Essential Details Regarding Fix Blade Knives
The knife is without a doubt, one of the simplest tools in the world. Yes, it is such a basic item, yet one should not be surprised to enter a store with the desire to purchase “the best” knife available, only to wind up leaving the store with complete confusion and without buying anything. The reality is, the best knife is something that probably doesn’t exist. However, there’s a very good chance that you would be able to obtain the best knife for the job.
Over a period of time, you may end up purchasing a variety of knives for a all kinds of purposes. Perhaps you are extremely passionate about knives and you find them fascinating. Thus, you purchase knives on a regular basis because you admire their craftsmanship. Well, that’s actually a decent enough reason to buy the knives that caught your admiration, and you wish to add them to your collection. After all, the more the merrier, right?
Still, you have to keep in mind that in order to select the appropriate knife for a specific job, you should possess the ability to identify the features of each prospective knife. In addition, you should be able to weigh them in relation to your requirements. The variety of fix blade knives available on the market is simply massive. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are pricey and some are affordable. No matter the prices and sizes, all knife designs are closely related.
I believe the simplest way to comprehend the different types of knives is to divide them into two categories. The first category contains only fixed-blade knives, while the other consists of folding-blade knives. Knives in the latter category can be traced back to prehistoric era, while the first evidence of folding knives leads us to believe they have been around as far back as 500 BC to 600 BC. For the time being, let’s focus our attention on the first category which is the fixed-blade knife.
Over a period of time, you may end up purchasing a variety of knives for a all kinds of purposes. Perhaps you are extremely passionate about knives and you find them fascinating. Thus, you purchase knives on a regular basis because you admire their craftsmanship. Well, that’s actually a decent enough reason to buy the knives that caught your admiration, and you wish to add them to your collection. After all, the more the merrier, right?
Still, you have to keep in mind that in order to select the appropriate knife for a specific job, you should possess the ability to identify the features of each prospective knife. In addition, you should be able to weigh them in relation to your requirements. The variety of fix blade knives available on the market is simply massive. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are pricey and some are affordable. No matter the prices and sizes, all knife designs are closely related.
I believe the simplest way to comprehend the different types of knives is to divide them into two categories. The first category contains only fixed-blade knives, while the other consists of folding-blade knives. Knives in the latter category can be traced back to prehistoric era, while the first evidence of folding knives leads us to believe they have been around as far back as 500 BC to 600 BC. For the time being, let’s focus our attention on the first category which is the fixed-blade knife.
Fixed-Blade Designs 101
The two most popular fixed-blade designs available in the market currently are the half-tang design and the full-tang design. When it comes to half-tang designs, they are known by a wide range of names. You can identify them by their key features such as the blade being thinned and either glued, tapped, and turned in to the handle, or even molded around it.
They may even be referred to as a Rat tang or a Push tang. A through-handle tang goes completely through the handle. Examine the end of the tang and you’ll likely discover that it is threaded and connected to the pommel. Although the through-handle tang is longer, it still may be referred to as a half tang. The reason it is referred so is due to the fact that it measures significantly less top to bottom in comparison to the blade itself. The full-tang design is based on maintaining approximately the full height of the blade from end to end.
The blank’s front half portion is sharpened and cut, and the handle has a frame which is actually made of the blank’s rear half. The rear portion can then be completely pinned down by two opposing plates or wrapped with material to form the handle. The full-tang knife is often regarded to be much tougher. The blade and the handle are one continuous piece of metal from point to pommel, and such design makes it very strong.
However when it comes to strength, do not disregard the half-tang knives just yet! They too can be pretty strong, but utilizing the proper attachment techniques is absolutely vital. One can use glue as a means of attachment. It is cost-effective obviously, but bear in mind that glue tends to shrink rather easily. It is also important to ensure the material utilized for constructing the handle is stable and not easily affected by changes in humidity as well as temperature.
The next part that I wish to highlight is the pommel. This part is located at the opposite end from the point of the blade. Basically, the pommel serves as a finish for the knife handle’s contour. In addition, it provides a tremendous benefit by producing what is often referred to as striking surface. Depending on usage, the striking surface can either be pointed or blunt. For instance, if one was to drive in a tent stake, the appropriate striking surface would be blunt. However, for the purpose of breaking a glass during, say, a rescue, a pointed striking surface is best for the task.
Also, if you wish to use the knife as weapon for combat in close quarters, then it is not a bad idea to shape the striking surface in a much more aggressive manner. Other use of the pommel is the ability to insert through a lanyard or some sort of connecting cord.
So, what’s the purpose of attaching a lanyard to the pommel? The main purpose is to provide connection to the user’s belt or sheath. It’s for retention, basically. With regards to the creation of lanyard, the most common material used is rawhide. Another common material that’s used rather often these days is paracord. This material is basically multifilament cord and is renowned for its sheer toughness.
Apart from providing solid retention, the method of attaching lanyard to pommel is often employed these days in order to store a respectable length of emergency rope with a narrow space. This method is achieved by linking a cord that has been well braided to the hole within the lanyard. Using this method allows the user to deploy the knife from its sheath with the aid of a pull handle.
Gripping the Grooves
One of the biggest differences between fixed-blade knives and folding knives is the grip, specifically the lower edge area. Fixed-blade knives usually have finger grooves on its grip. Those grooves are essential for strengthening the user’s hold on the blade’s handle. Aside from grip strengthening, the grooves serve as an indicator that the sharpened edge is facing downward.
Not all fixed-blade knives come with complete set of grooves. Many models offer a single groove or two at the most. One or two grooves are sufficient for fitting the first and second fingers. After all, those are the strongest fingers found on the human hand.
The above are all the essential details concerning fix-blade knives that I’ve always wanted to share with readers of this site. In the next article, I will cover all the necessary details regarding folding blade knives. You might want to check out the video below for some helpful info on what sort of fix blade knife is worth the money.
Not all fixed-blade knives come with complete set of grooves. Many models offer a single groove or two at the most. One or two grooves are sufficient for fitting the first and second fingers. After all, those are the strongest fingers found on the human hand.
The above are all the essential details concerning fix-blade knives that I’ve always wanted to share with readers of this site. In the next article, I will cover all the necessary details regarding folding blade knives. You might want to check out the video below for some helpful info on what sort of fix blade knife is worth the money.