HUB 03 · Guides
Anatomy of a Chef's Knife
Tip, heel, spine, bolster, tang — the parts of a knife, and what each one does. Learn the map once and every spec sheet reads easily.
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Once you know the parts of a chef's knife, every review, spec sheet and technique guide suddenly makes sense — "use the heel," "a full bolster blocks sharpening," "a full tang for balance" stop being jargon. Here is the whole map, front to back.
The blade
- Tip — the front point of the blade, used for fine, detailed work: scoring, piercing, and delicate cuts.
- Edge — the sharpened cutting line along the bottom of the blade. This is what you maintain when you sharpen and hone; its angle and geometry decide how it cuts.
- Belly— the curved section of the edge. The curve is what lets you "rock" the knife through herbs and mince without lifting the tip.
- Heel — the rear, widest part of the edge, nearest the handle. Used for the toughest cuts (thick carrots, squash) where you want the most force and knuckle clearance.
- Spine— the thick, unsharpened top of the blade. Its thickness is a clue to a blade's weight and how thin it is ground behind the edge.
The bolster, tang and handle
- Bolster — the metal collar between blade and handle (on forged knives). It adds balance and a finger guard, but a full one eventually blocks the heel when sharpening — the full story is in what is a knife bolster.
- Tang — the part of the blade steel that extends into the handle. A full tang runs the whole length and width of the handle for strength and back-weighted balance.
- Handle (scales) — what you hold; the material decides grip and comfort. On a full-tang knife the handle is two scales riveted to the tang.
- Rivets — the pins holding the scales to the tang; butt — the very end of the handle.
Why the map matters
Knowing the parts is not trivia — it changes how you use the knife. You pinch-grip the blade just ahead of the bolster, not the handle, for control. You use the tip for detail, the belly to rock through herbs, and the heel for force. You understand why a thin blade behind the spine cuts better, and why a full bolster complicates sharpening the heel. Learn the map once, and both the technique guides and the buying guides on this site read much more clearly — starting with the chef knife roundup itself.
Questions
Frequently asked
What are the parts of a chef's knife?
The blade has a tip, edge, belly (curved section), heel (rear of the edge) and spine (unsharpened top). The rest is the bolster (metal collar), the tang (steel inside the handle), the handle or scales, the rivets and the butt. Each part has a job.
What is the heel of a knife used for?
The heel is the rear, widest part of the edge, nearest the handle. You use it for the toughest cuts — thick carrots, hard squash — because it gives the most force and the best knuckle clearance. The tip handles fine work; the belly rocks through herbs.
Where should you grip a chef's knife?
In a pinch grip: thumb and forefinger on the blade just ahead of the bolster, remaining fingers wrapped around the handle. Holding the blade, not just the handle, gives far more control. See how to hold a chef's knife.
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