The blade of a hacking knife is made of thick steel. The straight-bevelled edge of the blade is not as sharp as a chisel’s, so it is less likely to cut into the wooden frame of a window when in use. The blade is wedge-shaped, increasing in thickness from its bevelled edge to its flat back, which is designed to be struck with a hammer.
Bevel
The bevel is the angled part of the blade that forms its cutting edge.
Tang
The tang is a continuation from the blade, that forms the centre of the handle. The tang starts after the bevelled cutting edge has ended.
Handle
The handle of a hacking knife may be made of plastic, wood or leather. Plastic handles are moulded around the tang, whereas wooden and leather handles are made from two pieces of wood or leather (called scales) riveted either side of the tang.
Rivets
Rivets are fasteners that are used to fix wooden or leather scales to the blade to form the handle.
Scales
Scales are the two pieces of wood or leather that are riveted on either side of the hacking knife’s tang in order to form the handle.
Hole
A hole is found at the end of some hacking knives’ handles. This can be used to hang up the hacking knife in a workshop or for placing a strap through it.
Strap
The strap found on some hacking knives is designed to fit around your wrist and decrease the chances of you dropping the knife when working at height.
