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By Juan José
A knife is defined as a type of hand tool with a sharp edge
that is used to cut something, whether it be food, rope, or
even wood. It is usually composed of a blade, which is
commonly
around 12 inches or less in length, that is attached to a type
of handle. They have been around for a very long time, dating
back to the Stone Age where they were used as both tools and
weapons.
The first knifes used in the Stone Age were made of either
flint orflint or rock, their edge was chipped or ground, and
they sometimes, but not all the time, had a handle. With later
advances in smelting and metallurgy, blades were able to be
made of bronze, iron, and even steel. Although time has
changed
the materials that are used, a knife’s basic design still
remains very much the same.
As previously stated, a knife is composed of a blade and a
handle, as well as a tan. The tang is known as a blade’s
extension into the handle. Some knifes also have an attached
handguard so that a person, while using the knife, won’t have
his/her fingers slip onto the blade’s edge, therefore
resulting
in an injury.
The groove that is found alongside of the blade actually has a
name. It’s called the fuller, also known as a blood gutter
and/or blood groove. Myth has said that the fuller is used to
allow an artery to bleed without having to remove the knife.
However, the reality is that a fuller is used to make both
knifes and sword lighter without having to sacrifice any large
amounts of strength. In fact, on most knifes, a fuller is used
solely for decorative purposes.
Also, a blade’s groove allows for surface tension reduction
that can occur between a blade and whatever is being cut. This
means that both easier movement and also removal of the blade
is allowed.
Another feature of a knife is its shoulder. This is where the
blade thickens to meet the handle. This is most commonly seen
in kitchen knifes. It keeps the knife from any kind of
jamming,
for example when cutting into the bone of a chicken. It also
allows for the chopped item to stay stationary and not move
back toward the person’s hand while chopping with kitchen
knifes.
Kitchen knifes are the most commonly used type of knife today.
It seems that everyone who has a kitchen has at least one,
although many of us have several that are used for many
different purposes.
One of the most commonly known of the kitchen knifes is the
French knife, also known as a chef’s knife. It has a broad,
tapered shape with a fine edge that is great for things such
as
chopping vegetables.
A slicing knife, with its long and narrow blade, is used to
cut
through things such as cooked meat.
Those kitchen knifes that feature scalloped edges are perfect
for slicing those foods that are softer, such as tomatoes,
bread, and cakes.
One of the most used of the kitchen knifes is the smaller
paring knife. A paring knife has a short, pointed blade that
is
very easy to handle. It is mostly used for quicker jobs such
as
peeling and removing cores.
Other kitchen knifes are used for table service. These are
usually named after the service they provide such as a dinner
knife, luncheon knife, fish knife, butter knife, and the
popular steak knifes.
About The Author: Read more of his work at:
www.bknife.com
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