Yes, in the Northern Hemisphere, all blades should be forged and tempered with the tip facing north. This aligns all the grain boundaries with the magnetic flux of the earth and increases toughness. Some say it also gains a point or two of hardness, but I have never seen that on a scientific paper. Most people know about that, but what is a surprise to almost everyone is that to make an oven heat evenly, the left rear corner of all ovens ( in the northern hemisphere) has a vortex magnet that will bend the earths magnetic flux to make the chamber heat faster using the Coreolis effect. In the Southern Hemisphere, the alignment axis is to the south pole. Thus, the magnet is installed in the right rear corner of your oven ( Unless you have a northern manufactured oven with a southern adapter. They have two magnets, and can be used in either hemisphere. They are used on airplanes and cruise ships that cross the equator. They are expensive, and not likely to be found in the home.).
I'll bet you didn't know that.
