Knife Edge Types Explained

Two knives with identical steel can behave completely differently because of their edge type. The edge — straight, serrated, dimpled, single- or double-bevel — decides what a blade is good at as much as the steel does. Here is the quick map, so you know which edge belongs on which knife.

Plain (straight) edge

The default: a smooth, continuous cutting line. A plain edge slices cleanly by pushing or drawing through food, and it is the only edge you can easily sharpen at home on a stone. It belongs on almost every everyday knife — chef's, paring, utility, santoku — because it is the most versatile and the most maintainable. If in doubt, you want a plain edge.

Serrated edge

The toothed or scalloped edge of a bread knife. The teeth saw through hard, slippery surfaces — bread crust, tomato skin, melon rind — with little downward pressure, so the soft interior is not crushed. The trade-off is that serrations are hard to sharpen (a tapered rod, scallop by scallop, not a flat stone), so serrated knives are more replace-when-dull than sharpen-forever. Great for crusty and delicate foods; wrong for precise board work.

Granton (hollow) edge

The row of oval dimples (also called a Granton or kullenschliff edge) ground into the sides of some blades — common on santokus, carving knives and slicers. The dimples create small air pockets that reduce suction, so starchy and moist foods release instead of sticking to the blade — handy for slicing potatoes, cheese or a roast into clean slices. It is not a different cutting edge (the actual edge is still plain); it is a non-stick feature on the blade face.

Single bevel vs double bevel

This is about how the edge itself is ground. A double bevel is sharpened on both sides (like a V) — the standard for Western and most Japanese kitchen knives, usable by left- or right-handers and easy to maintain. A single bevel is ground on one side only — traditional on specialist Japanese knives (yanagiba, usuba) — for an extremely keen, precise edge, but it is handed (right- or left-specific) and much harder to sharpen. Almost every home cook wants a double bevel; the full comparison is in single bevel vs double bevel.

Which edge do you actually need?

For most kitchens: a plain double-bevelchef's and paring knife for everything, plus a serrated bread knife for crusty and delicate foods. A granton edge is a nice-to-have on a santoku or slicer, not a requirement. Single-bevel and heavily specialized edges are for enthusiasts and specific tasks. Match the edge to the job, and remember the edge is only as good as its upkeep.