Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
by Steve Eason
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by
any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written
permission of the copyright holder. Copyright 2012 Ingenious Internet Income
Barlow
The Barlow knife is usually a 2 bladed knife that is known for its long bolster. These
knives have been around for over 300 years and even have the prestige of being
mentioned in stories by Mark Twain. Their handles are typically an elongated oval
and some are made of rare and expensive materials, thus increasing the price
dramatically.
Camper
Camper knives are well known due to the popular Swiss Army Knife. The tell-tale
signs of a camper knife are usually a large spear point blade, accompanied by tools
like a can opener, screw driver and a punch blade. Sometimes there are other tools
included too.
Canoe
The canoe knife gets its name from the look of the body, which resembles a Native
American canoe. These knives usually contain 2 spear point blades, although some
come with a spear point blade and a pen blade.
Congress
The Congress knife has a convex shape on the front and the back can either be straight
or convex. Most come with 4 blades; common arrangement is a spear point, a
sheepsfoot, coping and pen blades. There are many stories as to how it got its name.
The definition for congress is a coming together, or an assembly. So one thought is
that because all four blades come together to meet in the middle it was referred to a
congress.
This is one of the larger pocket knives available and normally be found around 4-5
inches in length. It usually very large, wide blades and there are usually two.
Opinel
The Opinel is a knife of French origin that is simple in design and was made as a
working mans knife. Its typically made of a solid wood handle, usually beechwood
with a single blade. When the blade is extended, it has a stainless steel locking ring to
hold it in place. Its also well known because Pablo Picasso used an Opinel to carve
his sculptures.
Peanut
This knife is a very small knife, thus the name. Normally because of their size, they
only have one or two blades, with the two blade model being more common. The
reason they are fairly popular is because you get a couple types of blades in a
relatively small package.
Sodbuster
Another of the working mans knives, the Sodbuster is a simple single blade knife
that is known for feeling very comfortable in the hand as well as being very
inexpensive. Simply put, is all that you will need and nothing that you dont want.
Stockman
This knife is one that you would likely recognize in the US. Most of our grandparents
and fathers would have a Stockman on them. A Stockman has 3 blades, often a clip,
sheepsfoot and a spey blade. These blades were carried by cowboys and farmers in
the west and the spey blade was used to castrate livestock.
Trapper
The Trapper knife is made up of 2 blades, usually similar in length. One is a clip
blade and the other a spey blade. The clip blade is used for everyday use and the spey
blade was designed for cleaning and skinning animals.
Whittler
Whittler knives are just what you would think they are; knives made for whittling.
They usually have 3 blades and are designed for different details while whittling.
The other commonly found version of a pocket knife is the Lock-Blade knives. These
knives have a locking mechanism that locks the blade into a full opened position. In
most cases the lock must be disengaged before the blade will close back into the
handle. The purpose behind this design is to give the blade more strength for difficult
tasks and to prevent the blade from closing accidentally. This drastically improves
the safety of the knife.
These knives come with a wide range of locks on todays market. Be sure to check
out our information on locks in Chapter 6. These locks do vary in strength and
reliability so be sure to carefully consider your options.
Within the Lock Blade category is a knife that you have either already heard about or
you will very soon. Its called the Tactical Folding knife. This knife is typically
larger than your normal pocket knife, originally marketed to the hunter or sportsman.
In recent years, due to their use by the military and police officers, the tactical knife
category has become more of a defensive weapon than a hunting knife.
BG-42
This stainless steel holds its edge better than 440C and ATS-34 and is tougher than
ATS-34. A lot of smaller manufacturers are switching to this steel from the ATS-34.
Because this knife has more manganese and vanadium, which the ATS-34 doesnt
have at all, it holds its edge much better and enhances the toughness of the steel.
D2
Very high carbon steel that is exceptional at holding an edge and has probably the best
wear resistance. However it does lack toughness. Its not as corrosion resistant as
the 440C or ATS-34 and is not considered to be stainless steel because it only has
12% chrome. A blade must have 13% or more chrome to be considered stainless
steel. Much tougher than premium stainless steels like ATS-34 but not as tough as
many of the other non-stainless steels. The combination of great wear resistance,
almost-stainlessness and good toughness make it a great choice for many knives.
