The Perfect Knife knifeopedia
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If you have read through all of the previous chapters, you may have understood that making a good knife is not as easy as it seems, as there is a lot of product and production know-how that has to go into it. So how would a perfect knife look like?
There is no absolute answer to it, as a lot is about personal preference, technique and usage. But there are some common characteristics of what could be called a perfect knife, when the focus would be on the ultimate cutting performance:
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Hard core steel with a minimum of HRC 61
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Microstructure with small, finely dispersed carbides and without larger primary carbides
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Perfect hardening, including cryogenic treatment to eliminate retained austenite
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Japanese (symmetric) geometry, almost straight (very small convexity) on upper 2/3 of the blade, thinned and convexed on lower 1/3
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Symmetric edge with an angle of 20° or lower and mirror finish
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Smooth transition from blade to bolster, with bolster extending slightly into the blade (for perfect pinch grip)
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Perfect balance with balance point right in front of bolster
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Perfect fit and finish, with rounded and mirror finish spine and choil
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