- Joined
- Apr 13, 2002
- Messages
- 114
I've posted this in the European forum, but the activity there seems to be low at the moment. Therefore I'm simultaneously posting it here.
In knife books published in German, there is frequent use of the terms quartseite (innenseite) and terzseite (außenseite), respectively the "inside" or "outside" of the blade.
For example, a common usage is, "the year of manufacture is stamped on the quartseite of the ricasso".
I have interpreted the term quartseite to denote the side of the knife which is closer to the centerline of the user's body when the knife is held in the "customary" manner. If the knife is single-edged, then the customary position is with the sharpened edge facing downwards. If the knife has a contoured grip, then the fingers would normally rest against the contours. In these two cases it is clear which side is denoted by the term quartseite.
Terzseite of course simply denotes the opposite side of the quartseite and may have markings of its own.
On the other hand it seems that ambiguity arises when the blade is double-edged and has a symmetric grip. In this case, the two sides of the knife are indistinguishable. More than a few examples of the World War I kampfmesser have these characteristics. My guess is that the distinction between quartseite and terzseite would then be purely arbitrary. Is this correct?
Thanks.
In knife books published in German, there is frequent use of the terms quartseite (innenseite) and terzseite (außenseite), respectively the "inside" or "outside" of the blade.
For example, a common usage is, "the year of manufacture is stamped on the quartseite of the ricasso".
I have interpreted the term quartseite to denote the side of the knife which is closer to the centerline of the user's body when the knife is held in the "customary" manner. If the knife is single-edged, then the customary position is with the sharpened edge facing downwards. If the knife has a contoured grip, then the fingers would normally rest against the contours. In these two cases it is clear which side is denoted by the term quartseite.
Terzseite of course simply denotes the opposite side of the quartseite and may have markings of its own.
On the other hand it seems that ambiguity arises when the blade is double-edged and has a symmetric grip. In this case, the two sides of the knife are indistinguishable. More than a few examples of the World War I kampfmesser have these characteristics. My guess is that the distinction between quartseite and terzseite would then be purely arbitrary. Is this correct?
Thanks.
