ee Hamaguri grind.
Mother of Pearl - used often in custom knives, has an iridescent, cream color.
N680 (Steel) - a hard steel that contains .54% carbon. It has good corrosion resistance, especially in salt water.
N690BO (Steel) - an Austrian made stainless steel, which is comparable to 440C in performance. This steel has about 1.07% carbon.
Noryl GTX - a handle plastic that is high-strength and very lightweight.
O1 (Steel) - has good edge retention, because it is hard material. Its major problem is that it rusts rather quickly if it isn't maintained. It has a carbon content range of .85-1.00%.
O6 (Steel) - a much tougher metal than O1. This is one of the absolute best edge retention steels.
Orange Peel - refers to the grain polish of some steels, which gives a slightly rougher finish similar to an orange peel.
Plain (Edge) - sometimes called a straight edge. This is an edge on the blade that has no teeth or serrations.
Quillion - this is a handguard that protrudes from both sides of the handle where the blade meets the handle.
S30V (Steel) - very tough, and yet still has great wear resistance. For how tough the steel is, it actually has very good hardness also, which is why many consider it to be one of the best choices for knife making. It has a carbon content of 1.45%.
S35VN (Steel) - considered an upgrade from S30V due to its toughness and chip resistance. However S30V will still hold a better edge. The addition of Niobium and Nitrogen increases corrosion resistance and hardness. Contains: 1.34% Carbon; 14% Chromium; 0%-0.5% Cobalt; 0.5% Manganese; 2% Molybdenum; 0.1%-0.4% Niobium; 0%-13% Nitrogen; 0%0.3% Phosphorus; 0%-0.3% Sulfur; 0.5% Silicon; 0.4% Tungsten; 3% Vanadium.
S90V (Steel) - has superior edge retention. However, it can be almost impossible to sharpen. Right now custom makers are the only ones using this type of steel. Its carbon content is around 2.30%.
Scale - the handle material that is mounted to the tang of a knife.
Serrated (Blade) - see picture below
Sheepsfoot (Blade) - see picture below
Single Bevel (Grind) - Also called a chisel grind. The edge is either flat or hollow ground, but only on one side. Also, see picture below.
Sleipner (Steel) - is a non-stainless tool steel. Contains: 0.9% Carbon; 7.8% Chromium; 0.5% Manganese; 2.5% Molybdenum; 0.9% Silicon; 0.9% Vanadium.
Slip Joint - a folding knife that has a non-locking blade.
Spear Point (Blade) - see picture below
Spine Swedge - Also called a false edge. An edge on the back of the blade that is not sharpened. Also, see picture below.
Stag - a material used to decorate knife scales, typically made from male deer horn.
Stainless Steel - this is steel that has at least 13 percent Chromium so that it is resistant to rust.
Tang - the metal piece of the knife on which handle is mounted, it extends into the handle.
Tanto (Blade) - see picture below
Titanium - is popular because it is lightweight and very tough. It does not hold an edge very well so it doesn't usually make a really good blade, but it has been used in diving knives and some custom knives.
Valox - a handle material made from reinforced resin.
VG 1 (Steel) - is a San Mai premium stainless steel and is considered an upgrade of the more common VG10. Contains: 0.95%-1.05% Carbon; 13%-15% Chromium; 0.2%-0.4% Molybdenum; 0.25% Nitrogen.
VG 10 (Steel) - another type of steel that gets referred to as super steel. It is a very high end stainless steel. It has vanadium which gives it extra toughness. This steel holds an edge really well. It is also very rust resistant. It has a carbon content of 0.95-1.05%.
W2 (Steel) - plain carbon steel with extra carbon. It is very hard and holds an edge well.
Wharncliffe (Blade) - see picture below
X15 (Steel) - has .40% carbon. This is a French steel that was developed for the airplane industry. It was developed to resist corrosion in the worst possible conditions. It is the most stain resistant steel on the market, and is a hard material. It is not very tough, but is especially good material for diving knives.
ZDP-189 (Steel) - a Japanese powdered metal. I