The earliest knives were shaped by knapping of rock, particularly harder rocks such as obsidian and flint. During the Paleolithic era Homo habilis likely made similar tools out of wood, bone, and similar highly perishable materials that have not survived. As recent as five thousand years ago, as advances in metallurgy progressed, stone, wood, and bone blades were gradually succeeded by copper, bronze, iron, and eventually steel. Modern knives may be made from many different materials such as alloy tool steels, carbon fiber, ceramics, and titanium.There is a very active community of modern custom knife makers and collectors, whom often pioneer the use of new materials in knives. In the United States, The American Bladesmith Society promotes forged blades; the Knifemakers Guild promotes all custom knives.

Source: Wikipedia.org

All knives share two definite characteristics: the blade and the handle. However, a multitude of categories can be used to distinguish different types of knives. To keep it simple, we can simply use 2 categories: fixed blade and folding knives (also known as pocket knives).

The blade can be serrated, smooth, or a combination of both. It consists of the point, the edge, and the grind. Modern blades have come a long way from the rock used in the stone ages! To name just a few materials, they can be made of carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, and even plastic! Different materials are used depending on the tasks for which the knife is used. Steel blades are made by a process called forging. This involves heating a single piece of steel, then shaping the metal while hot using a hammer or press.

The handle is used to hold and use the blade safely, with a guard positioned where the blade and handle meet, which protects the hand. Like the blade, the handle can be made from a variety of materials. These include wood, stainless steel, plastic, leather, and rubber.

Kitchen Cutlery

Tactical Knives

Rescue Knives

Hunting Knives

Folding Knives

Throwing Knives

Scuba Knives

Multi-Tool Knives

Specialty Knives

Swords