Can We Come Up With Better Names For This?

[Heckel7302]

We use this word, profile, to describe a knife’s shape. It’s an all encompassing word. Are there any other more descriptive terms we can use?

There are a number of aspects to a knife’s profile. How curvy or flat the blade road is and where it is more curvy or more flat. How high or low the tip is relative to the heel. My main gripe is about having words to describe how parallel, or not, the blade road is in relation to the spine. Some examples:

Relatively parallel (3-4 degrees of angle in relation to the mean “flat” of the blade road)

Relatively angled (9-10 degrees of angle in relation to the mean “flat” of the blade road)

Ben Kamon, for one, distinguishes the difference as “Chef” profile (parallel) and “Sabatier” profile (angled).

Many of us remember the dreaded “Dorito” profile of early 2020’s Mazakis.

Are Chef, Sabatier, and Dorito the best we can do? How angled the blade road is in relation to the spine plays a huge role in how the knife feels. “French” profile? “Western” profile? High angle blade road, low angle blade road? Any thoughts?

 

[ehhh]

I've also been wondering about this. As a shorter person I like the handle to be more parallel to the board, otherwise it puts my elbow or wrist in an awkward position.

In my head I refer to this as "angle of attack".

 

[stringer]

Basically there is a continuum from bull-nosed santoku shape to pointy spear tip. See Mazaki, 2018-2024.

 

[Troopah_Knives]

Ah yes, the pizza Gyuto profile definition question.

 

[AT5760]

Good question. It's not something I'd thought about much. That is until I recently picked up a Dorito-like gyuto and realized how "off" the ergonomics felt to me. Now it's something I will consider as a top priority.

 

[Nemo]

Profiles are complicated.

There are a few threads on them.

Here is a good one:

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/rambling-thoughts-on-gyuto-profiles.38393/

 

[Heckel7302]

Profiles are complicated.

There are a few threads on them.

Here is a good one:

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/rambling-thoughts-on-gyuto-profiles.38393/

Thanks. That is an excellent one. I didn’t expect there to be any easy answers.

 

[blokey]

Uppity, stabby and flatty, 3 most common profile

 

[Heckel7302]

Uppity, stabby and flatty, 3 most common profile

Those uppity knives are the worst. Always thinking they’re the best profile.

 

[Barmoley]

The spine shape doesn't actually matter all that.much. Edge shape, curvature and handle angle relative to the edge are what is mostly important. In the @Nemo linked thread this is very well demonstrated by @Kippington .

Spine shape is mostly esthetic, not that there is anything wrong with it, but as far as performance and feel spine shape is very low in importance.

 

[Nemo]

The spine shape doesn't actually matter all that.much. Edge shape, curvature and handle angle relative to the edge are what is mostly important. In the @Nemo linked thread this is very well demonstrated by @Kippington .

Spine shape is mostly esthetic, not that there is anything wrong with it, but as far as performance and feel spine shape is very low in importance.

Indeed, the angle that the handle forms with the profile (specifically the edge profile) is of much more importance than that spine profile.