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Types of Knife Edge Bevels

When discussing knives, some terms require definitions. The blade is the business part of the knife that does the cutting. The spine is the thickest part of the blade that should face the person using the knife. The bevel is the entire area where the knife starts to narrow from the spine to the edge. Some knives start to bevel immediately from the spine while others have a small space before the bevel starts. The edge of the blade is the sharp part of the blade where the bevel terminates. For a knife to have a proper sharp edge that performs as expected, the bevel is on the same angle on both sides of the blade.

Double Bevel
- The double bevel is where the blade is ground at two angles. The blade is ground from the spine almost to the edge at one angle and ground at a more acute angle from there to the edge, which allows for a stronger blade and a sharper edge. This type of bevel won't sharpen as well as some other types of bevels and is generally found on less expensive knives made of softer types of metal. If the second bevel is not honed properly, the metal can become too thin and is therefore susceptible to damage, which shortens the life of the blade.
Convex Bevel
- The convex bevel is generally found on double-edged knives. The convex bevel is rounded, which causes an arc. The edge then becomes the intersection of two arcs, which allows for a very sharp and durable edge. Daggers, swords and some bayonets are good examples of knives that utilize convex bevels.
Flat Bevel
- The flat bevel is the most commonly used bevel because it is the easiest to create and is the type of bevel that most knives use to achieve their edge. A flat bevel is a bevel that starts at the spine and runs straight to the edge. Although simple to create and keep honed, a flat bevel is not the proper bevel for all cutting situations.
Back Bevel
- A back bevel is an item used by knife experts to keep old knives sharp. As a knife is repeatedly sharpened, metal is removed. As metal is removed, the edge moves further up the blade into the thicker metal. When this happens, someone can add a bevel to the blade above the edge to re-establish the original bevel. which will put the edge back into thinner metal again, allowing for a sharper edge.

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