Blade Materials
Monday, February 9th, 2009
Basically there are two different materials for knives, steel and ceramic.
Ceramic knives, usually white in colour, are cast from similar clay to everyday porcelain and are used in kitchens. This material makes for a very rigid blade which will snap if bent too far. However, it does give a glass-hard, super-sharp cutting edge which will keep for many years, outlasting any metal blade I know of. The trade-off here is in the hardness. You cannot use this type of knife for heavy chopping of bones or wood. It will just chip the blade, which is almost impossible to repair and destroy an expensive knife. For sharpening, these knives would probably need returning to the manufacturer, or some kind of diamond abrasive. You should expect a ceramic knife to keep its edge for many years
Some manufactures have reduced manufacturing cost by making blades of ceramic-coated steel which gains the strength advantages of steel but after the paper thin ceramic coating is worn away you are left with a steel blade.
Steel knives are the most durable. There are many types of steel but they divide into two main groups, Stainless and Non-stainless or what is known as Carbon steel. Knives made from carbon steel tend to be cheaper but need a lot more care.
