The evolution of

knife design
Paleolithic - present day

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Oldowan knife
(Old age stone )

● The oldowan knife is the first

stone age tool invented
● This knife was used mostly
to chope the raw meat.
● Used to chip away flakes
from flattish shaped rocks to
create sharpened edges that
could be used for
cutting,chopping and
scrapping.
Flint knives copper
5000 BC
● As man became more adept and
began to discover and mine
minerals such as gold, silver and
copper they reslised that this could
be meltad and cast into variety of
shape snd size
● Therefore old or broken could be
remelted and recast to create new
ones.
● They may not sharp as the old
stone knife but much stronger.
● It was usedfire starting tool.
● They also used flint knife for chopping , carving , and as a fire
starter
● Old and broken one are melted and recasted into new one
 Bronze age knife
3200 - 600 BC
● The art of sharpening was born !
Bronze.
● Bronze was much steadier,
lighter and easy to carry and
transport.
● It was used for self defense ,
butchuring animals, and was
symbolic.
● Being an easy to work with
material made possible the
manufacturing of knife with
nearly parallel blade sides
 Roman knife / iron age
800 BC- 100 AD
● The invention of iron tools was a huge
technological step for humanity. It was
cheaper stronger and lighter and the use
of bronze declined.
● For the first time the people could have a
tool that was durable and could maintain
sharpness for longer
● It was mainly used as weaponary and
main exception is that wealthy people use
them as eating utencils in adtion to their
plates ( to cut their meals as well as
meals of female companion
● Romans couldn’t leave the house without a knife in their pockets. Romans used to say “The
best friend I have is in my pocket…”