Damascus
This steel is created by layering a variety of steels together. During the finishing
process an acid is used to expose the surface lines and it ends up as a tough blade with
a good edge quality. However, its typically rather expensive and usually just used in
artistic projects. Depending on which materials are used to create the steel, you can
get different shades of light and dark contrasts.
Gin-1 (G-2)
The Gin-1 was used by Spyderco and now Benchmade in some of their lesser
expensive knives. It does have some decent wear resistance and strength.
H1
Well known for its corrosion resistance and toughness. But one drawback is that the
edge quality is lacking.
M2
Extremely tough steel which is typically used in industrial situations. Although it has a
very high strength and is very wear resistant, it is highly susceptible to corrosion.
S30V
Very good corrosion resistance, holds a very good edge but its going to be a little
more expensive as its a premium grade steel.
S60V, S90V
This steel has more alloying elements than traditional steel methods are able to
produce. Plus they have a lot of vanadium which drastically improves its wear
resistance, yet also makes it very hard to sharpen.
VG-10
This steel contains vanadium and is a high-end stainless steel. Its more rust resistant
and tougher than the ATS-34 and holds a very sharp edge, because of the vanadium.
According to ZKnives.com, these steel types are placed in general groupings that help
make a little more sense of where each falls in sense of performance. Now keep in
mind that some of these steels would better fit in between categories but this list is to
give you a general idea where they fall. Many people wont agree with the groupings
but again this is a broad generalization to give you a perspective.
Lowest Quality
420 and 420J would fall into this category. These are very stain resistant and tough,
however they are very weak and not very wear resistant. In general they will lose
their edge quickly. These are usually found in less-expensive knives.
Lower Quality
440A, 425M, 420HC, 12C27 and 6A These are hardened more than the previous
group for better strength and they are more wear resistant.
Medium Quality
Gin-1, ATS-55, 8A and 440C It goes without saying that this rank is stronger than
the last rank in general and for the most part are more wear resistant. Most of these
are also fairly stain resistant, however the ATS-55 is the least of this batch. The 8A
can hold a very sharp edge but its also the weakest and lowest in wear resistance.
Higher Quality
ATS-34/154CM, VG-10, S60V The knives in this group are in use quite often and
they hold an edge well. They are fairly tough but arent very stain resistant. The VG10 has vanadium which is fine-grained so that it holds the best edge of this class. The
S60V has the best wear resistance.
Highest Quality
BG-42, S90V and S30V This grade of steel has one negative quality. These are
much higher in wear resistance, as result they are a lot harder to sharpen. However,
they are high in stain resistance. So if you can deal with the sharpening issue, knives
in this category could be a great choice.
Liner Lock
With the liner lock, inside the body of the knife there is a piece of steel that is angled
towards the inside of the knife blade. When the knife is opened, the liner slides into
place right behind the tang of the knife, which produces an audible click. This liner
then prevents the knife from closing back down. However, there are many different
variations on this design and some are much safer than others.
When looking at blades with a liner lock, you will want the liner to be fairly thick and
sturdy. The less expensive blades will have much thinner liners. Some manufacturers
have introduced an additional mechanism that will slide into place behind the liner
lock to prevent it from moving back and potentially allowing the blade to close.
When you are ready to close the blade, you have to move the liner back to its starting
position to allow the knife to close.
Frame Lock
The Frame Lock is a variation on the Liner Lock however, instead of a separate liner,
the frame slides over and locks the blade open. This design is typically a little
stronger than the liner lock since the frame is usually thicker than the liner would be.
Its also known as the Chris Reeves Integral Lock.
Mid Lock
The Mid Lock is similar to the Back Lock, however the latch is located in the middle
of the knife instead of the back. This gives the lock more strength and it is reported to
be able to withstand more pressure than the Back Lock.
Aluminum/Titanium
These metals make very beautiful handles on knives while they are also very sturdy
and strong. Titanium is not only very strong but it is very light weight, yet more
expensive than most of the other options.
Bone
Bone handles are very durable and have a pleasant look to them and it one of the most
common handle material used for pocket knives. When used as a handle, the bone will
typically be textured to provide a better surface to grip.
