Kullenschliff knives have a series of alternating scallops ground into both sides of the blade. These tiny grooves reduce drag on the knife, resulting in a paper-thin and incredibly smooth cut. The tiny grooves also allow food to slide off the knife without sticking.
Kullenschliff knives are sometimes referred to as hollow edge or granton edge knives. Granton edges have semi-circular scallops ground into the edge that alternate on either side of the knife and extend from the edge to the middle of the blade. This edge was designed and patented in 1928 by Granton Ragg Ltd. kullenschliff (kulle is Swedish for hill; schliff means sharpened in German), has oval scallops (kullar) hollowed-out of one or both sides of the blade above the edge. The design of scallop-sided blades is an attempt to ease the cutting and separation of meats, cheese, and vegetables.