A knife is one of the most useful tools you can own, but there are many different types and some are better suited to particular tasks.
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There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so the saying goes. However strange the idea of doing that may be, it should also be noted that there is also more than one type of knife with which to undertake that task. Even those just vaguely familiar with pocket knives will have noticed that blades come in every shape and size.
That’s not just happenstance, and it surely isn’t the whimsy of imaginative bladesmiths. Knife blades are shaped differently for a reason. Below, you’ll find information on how to identify 12 of the most commonly-found shapes, what they’re used for, and great examples of each.
Drop-Point Blade
One of the most common blade shapes, the drop-point is characterized by a convex spine that curves down from the handle to the point. This creates an easily controlled point and a bigger belly for slicing. Drop points are great for general-purpose use and ideal for hunters.
AmazonKershaw Leek
Designed by Ken Onion, the Leek is a simple EDC-friendly drop-point that includes an assisted opening for fast action.
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$60.00
(0% off)
KA-BARKa-Bar Becker Short Drop Point
Not too small, not too large: this middle-of-the-road fixed blade is designed for hip belt or pack carry, and features a 1095 steel blade and Ultramid handle.
AmazonBenchmade Bugout
Benchmade made the Bugout with camping and hiking in mind — it only weighs 1.9 ounces — and gave it a drop-point blade to provide versatility in a range of situations.
Sheepsfoot Blade
A blade shape characterized by a straight edge and a spine that curves down to meet it at the point. Sheepsfoot blades are designed for slicing while minimizing the potential for accidental piercing with the point. It was originally used to trim the hooves of sheep but comes in handy as a rescue tool today.
CourtesyGerber Sharkbelly
The Sharkbelly is lightweight, affordable and practical with its broad, sheepsfoot-style point.
AmazonSpyderco Roadie
The Roadie’s long, curvy sheepsfoot blade features a circular depression that acts as an alternative to a nail knick and makes it easy to open.
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$84.00
(30% off)
AmazonCRKT Pilar II
Named after the boat Ernest Hemingway used to track German U-boats in the Caribbean during World War II, this knife’s wide sheepsfoot blade calls to mind a mini cleaver.
Wharncliffe Blade
Like a sheepsfoot blade, this shape has a straight edge and a curved spine, but the curve extends gradually from the handle to the tip. The shape is similarly ideal for slicing while minimizing the possibility for an accidental puncture with the tip. These blades come in handy in similar situations.
AmazonGerber Gear Fastball
The Fastball’s Wharncliffe blade is more angular than others, but the effect remains the same.
CourtesyThe James Brand The Pike
Noting that Wharncliffe blades were common on old crafting knives, The James Brand added one to a contemporary design that it hopes will last long enough to become an heirloom.
AmazonSpyderco SwayBack
The curve of this Wharncliffe’s spine continues all the way to the butt of this knife’s handle, creating a subtle wavy appearance.
Clip-Point Blade
The clip point is a common blade shape, characterized by a spine with a front section that appears to be clipped off. This cut-out area can either be straight or concave and results in a fine point that’s ideal for precision tasks.
CourtesyChris Reeve Knives Sebenza 31
Made by Chris Reeve Knives in Idaho, the Sebenza is widely considered one of the best folding pocket knife designs of all time. It has a subtle clip-point blade.
AmazonBuck Knives 112 Ranger
First released in the early 1970s, Buck’s 112 Ranger has become a classic example of an American pocket knife. Its iconic form includes an obvious clip-point blade.
AmazonCase Knives Mini Copperlock
Case’s Mini Copperlock has a pronounced clip that comes to a fine point. It’s available with a variety of handles including bone and turquoise.
Straight-Back Blade
A blade with a straight spine and an edge that curves up to meet it at the tip. The long spine makes the blade heavy and sturdy for chopping and slicing, and users can get even more force by using a hand to apply pressure to the long unsharpened area.
REIOpinel No.08
Opinel has been producing this classic French folding knife since 1890. This one has premium hardwood handles, but the classic comes with one made of beech.
CourtesyCRKT CEO
A group of industry professionals voted the CEO one of the best knives of 2019. Its straight back blade is long and slender and deploys on a ball-bearing pivot.
CourtesyThe James Brand The Folsom
The James Brand gave the traditional straight back blade an update with eye-catching Damascus steel. Additional notable features include an ambidextrous blade opening slot, grippy handle and stainless steel hardware.
Tanto Blade
Inspired by the short swords that were worn by samurai in feudal Japan, this blade shape replaces a curved belly for an angular edge transition that makes for a much stronger and prominent point. That durable tip and generally robust point make it good for piercing tough objects, but it isn’t as adept at slicing.
AmazonCRKT Minimalist Tanto
CRKT makes this small fixed-blade knife with a variety of blade shapes, including an angular tanto.
Blade HQCIVIVI Keen Nadder
The tanto edge on this knife is closer to the handle than most, which makes for a sharp, low-angle point.
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$87.00
(25% off)
Blade HQBenchmade Bailout
Slim and ultralight, the Bailout is two ounces of precision power: a tanto CPM-3V blade, black textured Grivory handles and aluminum pommel maintain durability while cutting weight.
