Confused about whwat the 2 sides of a conventional pocket knife are called

Status
Not open for further replies.
Rover-Friskey

Rover-Friskey

Joined
Oct 22, 2023
Messages
146
One side of my knife has a shield. The other side does not. One side of one of the blades has a tang stamp, the other side does not. What are the 2 sides of a knife called?
Thanks,
Billy
 
Jacques Mi,
My avatar is the center part of the famous Confederate Naval Jack. I am from Virginia. I had 2 great-grandfathers who served honorably Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. One was wounded at Appomattox, one was captured at Petersburg. Had another who served in the Confederate States Navy. Had another who fought for the Union in the Army of the Potomac. I am a devout Global Methodist. The fifth commandment says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).
Billy
 
Thanks you
Danke42. So, what is the other side called? What if the knife has no shield?
I am new to knife collecting and not familiar whit much of the nomenclature.

Thanks again,
Billy
 
I’ve always used show side/presentation side and pile side
 
The shield side can also be called the mark side, which is also where the makers mark is on the tang. The opposite side is the pile side, from the process of building a pocket knife where the pieces are piled on top of one another. Hence the bottom of the pile is the pile side. At least that's my understanding.
 
Heck, I've been into knives for around 45 years, been on this forum for over 21 years, and I've never recognized or followed any "official" rules regarding what to call each side of a knife. I typically just say "front" or "back".

If a knife has a distinguishing feature on one side, like a shield, or in the case of a switchblade, a button, I refer to the front side as the "shield side", or the "button side", and refer to the other side as the back. Never once in my life have I ever used the term "pile side" to refer to the back of a knife. And yet I don't believe anyone has ever had any difficulty understanding what I was saying.

I wouldn't get too hung up on terminology. There are no rules about such things. Everybody simply chooses their own terms. All that really matters is that people understand what you're saying. And even if they don't, heck, it's not like any lives hang in the balance . You won't be kicked off the forum or cast out of the knife community.

Welcome to Bladeforums Rover-Friskey :)
 
Peregrin said:
The shield side can also be called the mark side, which is also where the makers mark is on the tang. The opposite side is the pile side, from the process of building a pocket knife where the pieces are piled on top of one another. Hence the bottom of the pile is the pile side. At least that's my understanding
Peregrin said:
The shield side can also be called the mark side, which is also where the makers mark is on the tang. The opposite side is the pile side, from the process of building a pocket knife where the pieces are piled on top of one another. Hence the bottom of the pile is the pile side. At least that's my understanding.
Click to expand...
Peregrin,
Click to expand...
Thanks! Now I knw what and why!!
Billy
 
If I ever become so sensitive that I get offended by someone's avatar, I need one of y'all to do me the favor of driving to Texas and stabbing me through the heart.

..."mark" or "pile" side up, I don't care.


Thanks in advance.
 
killgar said:
Heck, I've been into knives for around 45 years, been on this forum for over 21 years, and I've never recognized or followed any "official" rules regarding what to call each side of a knife. I typically just say "front" or "back".

If a knife has a distinguishing feature on one side, like a shield, or in the case of a switchblade, a button, I refer to the front side as the "shield side", or the "button side", and refer to the other side as the back. Never once in my life have I ever used the term "pile side" to refer to the back of a knife. And yet I don't believe anyone has ever had any difficulty understanding what I was saying.

I wouldn't get too hung up on terminology. There are no rules about such things. Everybody simply chooses their own terms. All that really matters is that people understand what you're saying. And even if they don't, heck, it's not like any lives hang in the balance . You won't be kicked off the forum or cast out of the knife community.

Welcome to Bladeforums Rover-Friskey :)
Click to expand...
killgar,
Thanks!
Billy
 
Alone said:
If I ever become so sensitive that I get offended by someone's avatar, I need one of y'all to do me the favor of driving to Texas and stabbing me through the heart.

..."mark" or "pile" side up, I don't care.


Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Unnecessary
 
Railsplitter said:
I am under the impression that the terms mark and pile generally only refer to traditional style slip joint knives.

I have never seen those terms used when discussing knives of a more modern variety.
Click to expand...
For me as a lefty, it gets even more confusing 🙃
 
Rover-Friskey said:
Jacques Mi,
My avatar is the center part of the famous Confederate Naval Jack. I am from Virginia. I had 2 great-grandfathers who served honorably Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. One was wounded at Appomattox, one was captured at Petersburg. Had another who served in the Confederate States Navy. Had another who fought for the Union in the Army of the Potomac. I am a devout Global Methodist. The fifth commandment says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).
Billy
Click to expand...
Also used by one of the greatest knifemakers ever Walter Brend.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top