Table knives are designed for use at the dining table — typically with a rounded or mildly pointed tip and intended for eating rather than food preparation or outdoor use. Chef's knives, hunting knives, and utility knives with fixed blades that are not table-service items fall under 821192 instead.

Multi-function tools that include a knife blade among several implements are generally classified based on the article's principal function or, if no single function predominates, under the heading that appears last in the tariff schedule. A binding ruling from CBP is advisable for borderline multi-tool configurations.