A hollow ground blade is a knife blade which has been ground to create a characteristic concave, beveled edge along the cutting edge of the knife. This effect is accomplished by starting the grind below the midpoint of the knife, creating a small wedge with concave sides which is extremely sharp and very easy to care for. Many mass produced knives are made with hollow ground blades, since they are also easy to create in a factory, and consumers like to have knives which can be readily sharpened.

The “grind” of a blade refers to the way in which it is cut to prepare it for polishing and sharpening. There are a number of different grind styles, all targeted at the potential application of the knife; a hollow ground blade is one of the most common types of blades. Once a blade has been ground, it is shaped for life, and further adjustments are accomplished with sharpening. In rare cases, a knife may be re-ground, but this is not often called for, or even possible.

When a hollow ground blade is made, a grinding wheel is used on the lower half of the knife to take a convex scoop out of the blade. The cutting edge is at the bottom of this scoop, and it is extremely sharp because it is so fine. In cross section, a hollow ground blade looks rather like an old fashioned pen nib, with a solid upper section and a delicate, fluted base. This base is easy to grip with a sharpening tool such as a whetstone, making knife sharpening very easy.

However, a hollow ground blade does have a serious downside. These types of blades tend to be brittle and fragile, because they are so thin. Therefore, they cannot be used for heavy tasks such as chopping or cutting dense foods. A hollow ground blade is appropriate for fine cutting tasks, like skinning, butterflying meats, and cutting sushi. By using the blade appropriately, you will prolong its lifetime.

In all cases, when you select a knife, look for one with a solid blade which is made from high quality metal. If you can, go to a knife store in person so that you can pick up and handle knives. Make sure that the handle feels right in your hand, and that the knife feels balanced when you hold it. A cumbersome, awkward blade will not be easy or enjoyable to work with. Never run knives through the dishwasher, as this can cause them to dull, and get in the habit of wiping your knives dry after washing to keep the blades in good condition.