THE GUIDE: THE CUTLERY LEXICON

For some people, this guide will be just a review. But for new knife makers, you will finally find a complete guide to the lexicon of knife making . The vocabulary of a knife maker may seem complicated at first glance, but you will quickly realize that it is not that complicated.

Steel : Alloy composed mainly of iron (Fe) and carbon (C).

Alloy Steels : As opposed to carbon steels, alloy steels contain various elements capable of modifying the physicochemical properties of the original steel.

Sharpen : Create the angle of the blade to achieve the cutting edge, that is, create the grind.

Sharpen : Refine the cutting angle to create the edge on a dull blade.

Automatic : Mechanical system that allows the blade of a folding knife to be opened automatically by pressing a button, without touching the blade.

Carbon (C) : Carbon is the element that plays the predominant role in the properties of steel. This element allows for hardening and increases tensile strength and wear resistance.

Stop notch : Literally, it is a notch that stops a movement. A device that prevents the moving blade of a knife from folding back onto the handle after opening. This name is falsely attributed to automatic knives.

Damascus : High quality steel composed of a large number of layers, around a hundred, which are folded, welded and forged together. This very old technique allows to obtain a very good cutting quality and longevity in use. Damascus blades are recognizable by the damask pattern, they are very appreciated by cutlery enthusiasts.

Grind : The part of the blade that tapers to form the cutting edge. There are several types of grinds such as flat (V) grind, concave grind, convex grind, and chisel grind.

False edge : The part of the blade located opposite the cutting edge (on the back of the blade). By definition, the false edge is generally unsharpened.

Iron (Fe) : An element found in nature in large quantities. Iron is a malleable material that melts at 1535 degrees Celsius (C°). Iron mixed with carbon makes steel.

Carbon fiber : An extremely strong composite material made from graphite and resin.

Blade edge : The sharp part of a knife or other cutting object.

FRN : Extremely strong composite material. This material is composed of fiberglass, nylon and epoxy resins. Widely used in cutlery in the production of knife handles and cases.

G-10 : Synthetic material made of fiberglass impregnated with epoxy resin under pressure. Extremely resistant to cold, heat, rot or corrosion.

Guard : A piece located between the blade and the handle, generally used to prevent the hand from sliding towards the blade while also protecting the handle.

Brass : An alloy of copper and zinc, ductile and malleable. Used in cutlery for guards, bolsters or rivets.

Micarta : Synthetic material made of paper (Paper Micarta), fabric (Linnen Micarta) or thick canvas (Canvas Micarta), impregnated with pressure-treated phenolic resin. Extremely resistant and very little sensitive to water, cold, heat, rot or corrosion.

Bolster : Bolsters serve the same purpose as guards but are not designed in the same way. Unlike the guard which extends beyond the blade, the bolster does not extend beyond the blade and is made of two pieces attached to each side of the knife (between the blade and the handle).

Flat sole assembly : Type of knife where the tang follows the contour of the handle and is visible between the two handle plates.

Tang mount : Type of knife where the tang thins and penetrates inside the handle.

Normalizing : This is an operation similar to annealing, which eliminates internal stresses and constraints and improves the crystalline structure of the steel before heat treatment.

Pommel : Part of the knife attached to the end of the handle.

Ricasso : Part of the knife located in front of the guard (or the miter).

Rivet (pin) : A small metal rod (sometimes made of other materials) used to attach handle plates, guards, or bolsters to the knife.

Rockwell (HRC) : A measurement scale used to quantify hardness. To keep its edge, a knife must have a certain hardness (usually between 54 HRC and 62 HRC). In general, a blade with too high a hardness is mechanically more fragile, while when the hardness is too low, it will not keep its edge as well (but will be more flexible).

Tang : Part of the knife that extends into the handle.

Heat treatment : Heat treatment generally consists of two major steps: quenching and tempering.

Quenching : Quenching is the first operation which consists of heating a piece of steel to a certain temperature (variable according to the types of steel) and cooling it suddenly by immersion in a fluid (water, oil, salt bath) or in air, thus obtaining a hard structure called martensitic. At this stage, the steel is very hard but also very fragile. The second operation is tempering, which consists of reheating the previously quenched part to a temperature lower than that of the quenching (variable according to the types of steel, generally between 200 and 400 °C). Tempering eliminates the brittleness of the steel and makes it more resistant, while allowing the desired hardness (expressed in Rockwell) for the steel part to be adjusted.