ceramic knives

alick

Settler
Aug 29, 2003
632
0
Northwich, Cheshire
My local supermarket has a new range of (£10) kitchen knives in stock with a tungsten carbide coated edge. It's the first time I've come across this specific use of TC. They're claiming 50x durability compared to "ordinary" knives and a lifetime without sharpening. Less fragile than ceramic blades but they do look cheap and nasty.
 

JakeR

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 18, 2004
2,288
4
37
Cardiff
Shoulda put this in edged tools ;) :D

Can you show me a link, they sounds interesting. Can't be as useless as the Lansky knife, i don't think "reinforced ABS" is a very good idea IMO.
 

Lithril

Administrator
Admin
Jan 23, 2004
2,590
55
Southampton, UK
OK I paid about 35 pounds for a ceramic knife at a tool show last year and its worth every penny. They will break if you drop but if you're careful its a good investment, its unbelievably sharp, regularly can cut soft tomatos thin enough to see through without crushing the tomato.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,631
2,704
Bedfordshire
Most smiths only do carbon steel. Ceramics won't rust or discolour in the kitchen. I think that ceramic's big selling points are aimed more at people who don't know how to sharpen or maintain a quality kitchen knife.

Ceramics are stainless, rust proof, and hold an edge nearly for ever.

Axminster do both ceramic knives and laminated Japanese kitchen knives. Having used a couple laminated knives I would pick them over the ceramic any day, but then I like sharpening things.

If you have a relative who isn't so good at knife maintenance then a ceramic might be a great gift. You'll only have to sharpen it for them once a year :wink:
 

Andy

Native
Dec 31, 2003
1,867
11
38
sheffield
www.freewebs.com
I've delt with richardson TC coated blades. they are good but they are aimed at people who can't sharpen normal knives. They coast more then my hand made cooks knives (which I'm doing a pass around of) and don't feel as nice either
 

Realgar

Nomad
Aug 12, 2004
327
1
W.midlands
I did wonder if they'd perform as well as a decently maintained blade, I've got kitchen knives from 2 inch to 24inch blade and all are sharpened each time I use them ( and in the case of the 24, several times after I've used it to open coconuts ). My now ex refused to touch them on account of the severity of the edge regardless of any arguments about being less likely to slip. I've never cut myself with one of my own kitchen knives, the mandolin on the other hand - with a shredding blade in place - well you only do it once.

I think I'll find myself a friendly smith and hand over that meteorite and get a really well made one done, plus a spare to flog to recoup some of the cost of having it made.
One thing I've never got on with it the steels - I'm more likely to take a hand off or wreck the blade than get a decent edge with one of those things. It might be slwoer but I'll stick to my wetstones for sharpening

Meteoric iron kitchen knife anyone?

Realgar
 

Andy

Native
Dec 31, 2003
1,867
11
38
sheffield
www.freewebs.com
Realgar said:
One thing I've never got on with it the steels - I'm more likely to take a hand off or wreck the blade than get a decent edge with one of those things.

Realgar

I'm started off the other way round. for softer knives, though my dad still likes to out do me once in a while. Guyceps knives are sharpe I didn't think a carving knife would get anywhere near that sharpe I guess that a butchers playing around with three different hones on a good old carbon blade.
One thing I really liked about the richardson (sheffield made BTW) was the plastic case it came in. great for throwing in a draw or whatever out of the way (offstead check kitchen knives are well out of the way)
 

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