Granton Edge Explained: Why Some Slicing Knives Have Dimples

You've seen them: a long slicing knife with a neat row of oval dimples running along the side of the blade, like someone pressed a thumb into the steel a dozen times. They look cool. But are they doing anything, or is it just knife jewelry?

The answer is somewhere in the middle. Those dimples are called a Granton edge, and they really can help food slide off the blade, especially when you're slicing moist, sticky foods like roast beef, ham, salmon, or potatoes. Here's what a Granton edge is, how it works, when it matters, and when it doesn't. If you're shopping for a slicer or santoku and wondering whether the dimples are worth it, this is for you.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• What Is a Granton Edge?
• How Do the Dimples Work?
• Are Granton Knives Good? The Honest Answer
• Does a Granton Edge Weaken a Thin Blade?
• Is a Granton Edge Useless? Common Myths
• Where You'll Find a Granton Edge on a Knife Blade
• High Carbon Stainless Steel Granton Knives in Our Lineup
• Thin Blade, Plain Edge, or Serrated? How the Granton Edge Compares
• How to Sharpen a Granton Edge Knife
• Frequently Asked Questions
• The Bottom Line on Dimples

Key Takeaways

• A Granton edge is a row of scallops or hollows ground into the side of a knife blade.
• The hollows create small air pockets between the blade and the food, which reduces suction and sticking.
• They help most with moist or starchy foods like roast beef, ham, brisket, salmon, potatoes, and cheese.
• They don't make a knife sharper. Sharpness, thin blade geometry, and technique still matter more.
• You sharpen a Granton edge knife the same way as any other knife.

What Is a Granton Edge?

A Granton edge is a pattern of shallow, rounded hollows, also called scallops, dimples, or indentations, ground into the sides of a knife blade just above the cutting edge. The name comes from the Granton Knife Company of Sheffield, England, which developed and patented the design in the early 20th century.

On the original Granton design, the scallops are ground alternately on each side of the blade and run right down toward the edge. Today, most knife manufacturers use a simpler version: oval dimples that stop above the edge, often lined up on both sides. You'll see this called a hollow edge, a scalloped edge, or, in German, a Kullenschliff. Everyone just calls them Granton knives, the same way every adhesive bandage gets called a Band-Aid.

What is a hollow edge on a knife? On kitchen knives, it's another name for the dimpled, Granton-style blade. (Don't confuse it with a hollow grind, which is a concave bevel shape found on razors and some pocket knives.)

How Do the Dimples Work?

When you slice something wet, like a roast or a potato, a flat blade makes full surface contact with the food. The moisture creates a seal, and the slice sticks to the side of the knife. Anyone who has ever peeled a potato slice off their chef's knife knows the feeling.

The scallops break up that contact. Each hollow creates a small air pocket between the steel and the food, so there's less suction and less friction. The result:

• Slices fall away from the blade instead of clinging
• Less drag, so the knife glides through the food more easily
• Cleaner cuts that don't tear or mangle delicate textures, like thin slices of ham or smoked salmon

Are Granton Knives Good? The Honest Answer

Granton knives are good, but the dimples aren't magic. Here's the honest picture.

Where they help:

• Long, thin slices of roast beef, brisket, ham, and turkey
• Smoked salmon and other fish
• Potatoes, cucumbers, and other starchy or wet vegetables
• Soft cheeses

Where they matter less:

• Small, quick chopping jobs
• Dry foods like bread or onions
• A dull knife. No amount of dimples will rescue a dull blade.

Most cooks find that a sharp, thin blade and good technique make the biggest difference, and the Granton edge adds a helpful boost on top. That's why Granton knives are popular in professional kitchens on slicing knives, and why many professional chefs keep a Granton slicer for carving. Just remember the dimples won't help if the steel underneath isn't good. The material and heat treatment decide how strong the blade is and how long it holds an edge.

What is a Granton edge knife used for? Mostly for slicing: meat, fish, and wet or starchy vegetables. You'll find them on slicers, carving knives, santokus, nakiri knives, and some chef's knives.

Does a Granton Edge Weaken a Thin Blade?

It's a fair question: if you grind hollows into the steel, aren't you making it weaker? In practice, no. The indentations are shallow and sit above the cutting edge, so the blade keeps its structural rigidity, much like a straight edge. Knife manufacturers usually add them to blades with enough thickness to handle it, like slicers and santokus. On a very thin blade, you'll often see a lighter fluted edge instead, which still gives clean, precise cuts.

Is a Granton Edge Useless? Common Myths

Somebody in every kitchen will tell you Granton knives are useless. They're not wrong about everything, but they're not right either.

