Integral Knife

[swilliamf]

Alright I admit I am a noob I what is an integral knife? What are the characteristics that make a knife an integral?

Thanks For You Help
William

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Integrals are usually knives made so that the tang of the knife is formed to become the bolster. I'll see if I can find a pic.

Andy

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Here's a small knife made by Tai Goo, a knifemaker who posts here on BF. You can see that the tang has been forged up to make the bolster, then continues on into the blade.

Andy

 

[batosai117]

I always thought it was a frame locked knife .

Chris Reeve Integral Frame Lock.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

I always thought it was a frame locked knife .

Chris Reeve Integral Frame Lock.

I understand that Chris uses the term, but traditionally, an integral knife is a fixed blade.

Andy

 

[Knife Outlet]

Integral means one piece. An integral fixed blade is machined from a single piece of steel rather than being assembled from parts. Things like guards or bolsters or pommels are not added later.

The Reeve integral lock is his name for the frame lock. Integral is a good term because the lock is a part of the frame itself rather than being a part that is added later.

 

[mete]

The Chris Reeve one piece knife like the Mountaineer and the Inyoni are integral.

 

[sensei78]

I don't have the knife with me but the Kershaw Military Boot Knife is integral.