’s a chef’s knife. The knife is good for almost every kitchen chore. Be it, chopping, slicing, dicing or cutting. The 8-12 inches long knife is non-serrated and has a gradual slope to help in chopping.
THE BONING KNIFE
This is the second most useful knife for your kitchen. It resembles the chef’s knife but is smaller in size and more flexible. This knife is specifically designed to debone the meat, filet the fish and cut the chunks of meat. It is to be noted that a boning knife is not used to cut bones, a cleaver is used for this purpose.
THE CLEAVER
A cleaver helps in cutting through meat and bone. This knife has a tall, bulky blade. The weight adds power to the cutting swings. A cleaver can easily cut through fish heads and thick bones such as the humerus. The cleaver’s backside and handle works great for mincing garlic.
THE BREAD KNIFE
This knife is serrated. The bread knife as the name says cuts bread without putting force on the soft bread. This prevents it from getting squished. The sawing action of this knife produces much fewer crumbs as compared to a normal knife.
THE PARING KNIFE
This small knife with a 3-4 inch long blade is used to prepare fruit, vegetables and garnish. It is a light knife that is great for fruit and vegetable carving.
THE CARVING KNIFE
The carving knife is a long, serrated knife that is used to carve meat such as roasts, breasts, and turkeys. This knife also used the sawing motion like the bread knife but is the least used kitchen knife.
Above, we have tried to compile the list of all the knives that we can think of and their purposes. If you know of any knife that we might have missed in the list, feel free to tell us in the comment section below. For buying the best Balisongs, switchblade, hunting and pockets knives, please visit swordsswords.com.