• "It's just for aesthetics." The dimples do look bold and handsome, but they were developed to solve a real problem: food sticking to the blade.
• "It makes the knife sharper." Wrong. It only reduces sticking and drag.
• "You can't sharpen it." You can, the same way as any knife.
• "It works on everything." It's intended for slicing moist or starchy foods. On a dry onion, it won't make much difference.

Most cooks agree on a middle ground: on a good knife with a sharp edge, the hollows make slicing a little easier, and that's a nice bonus.

Where You'll Find a Granton Edge on a Knife Blade

• Slicing and carving knives: the classic home of the Granton edge, used for roast beef, ham, brisket, and turkey.
• Santoku knives: the dimples help thin vegetable slices release from the wide blade.
• Nakiri and vegetable knives: for potatoes, cucumbers, and other sticky produce.
• Big meat knives: for breaking down large roasts.

High Carbon Stainless Steel Granton Knives in Our Lineup

Here are the Granton edge knives in our collection. Each one uses high carbon stainless steel, a material that offers a sharp edge, good edge retention, and corrosion resistance, the style of steel many Japanese knives are built on.

Shujin 10" Slicing Knife ($149)

The Shujin 10" Slicing Knife is our classic Granton slicer: a long, straight edge combined with a Granton edge. It has a VG-10 core with 67 layers of Damascus steel and a black G10+ handle. That length and those hollows make it a natural for long, even slices of brisket, ham, prime rib, and turkey breast. It's also part of the Shujin 5-Piece Butcher Knife Set.

Shujin 9.5" Slaughter Knife ($179)

The Shujin 9.5" Slaughter Knife is a heavy-duty meat knife designed for breaking down large roasts. Its Granton edge reduces friction and keeps meat from sticking to the blade. It has a VG-10 core, 67 layers of Damascus steel, and a G10+ handle with a red mosaic pin.

Kurogane 7" Santoku Knife ($179)

The Kurogane 7" Santoku Knife brings the Granton edge to everyday prep. Its 187mm blade has a VG-10 core wrapped in 37 layers of copper, brass, and stainless Damascus, sharpened to a thin 9 to 12° double bevel. At 160g, it's light and quick, and the hollows help sliced potatoes, cucumbers, and onions release from the wide blade.

Shujin 10" Serrated Knife ($149)

The Shujin 10" Serrated Knife combines a serrated bread profile with scalloped, Granton-style reliefs for low drag. The 254mm VG-10 blade saws through crusty bread and crackly roast skin, and the reliefs keep it from dragging through soft loaves.

The honest difference: the Shujin Slicing Knife is the one to pick for classic carving. The Slaughter Knife is heftier, for big roasts and breaking down meat. The Kurogane Santoku is the everyday vegetable and prep knife. The Serrated Knife is your bread and crispy-skin specialist.

Thin Blade, Plain Edge, or Serrated? How the Granton Edge Compares

How to Sharpen a Granton Edge Knife

Good news: Granton edges are sharpened just like a regular knife. The dimples sit above the cutting edge, so you sharpen the bevel on a whetstone or have it professionally sharpened as usual. Hold the handle firmly in one hand, keep a steady angle, pull the blade across the stone from heel to point, then polish the edge on a finer grit. Between sharpenings, hone it on a sharpening steel or ceramic rod. These are the same tools you'd use on any kitchen knife.

The only catch: after many years of sharpening, the edge slowly wears up toward the hollows on knives with deep scallops, and the blade behind the edge gets a little thicker. For most home cooks, that takes a very long time: think years and years of regular use, not a couple of holiday seasons. Sharpening only when the knife needs it, and honing in between, helps it last.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Granton edge on a knife?

It's a row of rounded hollows ground into the side of the blade. The hollows create air pockets that reduce friction and help food release from the knife.

Are Granton knives good?

Yes, especially for slicing moist or starchy foods. They won't replace a sharp blade and good technique, but they make long slices easier and cleaner.

What is a hollow edge santoku knife used for?

The same jobs as any santoku: slicing, dicing, and mincing vegetables, meat, and fish. The hollow edge helps thin slices of potato, cucumber, and similar foods fall away from the blade.

Do the dimples make a knife sharper?

No. Sharpness comes from the edge itself. The dimples just reduce sticking and drag.

Can you sharpen a Granton edge knife at home?

Yes. Sharpen it on a whetstone the same way you would any knife, and use a honing rod between sharpenings.

What do professional chefs use to sharpen their knives?

Most use whetstones for sharpening and a honing steel or ceramic rod for daily maintenance.

The Bottom Line on Dimples

The Granton edge is one of those small design details that earns its place. It won't turn a bad knife into a good one, but on a sharp slicer or santoku, those little dimples make long slices easier, faster, and neater. If you carve roasts, slice ham, or cut a lot of potatoes in your kitchen, it's a feature worth having, and it makes cutting a little more fun. Pick the Granton knife that fits how you cook, and serve up neater slices with ease.