What cuts but isn't a knife? (not a riddle, lol)

hardheart

hardheart

Joined
Sep 19, 2001
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This is going to seem pretty stupid, and it probably is. Anyway, a sword is not a knife, an axe is not a knife, a scythe is not a knife, and a machete is not a knife. They have handles, they have blades, they have sharpened edges. But something about the size, shape, or use makes them something other than a 'knife'. Knife is a term for many cutting implements of various shapes and sizes, but not all. So, is a cleaver a knife, or is it a cleaver? I'm pretty sure a dagger is a knife, and not 'just' a dagger, but does that apply for all lengths, or do some also become short swords? Bayonets were easily distinguished from knives before, but are the modern ones still not 'knives' due to purpose, or use of case hardened steel, or lousy edges, etc? Is an ulu a knife? Is a smatchet a knife? Is it okay to call a kukri a knife, or is it just a kukri? Are the golok, parang, or barong classed as machetes, knives, or specifically each individual name?

Man, I told you this would be stupid.:foot:
 
:confused:

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:D
 
I don't know what you are trying to say, but a revolver and a pistol are both handguns - but not the same thing. So, does knife equal handgun, or does knife equal pistol. And if knife equals pistol, then what equals revolver?

I just managed to make this seem even dumber.

But basically, if there is an axe, kukri, machete, ulu, boner, bayonet, and lambsplitter on a table, when I say "Hey, hand me the axe", you just hand me the axe. Same if I say "Hand me the machete." Now, if I say "Hand me the knife." Do you only reach for the boner 100% of the time, or do you say "Which one?"
 
Man, I hope 42 posts in this thread with his machete, scythe and cleaver love, it may be my only hope.
 
I feel ya, OP. How big does a hawkbill have to be to become a scythe...? :confused:

The grey area is widening with all these specialised blades popping up...
 
I actually like this thread. I suspect the main criteria involves length of the various parts (cue jokes) and intended use.

Swords generally run more than 18" (arbitrary cutoff), axes and other items have much longer handle/blade ratios, if nothing else, and the cutting edge is offset much further than the handle, and the blade is also much thicker than the handle. I personally classify machetes and khukuri in the knife category. Probably ulu too.

Definitionally, if you consider a knife an instrument for cutting, that would rule out axes, since while they CAN be used for cutting, they're primarily considered instruments for chopping.

From dictionary.com, a knife is:

1. an instrument for cutting, consisting essentially of a thin, sharp-edged, metal blade fitted with a handle.
2. a knifelike weapon; dagger or short sword.
3. any blade for cutting, as in a tool or machine.

And, of course, it's worth considering that knife is a much broader subset than machete, bolo, parang, etc. It would be proper to call each of them by the strictest category, but they all also probably count as being knives as well. That's my 2 cents on the subject, anyways.
 
What about the Gross Messer? It's a sword? but frrom what I gather it's German for " Big Knife"
other things that cut:
Chainsaw
Torch
Scalpel
Water Jet
circular saw, or any saw for that matter
Laser
 
When does a dagger become a short sword? I've heard people call weapons with 18" blades daggers...
 
JSMcustoms said:
You can put a sharp edge on most any object...
Click to expand...
True.
I carved a knife out of a block of wood yesterday and actually made it decently sharp (for a piece of wood)
And I'm not joking at all. It was a quick, fun, easy carving project.
So, that being said, is wood a knife now!!!??
 
In my opinion, a knife is a small cutting tool. Axes would be bigger, and just a head mounted on a stick. Hatchets are smaller axes? Machetes are large knives, while swords are large knives made for fighting? It's kind of blurry.
 
The difference between a knife and axe is obvious.
I agree that it stops being a knife around 18" in blade length, which is one reason a 4" blade should be called "small" instead of "large" like it is now.
 
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