 |
Business | Industries | Finance | Tax |
| Index: > A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|
|||||
| First Prev [ 1 2 3 4 ] Next Last |
The first knives were flint or other rock , chipped or ground to an edge, sometimes with a handle. Later on with advances in smelting and metallurgy the blades were made of bronze, iron, then steel. While the materials have changed over time, the basic design remains the same.
Together with the fork and spoon, the knife has been a common eating utensil in the West since the Middle Ages. In the West, multi-purpose pocket knivesA pocket knife is a type of folding knife with a blade that fits inside the handle. Blades are typically no larger than 3 to 5 in. 8 to 13 cm) in length, and are small enough that they may be carried in a pocket, hence the name. Pocket knives are very ver are probably the most common knives carried today, and the importance of the knife as a weapon is declining.
A knife consists of a blade, a tang and a handle. The tang is an extension of the blade into the handle. Some knives have a handguard, so that fingers cannot slip onto the edge and be cut.
A blood groove or fuller is a groove up the side of a blade. According to a popular myth, it lets bleeding occur from an artery without removing the knife. In reality, its only function is to make larger knives and swords lighter and, for its weight, stronger; on most knives its function is purely decorative. Article about the function of the Blood Groove
Some knives also have a shoulder in which the blade thickens as it meets the handle. This helps keep the knife from jamming in bone. In kitchen knives, it keeps chopped items from moving back toward the hand.
The handle of a large knife should be made of a non-slip material, such as Kraton , and should be thick enough that one's fingers just meet one's palm when the knife is gripped as tightly as possible. A hole in the end of the handles allows the knife to be hung or placed on a lanyardA lanyard is a rope or cord often worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Aboard ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects, or to a cord with a hook at the end which is used to fire a cannon. Pistol lanyards are designed to.
Blades are usually either stainless or high-carbon steel, though there are a few knives using materials like high tech ceramic and titaniumscandium titanium vanadium Ti Zr Full table General Name, Symbol, NumberTitanium, Ti, 22 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 4 , d Density, Hardness 4507 kg/m3, 6 Appearance Silvery metallic Atomic properties Atomic weight 47. 867 am, but these are very uncommon. Stainless steels have gained popularity in the latter half of the twentieth century because they are highly resistant to corrosion (though they can rust under extreme conditions). There is a trade-off between edge-holding and resistance to corrosion, but newer semi-stainless steels like D2 may offer the best compromise. Modern stainless steels include S30V, 154CM, ATS-34, and 440C. Chromium is the major alloying element in stainless steels, it causes them to be 'stainless'.
High carbon steels, as their name implies are a high carbon, low chromium alloy, and are very prone to rust and pitting if not kept dry. They are generally used for their excellent edge-holding ability.
As of 2004 there are a variety of exotic steels and other materials used to form blades. Knife manufacturers such as Spyderco and BenchmadeThe Benchmade Knife Company is a knife manufacturer run by Roberta and Les de Asis in Oregon City, Oregon. Benchmade was started in California in 1988 but didn't set up shop in Clackamas, Oregon until 1990. The bulk of Benchmade's initial output consisted typically use 154CM, VG-10, S30V, and CPM440V, as well as several high-speed high-hardness tool steels like D2 and M2. Other manufacturers sometimes use titanium, stellite, talonite, and other cobalt-containing alloys. All three are more ductile than typical stainless steels, but have quite a vocal support group despite concerns about health effects of the latter two alloys' cobalt content. Damascus steel, which is layered and instantly recognizable by its beautiful patterns, is typically used in high-end knife blades and has respectable edge retention. There is typically more demand for stainless steels and exotic alloys in the utility, outdoor, and tactical knife categories than there is in the kitchen knife category.
Kitchen knife blades tend to fall into two categories. Some use stainless steels to prevent users from having to pamper their blades and to be more forgiving on those who put chefs' knives in the dishwasher. Others are high in carbon for edge-holding ability, the presumption being that kitchens are not the wilderness and that chefs are willing to clean knives properly in exchange for better edge retention. Forschner/Victorinox makes decent cheap kitchen knives; higher-end manufacturers include Wustoff, Global, and Henckels. Some manufacturers, particularly of kitchen knives, make ceramic blades; these stay sharp longer but due to their hardness chip more readily, and an accidental drop may chip, crack, or shatter the blade.
| Politics | Business | Finance |
 |
 |
 |
|