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Knife Anatomy

The Anatomy Of A Knife – Labeling The Parts Of A Knife

Point – The tip of the knife. It should be small, sharp and relatively thin. It is used for making incisions and cutting delicate items.
Edge- This is the business end of the blade. The sharp part is ground into an edge. Most knives offer a flat or hollow-ground or a serrated edge.
Blood groove – This is an indention in the blade for blood to run down so not to get on your hands and cause an accident when cleaning game.
Guard – The guard protects your hand from sliding off the handle and onto the blade. Knives without guards are very dangerous to use.
Heel – The wide, flat part at the bottom of the blade. It is not sharpened and many manufacturers place their brand stamp here.
Handle – This is where you hold onto the knife. It can be made of almost any material. Some common knife handle materials are G10, carbon fiber, wood, bone, micarta, plastic or even a combination of any or all.
Pommel – The pommel or butt of the knife is usually finished with a metal cap. It is also usually the place where the lanyard hole is drilled.
Lanyard hole – The hole in the pommel or knife handle which allows the user to attach a lanyard to prevent the knife from slipping out of hand in while in use.