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$300.00
(10% off)
Gut Hook
Technically, a gut hook is more of a feature included on a blade than a blade shape itself. One usually appears as a small, sharpened hook-like curve that interrupts the spine as it slopes toward the point. These have one main use: field dressing wild game. The design of the hook allows hunters to cut through an animal’s skin without damaging what lies under it.
Blade HQCamillus Parasite Gut Hook and Trimmer Set
This hunting knife set includes a large blade with a gut hook and a smaller one for trimming.
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$59.95
(53% off)
AmazonGerber Moment Fixed Blade Knife
Knowing that this gut hook knife will primarily be used outside, Gerber gave it a durable and textured rubberized handle.
AmazonBuck Knives Buck Zipper
This high-end hunting knife from Buck has a 4.13-inch 420HC stainless steel gut hook blade and a handle made of walnut for a classic look.
Hawkbill Blade/Talon
Hawkbill knives, sometimes referred to as talons, are characterized by a spine and edge that curve down in the same direction to create a downward-facing point. This shape allows the blade to cut efficiently when pulled back in the direction of the handle, so most of their use comes through utilitarian tasks like cutting carpet and linoleum and pruning vegetation.
opinelOpinel No. 10 Pruning Folding Knife
Opinel accentuated the curve on this knife’s blade to make it the perfect tool for harvesting, pruning, weeding and other garden or orchard tasks.
AmazonSpyderco Tasman Salt 2
Spyderco combined the utility of a curved hawkbill blade with 100 percent corrosion resistance to create a lightweight knife ideal for those who work in or around the water.
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$147.00
(30% off)
CourtesyCRKT Provoke
Joe Caswell designed this contemporary karambit — a type of knife that comes from Indonesia — with a unique uncurling action that allows its curved hawkbill blade to go from open to closed.
Needle-Point Blade
The needle point is a symmetrical blade with two edges that taper sharply from handle to point. This design increases the knife’s ability to pierce and penetrate, and as such, most needle points are used for fighting and stabbing. The needle point is also notably more fragile than similar blades, most notably spear points, due to its narrow shape. Many needle-point knives are daggers and classified as weapons, which makes them illegal in many places.
SOG KnivesSOG Pentagon FX
This fixed blade features a double-edge CYRO S35VN full-tang steel blade, made for hard use. Its G10 handles are removable for different use cases.
CourtesyMicrotech Signature Series Ultratech II OTF Knife
The Ultratech is an OTF knife, which stands for “out the front” and means that the blade shoots out of the front of the handle when a sliding switch is engaged. This model also includes a glass breaker.
benchmadeBenchmade Autocrat
Benchmade’s Autocrat is among the best examples of a modern needle-point/dagger knife. Like the Ultratech, it’s an OTF knife, meaning the blade comes straight out of the handle at the sliding of a switch.
Spear-Point Blade
Spear-point blades are symmetrical with a point that’s in line with the center of the knife. This shape is stronger than the similar needle-point and is similarly adept at thrusting. A spear point can have either one or two sharp edges. The design is commonly used in daggers and throwing knives, which are classified as illegal weapons in many places, though it’s definitely not true of all knives that use the shape.
Kershaw OriginalsKershaw Launch 4
This short-bladed spear-point knife looks like a dagger, but only has one sharpened edge.
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$169.99
(20% off)
We KnifeWE Knife Co. Big Banter
The Banter is another spear-point knife that demonstrates how this blade shape doesn’t always have to result in a dagger or weapon — the Banter is perfect as an EDC tool.
AmazonDrop + Laconico Keen
Again, not all spear-point knives wind up as daggers. This one is all EDC with its 3.4-inch premium S35VN blade and titanium frame-lock handle.
Spey-Point Blade
A spey point blade has a mostly flat edge until close to the tip when it curves up to the point. The spine is also mostly flat, but like the edge, angles down close to the tip of the knife to create the point. The result is a knife that has a short belly and broad tip, which prevents accidental piercing.
These blades were originally used on farms to neuter animals but now are common on classic trapper blades, usually in multi-blade patterns, and are often favored by hunters.
AmazonSchrade Old Timer
The Old Timer is a classic old-school hunting pocket knife with two blades, one spey point and another clip point.
AmazonBuck Knives 301 Stockman
The spey-point blade on Buck’s Stockman is accompanied by a clip-point blade and a sheepsfoot opposite.
AmazonCase Knives Bone Trapper
This knife comes with a clip-point blade in addition to the spey, and a handsome bone handle.
Trailing-Point Blade
In a trailing point blade, the spine curves upward to create an elevated point that’s typically higher than the handle. This shape creates an oversized belly that makes these knives good for slicing, skinning and filleting.
AmazonSpyderco Bow River
Knifemaker Phil Wilson used a trailing point design on this fixed blade, lending a fine point to an otherwise large survival knife.
CourtesyBenchmade Meatcrafter
Trailing point blades often provide their wielder with more cutting control, which is one reason why Benchmade used the shape for its unique hunting-kitchen crossover knife.
CourtesyGiantMouse Ace Clyde
The Clyde’s trailing-point blade isn’t as curvy as most and at just three inches long, it works as a tool for everyday tasks.
