Like most things that we cannot live without, the knife has become so much a part of our lives that we fail to realize just how complex of a tool it really is. Although many people would have trouble naming more than two distinct parts on a knife (the blade and the handle), the fact remains that there are six separate parts to a knife.

The blade of a knife is the part that comes to mind anytime you imagine one in your head. The blade is officially the metallic part that extends away from the handle and it has a cutting edge ground into it. The particular shape of any blade is what essentially determines the tasks it is suited for.

Depending on the shape of the blade, a knife can be used for skinning, filleting, chopping, and a number of other duties. The steel used to make the blade will determine its overall strength and durability. For both hygienic reasons and to ensure the long life of your knife, get blades made out of stainless steel as they are more germ resistant and will not rust or corrode like other steel products.

The point of the knife is the part that is used to pierce and stab things. Often, the point is used to help gut and clean game as it is the most capable of piercing through the membrane around the skin and allowing you to get to the meat of the quarry.

The top quarter of the blade of a knife is commonly considered the tip by knife experts. Most of your cutting can be done with the tip and the "point" is included in the tip. However, don't forget that the tip and the point are indeed two separate parts of the knife.

The cutting edge is the part of the knife that is?well, designed to cut things. It is the part of the blade (facing away from you) that has been sharpened and honed so that it cuts through whatever needs cutting. While there are several types of edges available, the straight and serrated edges are most common. A serrated edge is good for cutting things like bread while the straight edge is better for trimming meat.

The handle is probably the other part of a knife, besides the blade, that people are most familiar with. Handles can be made using a variety of materials including wood, steel, plastic?basically, the sky is the limit.

The knife also has a part called the butt which is much like the butt of a gun. It is located at the exact opposite side of the tip i.e. the far end of the handle. Some knives have a compass inserted in the butt that can be pulled out. Behind the compass you would find a small storage space where you can put matches and other survival essentials.

There are many survival knives that come with hand guards to protect your hands from slipping in the direction of the blade. However, you need to know the basic components of a knife in order to reduce the chances of getting hurt while using one. Also, you need to know how to sharpen and maintain your knife to get the best out of it for a long time.