Editing Blade (section)

{{Short description|Sharp cutting part of a weapon or tool}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Kinmichi II - Short Sword with Black Lacquer Saya - Walters 511261.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The bare blade of a [[Japanese sword]] without the handle or hilt]]

A '''blade''' is the [[Sharpness (cutting)|sharp]], cutting portion of a [[tool]], [[weapon]], or [[machine]], specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are intended to cut. This includes early examples made from flaked stones like [[flint]] or [[obsidian]], evolving through the ages into metal forms like [[copper]], [[bronze]], and [[iron]], and culminating in modern versions made from [[steel]] or [[ceramics]]. Serving as one of humanity's oldest tools, blades continue to have wide-ranging applications, including in combat, [[cooking]], and various other everyday and specialized tasks.

Blades function by concentrating force at the cutting edge. Design variations, such as [[serrated edge]]s found on [[bread knives]] and [[saws]], serve to enhance this force concentration, adapting blades for specific functions and materials. Blades thus hold a significant place both historically and in contemporary society, reflecting an evolution in material technology and utility.