ed to decorate knife scales, noted for its iridescent color.
ABS - a common thermoplastic used in sheaths for knives. It is a good material for use in sheaths because of its high impact strength.
Appleseed (Grind) - see Hamaguri grind.
Almite - this is a type of electrolytic coating put on aluminum. This process protects the material.
Aluminum (6061 T6) - 6061 T6 aluminum was developed as an aircraft grade version of aluminum. It is often used in knives as a handle material and works really well when anodized.
Anodizing - an electrolytic process which coats the metal. Usually this is done on knives with aluminum or titanium. The process protects the material.
ATS-34 (Steel) - very similar to 154 CM. It has 1.05% carbon. It is also one of those classified in the super category. There are lots of high-end custom knives that use this steel.
ATS-55 (Steel) - does not have the vanadium that is present in both ATS-34 and 154-CM. This means that it does hold an edge as well, and has also been reported to be less rust resistant than ATS-34. It has a carbon content of 1.00%.
AUS-6 (Steel) - has .65% carbon. This is a low quality steel, comparable to 420.
AUS-8 (Steel) - has .75% carbon. Cold Steel has made popular use of this steel. This is tough steel, and holds an edge well.
AUS-8A (Steel) - is a slight upgrade from typical AUS-8 steel. It is found in a number of Cold Steel knives. Contains: 0.7%-0.75% Carbon; 13%-14% Chromium; 0.5% Manganese; 0.1%-0.3% Molybdenum; 0.49% Nitrogen; 0.04% Phosphorus; 1% Silcon; 0.03% Sulfur.
AUS-10 (Steel) - has 1.1% carbon. This steel is comparable to 440C. It has more vanadium and less chromium than 440C so it is slightly tougher, but also a little less rust resistant.
Balisong (Butterfly) Knife - a type of knife with two handles that rotate around a blade pivot. This type of knife is often used in Filipino martial arts.
Belly (Blade) - the steeply curved portion of the blade.
Bolster - metal between the blade and handle, strengthens the knife at critical stress points.
Bowie (Blade) - see picture below
Butt - the rear of the handle of a knife.
Carbide - a mixture of carbon and a less electronegative element (iron, tungsten, boron, calcium...) that is a very hard material. It is often used in knife sharpeners and on knives that feature glass breakers.
Carbon Fiber - a handle type made with thin strands of carbon (thin as a human hair) woven into patterns, then set in resin.
Ceramic (Blade) - does not rust, so they are popular for use in scuba knives. This material is really, really hard so it almost never needs to be sharpened. It can be almost impossible to sharpen them, but as a trade off ceramic blades are often very brittle.
Chamfer - a beveled edge that connects two surfaces. This is often done a knife handle where two different materials meet.
Chisel (Grind) - see Single Bevel grind.
Choil - the area between the cutting edge and the tang of the knife. This is where your index finger would sit when you hold the knife open.
Clip Point (Blade) - see picture below
CPM 10V (Steel) - one of the most wear resistant tool steels. It also has decent toughness for a tool steel. This is a great choice if you are looking for something with lots of wear resistance, but is not a really tough material.
CPM 154 (Steel) - contains 1.05% carbon. The CPM manufacturing process makes this steel different than Crucibleâ€™s standard 154-CM; the carbides are distributed evenly throughout the steel, which makes it tougher than 154-CM. CPM-154 also has good edge retention.
CPM 3V (Steel) - designed to be tough while also being a high wear resistance steel. For the most part it succeeds.
CPM M4 (Steel) - has excellent wear resistance and toughness. Has about 1.42% carbon.
Cocobolo - a type of tropical hardwood that is often used in handle scales. It is often orange, or reddish-brown in color.
Cordura速 - a fabric that is often used on backpacks and sheaths. It is even used on apparel. It is very durable and doesn't tear easily.
CTS-BD1 (steel) - is a Carpenter Steel. This steel is unique because it is melted in a vac