Wood
Wood handles have been around for ages and this type has both advantages and
disadvantages to its use. Depending on the kind of wood used, they can expand and
contract in varying amounts with different weather conditions. This expansion and
contraction can actually split the wood or cause it to become damaged over time.
However a good quality wood handle will last a long time and feel pretty good in the
hand.
G-10
G-10 is made up of fiberglass based laminate in which layers of fiberglass cloth is
soaked in resin, compressed and then baked to create a very hard, lightweight and
strong product. Then texture is added to the outside to provide a solid gripping
surface. Not only is it strong but it looks really stylish too.
Micarta
Micarta is very similar to G-10, except instead of fiberglass layers, linen and papers
are used to create the material. Its still extremely strong and resistant to extreme
weather conditions. Plus it comes in a variety of colors.
Carbon Fiber
Carbon fiber is created by tightly weaving strands of carbon and then setting that in
resin. This is becoming more popular because of its strength and high tech looks. Its
one of the strongest lightweight materials used to create handles. However, its a
labor-intensive process to create so the cost is usually much more than other options.
You are also invited to visit our web site where we are constantly adding new
information on a wide range of topics around the subject of pocket knives. If you have
any questions that we didnt answer in this guide, please be sure to let us know at the
site.
We want to make this the best guide possible and your feedback is extremely valuable.
Best Pocket Knife Companion - http://www.bestpocketknifecompanion.com
Also, please take a moment to review this book on the Kindle store. Your review
helps others know how useful this book was to you.
Hardness The compactness of the steel molecules determines the hardness of the
steel. Harder steel will hold an edge longer while softer steel is easier to sharpen.
This is measured by the Rockwell test. A rating above 60 is difficult to sharpen and
below 56 will not hold an edge well.
Hollow ground a grind that results in a blade bevel that tapers inward in an arched
manner from the spine and slightly back outward to the start of the cutting edge.
Inlays any material inlaid into the handles of a pocket knife.
Kick a projection on the front end of the tang that keeps the blade from touching the
spring.
Liner an interior part of a knife frame located between the handle and blade edge,
when closed. This is used to prevent damage on the interior of the body.
Liner lock a lock incorporated into the liner of the handle.
New Grind a grind that has an even taper from the back of the blade to the tang.
Pile Side the opposite side to the front. Also called the reverse side.
Retention the degree to which a blade holds and edge.
Saberground a grind that results in a blade bevel that is flat from the spine to about
the middle of the blade where it begins to taper toward the edge.
Serrated edge bevel that has teeth cut into the blade.
Spine the unsharpened edge of a blade opposite to the cutting edge, also known as
the back.
Swedge An unsharpened bevel on the spine or back of the blade, usually toward the
tip.
Tang The back portion of the blade that extends from where the blade attaches to the
handle to the start of the edge.
Tang Stamp any markings located on the tang of a knife. Most often it will have the
manufacturers name, date identification or other informative markings.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Why is it so hard to pick out a Pocket knife?
Chapter 2: Number of Blades
Single-Blade Pocket Knives
Multi-Blade Pocket Knives
Chapter 3: Types of Knives
Slip Joint
Barlow
Camper
Canoe
Congress
Elephants Toenail (Elephants Foot, English Rope
Knife, Pocket Axe or Sunfish Knife)
Opinel
Peanut
Sodbuster
Stockman
Trapper
Whittler
Lock Blade Knives
Tactical Folding Knife
Chapter 4: Pocket Knife Blade Shapes
The Clip Point
The Drop Point
The Tanto Point
The Sheepsfoot Point
The Needle Point (Dagger)
The Spear Point
The Trailing Point
The Gut Hook
The Pen Blade
Chapter 5: Types of Steel
Lowest Quality
Lower Quality
Medium Quality
Higher Quality
Highest Quality
Chapter 6: Pocket Knife Locks
Liner Lock
Frame Lock
Back Lock (Lock Back)
Mid Lock
AXIS lock (Benchmade)
Tri-Ad Lock (Cold Steel)
Chapter 7: Blade Handles
Aluminum/Titanium
Bone
Wood
G-10
Micarta
Carbon Fiber
Injection Molding (Zytel, Grivory)
Chapter 8: Ready To Shop
Glossary of Knife Terms