Table knife facts for kids

A table knife is a special kind of cutlery used when you eat. It has one edge for cutting food and a rounded or blunt end. These knives are usually not super sharp, just sharp enough to cut cooked food on your plate. They are an important part of a table setting, which is how plates, forks, and knives are arranged for a meal.

The History of Table Knives

For a long time, people in the Western world didn't have special knives just for eating. Most men and even many women carried a knife with them everywhere. They used these knives for all sorts of things, like trimming plants, protecting themselves, or eating their meals. For example, the Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic people used a knife called a seax, which was often very long.

Why Knives Became Blunt

The idea of a table knife with a blunt or rounded end is often linked to a French leader named Cardinal Richelieu. Around 1637, he supposedly wanted to stop his dinner guests from using their knife points to pick their teeth!

Later, in 1669, King Louis XIV of France made a rule. He banned pointed knives both in public and at his royal table. He wanted everyone to use knives with blunt tips. He hoped this would help reduce violence during that time.

Who Made Table Knives?

If you look closely at a table knife, you might see a special mark on the blade. This mark usually shows who made the knife. The city of Sheffield in England is very famous for making cutlery. Many knives from there have the city's name on them, along with the maker's name.

Materials Used for Table Knives

In the past, table knives often had blades made of carbon steel or stainless steel. Their handles were made from materials like bone, wood, or ivory.

Today, many modern table knives are made from a single piece of stainless steel. This means both the handle and the blade are one solid piece, like the knife shown in some pictures.

Special "Buckels" Knives

There's a special kind of table knife called a "Buckels"-blade knife. It's also known as an "Old-German-table-knife." These knives usually have very thin blades made of carbon steel. Because of this, they are extremely sharp. You don't even need a separate serrated knife to cut bread or rolls with them!

In the past, a larger type of table knife might have been called a "case knife." These knives were kept in special cases and were also known as sheath knives.

Images for kids

• 

  Table knives with handles made from bone or ivory. You can see the maker's name stamped on the blade.

• 

  A fancy table setting, showing a special knife and fork for fish.

• 

  An English dinner setting from around 1750.

• 

  A shiny stainless steel dinner knife resting on a knife rest.

• 

  A table knife with a "Buckels"-blade, made from carbon steel.

See also

In Spanish: Cuchillo de mesa para niños