Knife
[[]]
Description: A knife (plural knives) is a cutting tool with a cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knife-like tools were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools.
Originally made of rock, bone, flint, and obsidian, knives have evolved in construction as technology has, with blades being made from bronze, copper, iron, steel, ceramics, and titanium. Many cultures have their unique version of the knife. Due to its role as humankind's first tool, certain cultures have attached spiritual and religious significance to the knife.
Most modern-day knives follow either a fixed-blade or a folding construction style, with blade patterns and styles as varied as their makers and countries of origin. Key features of the knife is usually a single sharpened edge, with or without a point, and used primarily for cutting or slicing. Another key point in defining the knife from the dagger, is over all length, as almost all knives are limited to an over-all length of 12 inches. Lastly, knives rarely have anything resembling a guard as they are not intended for parrying as are daggers.
