Knife Term Glossary

Glossary - Words About Knives

Bevel - Bevel refers to how many sides have a sloping surface or edge. Western knives typically have a double bevel (two sloping sides) where as original Japanese knives (Deba knives, Usuba knives, Yanigabi knives, etc) have a single bevel. Single bevels are sharper.

Bunka Knife - A general purpose knives for tackling a wide range of common kitchen tasks

Casting - Casting is the process where metal is heated until molten. While in the molten or liquid state the metal is poured into a mold shaped like the desired knife shape.

Cleaver A cleaver is a large knife that varies in its shape but usually resembles a rectangular-bladed hatchet. It is largely used as a kitchen or butcher knife intended for hacking through bone

Collectors Knife - collecting is a hobby which includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining knives.

Concave - This is referring to the blade camber. A concave blade means the sides curve inward until they meet.

Deba Knife - Is a traditional Japanese kitchen knife which is used by chefs for fish, or as utility knives on fishing boats.

Fillet - a piece of meat or fish without bones: To fillet is to cut a piece of meat or fish from the bones 

Forging - Shaping steel (the blade) by heating it in a fire or furnace and hammering it.

Gyuto Knife is a true multi-purpose knife that can perform a wide range of tasks

Honing - Honing is the process of knife re-alignment at the tip of the blade. It is performed with a honing rod. Typically it does not remove steel like a stoning process.

Kiritsuke Knife - Literally means "slit open". This blade shape is an all-rounder in Japanese cuisine and is widely used for the preparation of sashimi and the fine slicing of vegetables.

Maker - Someone who creates or invents things - those surfing this page probably knife makers :)

Mecca - A place to which many people are attracted

Micarta - A brand name for composites of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic. It is used in the handle of high quality knives.

Nakiri"Na" meaning "Vegetable" and Kiri meaning "to cut” the Nakiri knife is a specialist vegetable cutting knife

Paring Knife - to cut away the outer surface or to remove the ends from a fruit or vegetable.

Peeler - A knife or device for removing the skin from fruit and vegetables.

Spine - The unsharpened “back” or “top” of a knife. The spine is the side opposite the sharp edge. Double-edged knives do not have spines.

Strop - A device, typically a strip of leather, for sharpening Knives and razors. This is typically the last step in sharpening a knife. 

Tang - That portion of the knife that extends into or through the handle. Also my wife's last name.

Temper - The process of reheating hardened steel to a desired temperature, below its critical temperature point, primarily to impart toughness.

Tip - The point at the end of the knife

Resin - Resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers

Resin Infused Once inside of the wood, the resin can diffuse into the cell wall and enhance the physical strength of the wood even further

Santoku Knife - A general purpose knife that has a flatter profile blade which makes this knife excellent for dicing and chopping vegetables and herbs

Scales - Knife scales is the term for two pieces of material that you use for the handle when making a "full tang" knife

Sujihiki Knife - A double edge slicing knife with a long narrow blade that smoothly slices through meat or vegetables and preserves the integrity of each.

Usuba Knife - An ideal for cutting vegetables and fruits which are served raw, the thin and sharp blade perfectly slices even ripe tomatoes.

Whetstone - Sharpening stones, water stones or whetstones are used to sharpen the edges of steel (knives for example) tools and implements through grinding and honing.

Yanagiba primarily used to slice boneless fish fillets for Sashimi and Sushi dishes.

Frequently asked questions

Our store is located at 330 Goodwood Road, Clarence Park, South Australia 5034.

On-street parking is available on George Street.

Our store is open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm and 9:30am to 1:30pm on Saturdays.

We only sharpen kitchen knives.

Prices start at $20 each and all sharpening is done by hand using whetstones and have a two week turnaround.

But you won't be without a knife! We will give you one of our knives to try out while yours is being sharpened.

Please note: We cannot sharpen scissors, gardening tools, or lawnmower blades.

We always say 2 weeks. It may be quicker, it may take a little longer.

We sharpen based on the order in which they come in to us.

For example: There might be 2 knives ahead of yours, there may be 40.

It depends on the knife but we do offer repair and restoration services.

Bring the knife in Tuesday to Saturday and speak to our master sharpener Joao and we'll show you what we can do.

Damascus/Rainbow/Ninja Ranges: We use high carbon AUS10 67 layer Damascus Japanese steel from Aichi, Japan.

Bamboo Range: VG10 Japanese core Steel.

Big Red Range: The core of the blade is made using VG10 steel and its double-layer cladding starts at the spine with a sandblast finish.

Sabres/Steak Knives:14c28n Swedish steel.

Our wood handles are sourced from the length and breadth of Australia. We fossick for intriguing and symbolic woods for our handles, from using roots from vines in McLaren Vale to Gigee wood from the Simpson Desert.

If you're near our store in Adelaide pop in and the team will no doubt be working on something new out the back (it can be a very noisy place).

Each product will come in a range of colours.
If you're after a particular colour/set of colours, send us a email or put a note in with the order and we will contact you with what colours are available.

We can never guarantee we have all colours in stock - some are more popular than others.

We offer $9 flat-rate Shipping Australia-wide.

For all domestic orders, we ship on Tuesdays and Thursdays and use Australia Post where current delivery times are 2 to 5 days.

If you need your order quickly, give us a call, or put a note in with the order and we will upgrade to express at no additional cost.

We offer $29AUD flat-rate shipping for all regions (larger orders are rewarded by keeping the shipping cost fixed).

For overseas shipping, we use DHL or TNT, the two biggest transport companies in the world (The German's versus the Dutch). Delivery times tend to vary from a week to a month, however we do provide tracking information for clarity.

We sure do!

We use our own wrapping paper, so each gift is unique!

We sure can!
We do all our engraving at the shop, while you wait (it may take a little longer during busy times).

Send Sam an email and he'll be happy to help - samflaherty@koiknives.com