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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:

 

  • Hard core steel with a minimum of HRC 61

 

  • Microstructure with small, finely dispersed carbides and without larger primary carbides

 

  • Perfect hardening, including cryogenic treatment to eliminate retained austenite

 

  • 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

 

  • Smooth transition from blade to bolster, with bolster extending slightly into the blade (for perfect pinch grip)

 

  • Perfect balance with balance point right in front of bolster

 

  • Perfect fit and finish, with rounded and mirror finish spine and choil

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