The Evolution of Table Knives

While it's hard to imagine sitting down to dinner in today's times without a knife in the requisite table sitting; in reality, knives have only been in use in the way that we know them for a very short period of time. In pre-historic times, knives served a wide variety of uses. Two of the most popular uses for knives during this time included utilization as both tools and weapons. The pre-historic man could use his handy knife to fashion a variety of items he might need for everyday use as well as to hunt and kill dinner. These early knives were typically made of flint; which was easy to cut and sharpen. As the knives became dull, it was simple enough to sharpen them for prolonged use. Eventually; however, knives began to be produced from different materials including bronze, iron and copper.

Knives were commonly carried with their owner wherever they might happen to travel. This was quite important in the Middle Ages, when knives were necessary as both weapons of self-defense and eating utensils. Metal ware tended to be quite expensive and as such, it was often far too cost prohibitive for families to own more than the bare necessities. When guests came to dine they were typically expected to bring their own knife to the dinner table. During this time period knives were used both to cut food as well as to spear it and bring it to the mouth. When not in use as a table utensil, knives were typically carried in sheaths at the sides of their owners until they were needed next.

While knives were definitely handy to have both at the dinner table and while traveling, they also proved to be quite dangerous. Many felt it was far too easy to pull a knife and perform deadly injury in the blink of an eye. The act of dining itself became somewhat of a dangerous affair. Toward the end of the 17th century, King Louis XIV outlawed all sharp-pointed knives in France and ordered such knives ground down, in the hopes of reducing violence. Throughout the next several years, knives became more and more blunt-tipped; resembling more modern butter knives than a sharp-pointed weapon. Eventually, sharp-pointed knives were relegated to the kitchen for the purpose of food preparation and disappeared almost entirely from the dining table.

Fortunately, such heavy handed regulations concerning the production of knives were abolished and cutlers were once again able to produce a wide variety of knives for a number of purposes. Today, free from the regulations a long dead French monarch, we are free to enjoy many different kinds of knives. Hopefully knives are no longer as much of a danger as they once were at the dinner table; however, they can certainly still present danger if an incorrect knife is used for the wrong purpose.

With that thought in mind, it's important to understand that some knives are designed for a very specific purpose. Knives with a serrated edge, for example, are designed specifically for cutting bread. The serrated edge leaves less crumbs than many other types of knives and also compresses the bread less. Knives with a curved back edge are designed specifically for slicing while knives with a curved edge and flat back can be used for a variety of purposes, such as cutting, chopping and picking. If you're not sure of the specific purpose of a knife, always use extreme care and always cut away from yourself in order to prevent a serious injury.

About The Author:
Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com

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Title:	The Evolution of Table Knives
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The Evolution of Table Knives