Drop Point
Drop point is the name of one of the most common blade types. Drop point blades are particularly robust, safe and easy to handle. Knives with this type of blade are mainly used as hunting knives, but they also make very versatile knives for everyday use.
Drop point blades have a slightly convex – curved outward – spine and a lowered or "dropping" point, which gave the blade type its name. The spine of the blade is straight for about three-quarters of its length, then sloping down to the tip that is either level with the blade's central axis or slightly above it. Shifting the blade point towards the central axis makes for very effective force transmission, which means easy handling and great control for the user. The tip of a drop point blade is wider than that of a clip point blade, another very popular type. This makes drop point blades more robust but also less sharp than clip point knives. The pronounced "belly" of the drop point blade delivers very good cuts. Due to its special shape, this blade type favors pulling cuts. Robust and easy to use, drop point blades are the preferred blade type for hunting knives. In hunting, cutting safety takes precedence over surgical precision.
Drop point blades are also used for tactical knives, outdoor and survival knives; most larger blades of the famous Swiss Army knives, for instance, have this shape. Thanks to their durability, drop point blades are a good choice for most everyday knives as well. One major advantage is that drop point blades cause fewer accidental injuries than other blade types, even with inexperienced users.