A tea knife is a specialized tool for prying apart compressed tea (such as Pu-erh cakes and bricks). Shaped like a knife or awl, with a flat, sharp tip, it easily inserts into the gaps in the tea cake, prying the tea leaves along the grain while preserving their integrity. Most are made of stainless steel, damascus steel, or bamboo and wood, combining practicality and elegance, making it an indispensable tool for tranquility in the tea ceremony.