● Throughout the 19th century the Roman people were violent and would carry a knife with them
everywhere. At the same time, they would also be very religious and devoted to Madonna, the
mother of Jesus. Many Romans would get involved in knife duels and either survive a stab wound,
or kill somebody while fighting. They would feel guilty, or consider themselves saved by a miracle.
In both
Sica (thracian knife)
400-800 AD
● The sica knife was a short sword
that determined a major change in
knife design
● Characterised by a shrp point and
along curve blade,the thraxian
knifes was heavily decorated
● The distinguished shape was
designed to get around opponent
shield or stab or slash in the back
and it also gives excellent balance.
● The dacian king commited suicide
with this knife
 Ottoman knife
16 C
● The ottoman knifes are charecterised by
sophisticated art work on the blades and also
the handles. The blades of knife straighten
out more rather than being curved. it is now
carried as a "ceremonial dagger", and worn
only for formal events and ceremonies – such
as weddings, parades, meetings, and
diplomatic functions – among many other
occasions. Labelled a "ubiquitous sign of
masculinity" . in The Arab Studies Journal,the
khanjar is a symbol of "manhood, power and
authority"
Deba bocho knife
17C , japan
● Deba knife designed mainly
for cutting fish is
categorised by a thick blade
and where found in sizes
upto 12 inches in lenght
with variety in shape and
size.
● These knifes where
preffered tool for trsders
working it tokyos famous
tsukij fish market.
Pairing knife
18C France
● For the first time the knife
makers wanted to reduce
the dimension of knife
● It was used for scoop up
thier food from the table
and as well as to pick their
teeth.but it was banned
throughout the whole
country in ppurpose in
mind of reducing violence
due to sharp blade.
Solingen knife / henckels
19 C ,germany
● Made by single piece of steel that runs
along the blade and dont required to be
sharpen as often as ither blades
● German knives made with finest quality
stainless steel, perfect for cutting and
chopping. These precision-crafted knives
with ergonomic handles are ideal for
slicing, dicing, carving and pairing.
 Santoku knife
20 C , japan
● It is a general-purpose kitchen knife originating in Japan. Its blade
is typically between 13 and 20 cm (5 and 8 in) long, and has a flat
edge and a sheepsfoot blade that curves in an angle approaching
60 degrees at the point.
● The word may refer to the wide variety of ingredients that a Santoku
knife can handle: meat, fish and vegetables, or to the tasks it can
perform: slicing, chopping and dicing, either interpretation indicating
a multi-use, general-purpose kitchen knife.
● The Santoku's blade and handle are designed to work in harmony
by matching the blade's width/weight to the weight of blade tang
and handle, as with the original Japanese Santoku.
Granton knife
1928
● Granton edge enhances a knife's cutting and slicing
performance by creating tiny air pockets between the food
and the blade. This creates better food "release" and
prevents food from shredding and tearing to keep the food
as intact as possible. A Granton blade is particularly
helpful when cutting to moist or clingy food, such as
salmon, cheese, cucumbers, and many meats.
● A true grantin knife is made from stainless carbon steel
and had scallops that are ground by hand.
● true Granton Edge is that the scallops are alternating on
opposite sides of the knife. This gives the edge more
strength because each hollow area is backed by a solid
(non-scalloped) area on the opposing side of the blade.
Many knives with a Granton type edge do not alternate the
scallops.
Honyaki knife
1960
● The Honyaki knife is considered to be the apex of
kitchen knives. Forged using just one single high-
carbon steel these knives are differentially
hardened just like the smauri swords.
● Because of their difficulty to forge, and the amount
of skill and experience required to produce these
special knives there are very few masters in Japan
that able to forge Honyaki knives today. They are
quite rare and very expensive.
● It is only used by the professionals. The goal is to
create a sharper blade and long lasting edge.
Ceramic knives
1985
● Ceramic knives are substantially harder than steel knives, will not
corrode in harsh environments,are non-magnetic, and do not conduct
electricity at room temperature.
● Because of their resistance to strong acid and caustic
substances,]and their ability to retain a cutting edge longer than
forged metal knives, ceramic knives are better suited for slicing
boneless meat, vegetables, fruit and bread.
● Since ceramics are brittle, blades may break if dropped on a hard
surface although improved manufacturing processes have reduced
this risk. They are also unsuitable for chopping through bones, or
frozen foods, or in other applications which require prying, which may
result in chipping.
● Several brands now offer either a black-coloured or a
designed blade made through an additional hot isostatic
pressing step, which increases the toughness.
Handles
Handles
● Wood handles provide good grip, and most people consider them to be the most
attractive. They are, however, slightly more difficult to care for as they must be
cleaned more thoroughly and occasionally treated with mineral oil. Most wood
handles, especially those of ordinary varnished hardwood, do not resist water
well, and will crack or warp with prolonged exposure to water. They should be
hand-washed for that reason.
● Plastic handles are more easily cared for than wooden handles and do not
absorb microorganisms. However, plastics may also be less resistant to
ultraviolet damage and may become brittle over time, resulting in cracking. Some
plastics are also slippery in the hand. The material is lighter than most other
materials, which may result in a knife that is off-balance or too light for some
● Composite knives are made from laminated wood composites impregnated
with plastic resin. Composite handles are considered by many chefs to be
the best choice because they are as easy to care for and as sanitary as
plastic, they have the appearance, weight, and grip of hardwood, and are
more durable than either.They often have a laminated, polished
appearance, and may have intense or varied coloring.
● Stainless steel handles are the most durable of all handles, as well as the
most sanitary.however, that they are very slippery in the hand, especially
when wet. To counter this, many premium knife makers make handles with
ridges, bumps, or indentations to provide extra grip. One disadvantage of
some all-metal handles is that knife weight usually goes up considerably,
affecting the knife's balance and increasing hand and wrist fatigue. Knife
manufacturers, most notably Japan's Global, have begun addressing this
issue by producing hollow-handled knives.
Futuristic designs
The idea behind these
amazing concept
knives is that a great
knife should be able to
do more than slice and
chop.
In another scooping option,
the round handle might not be
ideal for a lot of heavy
chopping.
● These concept kitchen knives were
inspired by the story of the sword in
the stone. A safety lock keeps them
from falling into the wrong (tiny)
hands.
● Another safety storage concept,
these knives can be locked into
place. But more than that, the
storage block actually sterilizes the
knives as well.
These nesting knives with
hollow centers make storage
easy while also offering sharp
edges and comfortable
handling.