How can I tell if I have a tapered blade or a french blade?
The tapered blade tapers directly into the handle. Take your thumb and forefinger and run them up and down along where the blade and handle meet. If it is smooth on both sides, you have the tapered blade. If you feel a notch where the blade comes out of the handle at a right angle on one side, it is the french blade. Some knives have an extra bolster or a brushed finish and a rounded, blunt blade.
