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Blade Grinding and Blade Geometry knifeopedia

By applying different ways of grinding, various blade geometries can be produced:

Hollow grind

The cheapest way of grinding a blade. The blanked steel is just ground in the lower area. Typical way of grinding for very low end knives, but also for serrated edges.

PROS

Inexpensive

​CONS

Thick blade above grinding area = high cutting resistance

A lot of cutting drag in area of concave edge 

Thin and fragile blade on cutting edge 

Graphic drawing showing geometry of a hollow grind knife blade in a cross section

Flat grind

The blade is ground flat on both sides to a thin edge.

PROS

Thin blade and potentially good sharpness

CONS

Thin and fragile edge

Contact of food along the entire blade = sticking and drag; more power needed for cutting

Graphic drawing showing geometry of a flat grind knife blade in a cross section

Convex grind

The blade is ground on both sides with a convex geometry. Common way of grinding German style knives.

PROS​

Food contact only on small area of blade = less sticking and drag

CONS

Thicker blade in area close to edge = less sharpness

Graphic drawing showing geometry of a convex grind knife blade in a cross section
Graphic drawing showing geometry of a single bevel hollow grind knife blade in a cross section
Graphic drawing showing geometry of a Japanese grind flat convex combination thin grind knife blade in a cross section
Graphic drawing showing geometry of a single bevel flat grind knife blade in a cross section

Single bevel flat grind

Adding a flat bevel on one side of the blade. Common way of grinding for scissors, but not knives. Also found in cheaper look-alikes of traditional Japanese knives.

​PROS

Very inexpensive way of blade grinding

CONS

Blade only works for either left- or right-handed people, not for both

Straight cuts are difficult

Single bevel hollow grind

Hollow-grinding of blade on one side, and adding a bevel from the other side. Way of grinding of traditional Japanese single bevel edge knives.

PROS

Very thin edge and hence very high sharpness

Generally good stability of blade​

CONS

Blade only works for either left- or right-handed people, not for both

Straight cuts are difficult (which is intended for a very specific use)

Thin and hence fragile and sensitive edge

Combination grind

Almost flat grind on the upper part of the blade and convexing only in the lower 1/3 of the blade. Way of grinding of Japanese double bevel edge knives.

PROS

Generally thin blade, with added stability in edge area

Best compromise between sharpness and blade/edge stability

Less sticking/drag

​CONS

More expensive, since more grinding steps

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