What is the proper terminology for this ricasso???

C Craft

C Craft

Well-Known Member
Definition for Ricasso: A Ricasso is an unsharpened length of blade just above the guard or handle on a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet.


This is what comes to mind when I think of the word Ricasso. The Ricasso extends down even with blades edge.
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Pic borrowed from the net!

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Pic borrowed from the net!

Notice this ricasso does not extend to the blades edge! So what I am asking is there a name for this type of ricasso that is terminated short of the blades edge???
 
I don't know of any specific name to apply to one or the other that would indicate which is which. In general the word "ricasso" simply refers to the space between the edge bevels, and the front of the guard or handle.

My personal opinion is that the difference between the two is the experience level of the individual knifemaker. Those knives that exhibit a ricasso where the bottom is even with the edge of a blade leaves a small section towards the plunge cuts that is nearly impossible to sharpen, particularly for the average knife user. Those knives with the "dropped" edge (the blade'e edge extends below the lower line of the ricasso) allows the entire length of the edge to be sharpened easily. There are specific situations where either can be a hindrance or an advantage.... and as with most things on a knife, it's a given-n-take situation..... and up to each individual maker to decide if the pros of either outweigh the cons.
 
I agree with Ed's assessment on it. I don't know of different names for different sizes and shapes of ricassos. But what would maybe be more appropriate or a better known term is that the blade on the bottom has a 'dropped heel' or 'dropped edge'.

I also agree that having an edge that dies right into the ricasso leaves some useless area of cutting edge that's hard to sharpen all the way back and over a few years and repeated sharpenings looks really bad. It never really gets fixed and is an area of constant issues in one way or another.

The dropped heel eliminates all of that headache and cleans everything up quite nicely.
 
I beat myself up over this all the time. On my hunting / skinning knives I hate that little area where the edge hits the ricasso. Repeated sharpening will eventually cause the edge to move toward the spine but if you don't grind away the bottom edge of the ricasso it begins to look weird and ruins the visual lines of the knife. However, the easy solution to this is to drill a hole to create a notch. (or grind a V the way folder blades are done)

The guys who use my knives love that there is no notch. Notches look cooler, but it's a snag and it can be a real pain. Here, function and user friendliness trumps looks. Draw or pull cutting (cutting lines and ropes) is where that notch will make you invent cuss words as the knife repeatedly snags the line.

There's no doubt the dropped edge or notch looks better, and the whole edge can be sharpened. (Although in real life that last 1/16 inch of edge is only important when pull cutting, which is when you don't want a notch!)
 
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I think that the blade where the edge of the blade drops just before the ricasso is easier for the smith to make. He just draws out the steel to avoid a "roach belly" at the heal of the blade. After squaring off everything the heal of the blade extends beyond the ricasso. A stock removal person starts out with a blank where everything is in a straight line. If anything he has to guard against the ricasso extending out beyond the edge of the blade.

Doug
 
but if you don't grind away the bottom edge of the ricasso it begins to look weird and ruins the visual lines
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There was a time in knifemaking where this very thing was a visual way to identify between a forged and a stock removal knife. Those who forged would typically "draw" the edge to below the bottom line of the ricasso. However, stock removal makers who wanted their knives to "look like" the forged blades, quickly figured out that using wider stock, and grinding off the bottom of ricasso gave them a "dropped edge" appearance, and the lines became blurred. For a while, about a decade ago, buyers at shows would specifically ask if a given knife was forged or stock removal, simply because at that point in time forged blades were "hot" and there were a number of stock removal makers doing whatever they could to "tap" into that market. It took consumers a couple of years to get wise, but it's still fairly common for a potential customer to ask if a blade is forged or stock removal.
 
OK I agree with everything said about the WHY!

When I was pondering this question last night and trying to explain it to my wife, (she really does act like she cares even though I am sure she doesn't, guess she still loves me after 34 yrs)!

Anyway while trying to explain what I was speaking of I agree the ricasso can make a knife hard to sharpen and the area directly ahead of it is probably never as sharp as the the rest of the blade, etc..................

However the idea that there was a name for it, try as I might I couldn't get it out of my head!!

QUOTE: John Doyle:

But what would maybe be more appropriate or a better known term is that the blade on the bottom has a 'dropped heel' or 'dropped edge'.

John that sounds more appropriate than anything I could come up with for the premature ending of the ricasso!! :what!:

Somehow that just sounds wrong!!!:lol:

So from now on I shall call that type of knife a "dropped edge" and that is that!!!:s12201:
 
Cliff, I never thought about it much, but I would call the difference as a full width ricasso, against a partial width ricasso, or maybe a stepped ricasso.
 
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