Both the earliest and most recent histories of knife making have produced countless blade shapes, of which we would like to present and explain the most common ones here. These blade shapes were shaped by specific requirements as well as by the traditional aesthetic preferences of their regions of origin. Contemporary custom knifemakers continually enrich this diverse family; therefore, only an overview of the most frequent designs can be provided here.
Back tip blade
The pointed blade is sometimes referred to as the "standard form," which is why it is listed first. Its characteristic features are a straight spine and a largely parallel cutting edge. The edge tapers towards the tip in a usually wide radius, converging on the spine. The pointed blade originates from the Scandinavian tradition and is frequently found on fixed-blade knives of this type. In the harsh, weather-beaten landscape, these knives have always been universal tools for hunting, fishing, and woodworking and leatherworking. The parallel part of the edge cuts well into the material when carving. The fine tip is well-suited for cutting tight curves in tanned leather.
Medium point blade
The medium-pointed blade has been found primarily on unlocked pocket knives since the mid-19th century. The cutting edge and spine run largely parallel, meeting at the tip sometimes precisely, sometimes more or less in the middle of the blade's width. The medium-pointed blade is easy to control for everyday tasks such as corering an apple. Its robustness also makes it suitable for older types of fixed-blade camping knives.
Droppoint blade
The drop point blade is characterized by two wide curves formed by the cutting edge and spine. The cutting edge is more strongly curved, so that the tip lies above the width of the blade. The spine slopes downwards, hence the name " drop point ." The drop point blade is usually wide and robust and is particularly popular in modern hunting knives because it is well-suited for gutting and skinning game. The less pronounced blade tip reduces the risk of damaging the entrails or hide during this process.
Spearpoint blade
The spearpoint blade can exhibit quite different silhouettes, for example, the shape of a medium-point blade or a drop point blade. However, the spine of the blade features an additional, length-varying grind towards the tip, often referred to as a "false edge" and called a "Schor" in traditional Solingen terminology. The defining characteristic of the spearpoint blade is therefore less its silhouette than the type of grind.
Pike blade
The Bowie blade is a widespread European classic, likely of Anglo-Saxon origin. For fixed-blade knives, the term Bowie blade is particularly common. Long-established Solingen manufacturers also refer to it as a saber-shaped blade, especially for pocket knives. The blade has an inward curve along the spine near the tip, often also featuring a false edge. Bowie blades are universally used in outdoor applications and are also a characteristic of many survival knives and classic bayonets. A short, tapered Bowie blade is called a clip point blade.
Wharncliffe blade
The classic Wharncliffe blade has a completely straight cutting edge all the way to the tip. The spine is usually angled and cut off abruptly at the point. The Wharncliffe blade is excellent for freehand work (i.e., without a cutting board) and for cutting materials with a round cross-section, such as ropes, branches, cables, or sheep hooves. It originates from rural traditions and is now primarily found on gardening, floristry, budding, electrician's, and hoof trimming knives, as well as on sailors' knives. A related type of blade is the sheepfoot blade. Here, the corner on the spine is more or less rounded and slopes more steeply, so that there is often hardly a true point left. The distinction between the Wharncliffe and sheepfoot blades is somewhat fluid, with sheepfoot blades not necessarily having a straight cutting edge, but often a slightly upward-curving edge.
Hawkbill blade
The hawkbill blade is claw-shaped with an inwardly curved edge. Its oldest known model is possibly the karambit from Indonesia and Malaysia. The karambit was originally a harvesting knife for herbs and rice plants. The hawkbill blade is ideal for chopping and is frequently found on folding garden knives, but also on rescue knives for mountaineers or sailors. In a sense, it is a small-scale folding sickle.
Tanto blade
The tanto blade originates from the martial tradition of Japan. In the American tanto, which is common today, the primary and secondary edges are usually separated by a distinct angle in the cutting edge, as shown above. In the classic tanto, however, the edge and blade run parallel in a gentle curve. The tip is set off steeply towards the spine with a tight radius. This tip is extremely robust and, in ancient Japan, served to pierce plate armor.
Persian blade
The Persian blade, also known as an upswept or trailing point blade, originates from Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. The cutting edge extends beyond the spine, which itself curves upwards and terminates in a usually pronounced point.
Recurve blade
The recurve grind is found on various blade shapes and refers less to the blade shape itself than primarily to the S-shaped curve of the cutting edge. This often makes the blade front-heavy and, on larger fixed-blade knives, particularly suitable for hacking, similar to a machete. On smaller knives, the concave rear portion of the edge is ideal for crosscutting.
Dagger blade
While the distinction between utility and combat knives only gradually emerged in the 15th century, the use of the dagger blade has always been relatively restricted. The dagger blade is moderately pointed, usually symmetrical, and sharpened on both sides. Besides the typical double-edged diamond profile, there are also, less commonly, triple-edged daggers. Some outdoor enthusiasts opt for the second edge to have a second sharp point in an emergency or to create a steeper bevel angle for rougher work. With the same blade width and thickness, a dagger blade always has a blunter edge angle than a comparable single-edged blade, and therefore a lower sharpness than a utility blade.