Kitchen Knife Anatomy

A full-Bolster is integral, meaning it is forged from the same piece of steel that the knife is made of. Its design drops from the handle to the heel, creating a finger guard. The Full-Bolster also offers strength which is beneficial when the knife may be used with a heavy hand or used on hard food products. This extra strength comes at a cost since the finger- guard is thicker than the blade and cutting edge. It inhibits the ability to sharpen the cutting edge at the heel properly. It’s recommended to carefully remove a micro amount of steel from the bottom of the guard to match the amount of steel removed when sharpening. Otherwise, the blade will form a dip in the cutting edge, and the knife will not perform as intended.

A Half-Bolster is also integral, meaning it is forged from the same piece of steel that the knife is made of. Its design drops down from the handle only halfway and allows for strength in the blade but enables full access to the corner of the heel when sharpening and cutting.

A knife with a bolster that does not drop down keeps the profile or silhouette of the handle. It can be either forgewelded onto the blade from separate pieces or integral. This design offers moderate weight and enables full access to the corner of the heel when sharpening.

A common design for western handles is to exclude a Bolster altogether. In the past, knives without a bolster were considered to be ‘cheap.’ But, with innovations and the progression of materials and manufacturing processes, high-quality knives are often produced without a bolster, especially among small independent knife-makers who often use exotic woods, which are commonly a heavier material, not requiring the added weight. A knife without a bolster also enables full access to the corner of the heel when sharpening and cutting.

Full Tang designs are classically found in German and Western knives. Although today you will see Western handles on Japanese knives. The tang extends fully to the butt of the knife and matches the silhouette of the handle. You can see the tang in between the handle materials. Metal pins help affix the handle material to the tang. More metal means more weight, especially if the design includes a metal bolster.

Half Tang designs will also be found in Western handle designs. The tang stops at the halfway point, not fully to the butt, and should be affixed with metal pins. You will find this design feature in lower-priced knives. Ultimately, its construction is not as strong as that of a full tang.

Hidden Tang designs are common in traditional Japanese designs. The tang is tapered and extends into the handle, stopping shy of the butt. It’s in the name; the tang is fully hidden from view. A hidden tang handle overall makes the knife lighter weight.

A Hollow Handle does not have a tang. It is formed from steel then welded to the blade. Hollow Handles can incorporate a bolster which is typically hollow as well. Higher quality designs such as Global, produced by Yoshikin, have sand inside the handle to achieve good balance.