Balance test

[ASBOB]

The old test for good balance was to hold a knife over your outstretched finger and see if it balanced in the middle. Is there any validity to this, or is it an old wives tale?

 

[chiral.grolim]

Depends on what balance is "good". For chopping, the knife should be blade-heavy. If the knife is very light, balance isn't all that important. But generally, yes, a balance point at the index-groove or just below the guard is ideal for most small-to-medium knives. The neutral balance makes the knife more nimble in hand.

 

[mete]

I took a very nice Fallkniven and had a member drill holes in the full tang to get proper balance . It went from poor handling to proper handling !!

 

[HwangJino]

All my Japanese chef knives have superior balance. Blade heavy.

 

[bpeezer]

It's one of the first things I do when I get a knife, as mentioned it gives a good indication of how well a knife handles for various cutting tasks. Knowing where the balance point is will also allow you to adjust your grip for different cutting styles.

 

[Ebbtide]

4" blade and under I want the knife to be decidedly handle heavy.
This way it wants to stay in your hand if you are cutting things and need to use your index finger and thumb to pick up or move something.

As the blade gets larger the balance point should move forward.