On an easter dinner later this year at an Indian native’s house, I happened to come across a bulky looking knife, which was pretty heavy. On inquiring about the knife and its uses. They said that they mainly use this knife to crack open coconuts and also to slice big fish and meat chunks. The bulky belly was helpful to crack open the coconut into two halves and also slicing the chunky meat effortlessly or with minimum strength. The not so pointed but bulky tip could easily penetrate through the hard coconut shell and sometimes the animal’s skin without rupturing its blood vessels, destroying the meat and also having very few chances of breakage. This was the information shared by my friend’s parents. 

Further, on asking about the name of the knife, its manufacturing company etc,  they said that they were unaware of the name, they got it made from the local bladesmith at their native place. I left their place after dinner with an awakened aichmomaniac in me again. 

I googled almost all sorts of knives available in India, similar looking knives and so on.  But was left disappointed as there was no mention of this type of knife anywhere. My inquisitiveness didn’t stop there, I visited the nearby knife shop and also at the same time sent some photos to my dad to see if he knew something. From both these places I got the answer that it’s similar to the drop point knife available here, which I was not aware of. Then I started my research on a drop point knife and eventually purchased one. And after a few months of use, I felt like sharing about the drop point knife with you people as nothing much is mentioned about it online. I have included its structure, uses, advantages and disadvantages. Hope you will be benefitted from my article.

Brief History

In the early 1900’s drop point knife was popularly known as a sailor’s knife where its handles were made of ivory mainly found in the USA. The major drawback of the sailor’s knife was its bad quality steel making it vulnerable to corrosion.

Then during the 1950’s American knife maker Bob Loveless popularized the drop point hunting knife. He developed the blade quality and design, and the handle material was replaced by leather. Slowly and steadily it became an all around utilitarian knife.

What is a drop point blade?

Drop point refers to a type of knife blade that forms a convex curvature or a downward slope on the spine of the blade from the handle of the knife continuing to the tip of the blade, creating a lowered point.

Physically, this point is lower than the center spine of the knife coming out from the handle generally dropping in the final third of the blade. Hence named as a drop point. This lowered point provides more control and adds strength to the tip.

This lowered point or drop point provides more control and adds strength to the tip. The tip of the drop point knife is not that sharp but is much stronger and heavier, resulting in higher strength and increased ability to hold upto heavy use causing less chance of breaking. Therefore this blade shape is commonly found in hunting knives, everyday carry (EDC) knives and tactical knives.

 The drop point design blade has a larger belly and long continuous edge, allowing for more cutting action especially slicing.

This makes the blade suitable for a wide range of tasks such as preparations of campfire meals to tactical applications and everyday tasks like opening packages making it one of the most versatile blades.

Drop point blade generally measures 3.5 to 6 inches long, for example: 

1. Cutco Drop point hunting knife has a blade length of 4.5 inches long.

2. The Klein 44220 knife has a blade that is 3.5 inches long.

Pros & Cons of Drop Point Blades.

PROS

1. Control

The blade’s design & centralized tip location provide users with Improved accuracy and better control over the blade point during precise tasks requiring finesse such as skinning and detailed carving.

2. Sturdy tip

 The blade’s thick curved design gradually tapering into a robust tip enhances its overall strength making it suitable for heavy-duty tasks without risking breakage or damage.

3. Easier Maintenance

The straight forward design lacking in intricate curves or points makes it easier to maintain & sharpen without specialized tools or techniques.

4. Cutting Surface

The large langer belly of the drop point blade makes it highly efficient for cutting through materials smoothly & effectively.

CONS

1. Less piercing ability

The drop point blade cannot be effectively used for piercing as the knife doesn’t possess an acute tip.

2. Generalized Nature

The drop point blades are known for their versatility but for users with very specific needs or preferences, a more specialized blade type might provide better performance.

Choosing the Right Blade Material

The drop point knife is mainly made up of two types of metals :

1. Stainless steel – it offers a balanced combination of durability and resistance to corrosion, making it a reliable choice for everyday tasks where moisture exposure might be a concern

2. Carbon steel – this material is recognized for its ability to retain a sharp edge.

Uses of drop point knife 

1. The design of a drop point blade makes it a classic hunting knife.

2. The drop point knife is great for skinning and gutting as it does not have an acute tip making it less aggressive and easier to control.

3.  The drop points knife’s bigger belly and a long, continuous edge design makes more cutting action.

4.  The versatility of the drop point knife allows it to be one of the best everyday carry (EDC) knives.

What is a drop point knife?

The construction and abilities of the drop point blade make it one of the most popular knives. Its versatility allows you to carry your knife as an EDC or use it for hunting. These blades are highly practical and provide maximum support for your actions. Therefore, by choosing a drop point blade you will be among the hoards of knife lovers who own a great all purpose blade that can be used in many situations. I hope the above information will benefit you in some way or other. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experience about drop point knives in the comments below.