Resources:
A list of resources pertaining to knives.
Recommended Knife Retailers
Knifecenter.com
Why They're Good: Knifecenter.com is one of, if not the largest knife specific retailer on the web. The selection is unrivaled, the customer service is second to none, and they often have specials and sales. In addition, they are communicative; you can actually call and talk to someone to see about the status of your order. Shipping is generally fast as well, and of the online knife retailers, Knifecenter.com tends to have extremely competitive pricing. Last but not least, they often have limited production knives and often do preorders for upcoming knives so you can be the first to have the upcoming knives you've been anxious about.
Amazon.com
Why They're Good: The draw to Amazon is the pricing and the free shipping deals. Amazon often times has the best shipped price for any given knife, even beating the major online knife retailers. Amazon has a great selection, and although they lack some of the personal touch and description detail of Knifecenter, they are quick to rectify any issues that may arise. Amazon also provides a venue for small business knife retailers to sell merchandise, so often times you can support a small business when shopping through Amazon.
Knife Acronyms
AL - AluminumBB - Black Blade
CE - Combo Edge
CF - Carbon Fiber
CPM - Crucible Particle Metallurgy
EDC - Every Day Carry
FFG - Full Flat Grind/Full Flat Ground
FG - Flat Grind/Flat Ground
FRN - Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon
LFP - Left Front Pocket
PE - Plain Edge
PSE - Partially Serrated Edge
RFP - Right Front Pocket
SAK - Swiss Army Knife
SD - Self Defense
SE - Serrated Edge
SS - Stainless Steel
TI - Titanium
Knife Glossary
Balisong - more commonly referred to as a butterfly knife. A balisong has a single blade with two pivots, each attached via pin to half of the handle. When closed, the blade lies between each half of the handle, covering the cutting surface. When opened, a small pin can be flipped to lock the two handles together. The legality of this type of knife varies widely by location.FRN(Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon) - a material commonly used for knife scales and handles. FRN is a plastic that is injection molded, making it quite inexpensive. FRN is found on many midrange to low end knives due to its high value and robustness. Because FRN parts are injection molded, it is easy to create complex texturing.
G10 - a material commonly used for knife scales and handles. This material is made by layering fiberglass cloth coated in resin and esposing it to high heat and pressure. It is very hard, lightweight, and durable. It is also very heat resistant, chemical resistant, water resistant, etc. It is available in many colors and can be found commonly on both low end and high end knives.
Gut Hook - commonly referred to as a game hook as well, a gut hook is a small sharpened hook, often found opposite the cutting edge of the blade specifically geared for opening the flesh of game.
Jimping - a series of small notches or other type of texturing on the back of a blade(most commonly on the thumb ramp) that allows for better grip on the knife.
Kydex - A hard and very durable plastic commonly used for hard knife sheaths. Its easy workability makes it a favorite of custom sheathmakers and knifemakers alike.
Micarta - a material often used for knife scales and handles. This material is made by layering linen or paper fabric impregnated with phenolic resin and applying high temperature and pressure. The material is hard and dense and requires handwork to texture. This is commonly found on high end knives.
Partially Serrated Edge - describes a knife blade with serrations on part of the blade, but not the entire blade.
Plain Edge - describes a knife blade with no serrations whatsoever.
Serrated Edge - described a knife blade with serrations spanning the entire length of the blade.
Thumb Hole - A hole in the knife blade used for opening and closing of a folding knife.
Thumb Ramp - referring the blade shape, a steep incline opposite the cutting edge right where the blade meets the handle of the knife. It is designed to provide a positive stop for the thumb to prevent the hand from slipping forward during a pierce motion. Very common on tactical knives.
Thumb Stud - A stud on the blade used for opening and closing of a folding knife.
Zytel - a material commonly used for knife handles. This material is a glass filled nylon that is cheap to produce and extemely durable. This material is commonly found on midrange knives
