| Knives are one of the oldest tools to ever have | | | | for diverse activities including hunting, eating, tasks |
| been used. Early humans used sharp stones, | | | | such as cutting wood or other materials, and as |
| bones, or wood pieces to cut and carve. The first | | | | weapons. However, with the advent of guns and |
| effective knives were made out of flint. Even | | | | other forms of advanced warfare, the knife lost |
| before that, knives were made out of a hard | | | | its place on the battlefield. Today, knives mainly |
| silicate form of the mineral quartz. They could be | | | | serve domestic duties, or are used by hunters, |
| crudely formed into a palm-shape with a sharp | | | | campers, and other outdoorsmen. |
| edge which could be used for cutting, scraping, | | | | Even though the materials and purposes of knives |
| and other activities. These knives were shaped | | | | have changed greatly over the years, the shape |
| and sharpened against rocks. | | | | of a knife has not changed much over time. The |
| With the invention of metal came great | | | | basic knife shape, with a handle and blade, was |
| advancements in this early human tool. Humans | | | | present even in the earliest knives. Although |
| learned the art of melting metals, which could | | | | modern knives have more variations due to |
| then be molded into various shapes, including | | | | varying knife uses and more sophisticated |
| knives. As civilizations advanced, knives could be | | | | technology for constructing knives, the basic |
| made out of newer and better materials. First | | | | concept remains unchanged. |
| came knives out of copper and bronze, and then | | | | Knife technology has come a long way over the |
| iron. | | | | past several thousand years. Today, rubberized |
| These knives were often decorated with | | | | handles, more advanced blade materials, and |
| feathers; our ancestors took great pride in | | | | additional built in features make modern knives |
| possessing a beautiful knife, as well as one that | | | | much more effective than their historic or even |
| was relatively sharp compared to other knives of | | | | prehistoric counterparts. Modern knives may even |
| the period. Some knives were designed just for | | | | utilize more complex materials such as titanium, |
| men, while others included designs specifically for | | | | ceramic, and carbon fiber, although steel is still |
| women. These included fancy gold and silver | | | | widely used. |
| designs for the upper classes. These jeweled | | | | Today's knives also differ from historic knives |
| knives were prized possessions, and were often | | | | mainly in how sharp they are able to become. |
| carried in sheaths attached to a belt. | | | | Older technologies resulted in thicker and blunter |
| Once knives with metal alloys became possible, | | | | knife blades. Today's knives can be much sharper, |
| knives could be made out of many combinations | | | | which results in easier to use knives. Older knife |
| of metals, first steel and then even harder | | | | materials would have required much more |
| materials. This paved the way for today's knives, | | | | pressure to be applied in order to cut the same |
| made of stainless steel and similar alloys. | | | | materials, and they would not have been usable |
| Since this early history, knives have been used | | | | for precision cuts like the knives of today. |