Hi all! Just walked past a knife shop and they had a Böker Gamma on display which has a ceramic blade. That made me wonder if ceramic is a good material for a blade? Does it really stay sharp "forever" and how do you sharpen it when it becomes dull. Somebody told be that ceramic blades are quite brittle and might chip or even break just from falling down. Is that true? That would explain why there aren't that many ceramic blades around.
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Ceramic blades?
- Thread starter culter
- Start date
From everything I've heard, ceramic blades will hold an edge better than any steel. They may be resharpened with diamond hones with no problem.
The downside is that they are much more prone to breakage when subjected to lateral stress or chipping if the edge should impact a stone or other hard surface.
It sounds like, for general usage, "good ole" high quality steel still rules.
Dick
The downside is that they are much more prone to breakage when subjected to lateral stress or chipping if the edge should impact a stone or other hard surface.
It sounds like, for general usage, "good ole" high quality steel still rules.
Dick
The various reps for the companies we deal with (Boker, etc.) have informed us that they can put an edge back on a ceramic knife if you send it back to them. Obviously they do not recommend that you try to sharpen a ceramic knife yourself as you are prone to break it.
The main use for a ceramic knife is in the kitchen. Boker makes a couple of different sizes of kitchen knives. The best thing about a ceramic kitchen knife is that they are non-porous. Metal has microscopic pores in it that can pick up smells and can be stained if they are not cared for. Ceramic knives do not stain and they do not pick up the smells of food.
Personally for the money I will be buying my knives made of metal but if the price drops enough a couple of ceramic kitchen knives would be great. Just don't drop them or....
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Jason Cadden
Webmaster
Smoky Mountain Knife Works, Inc.
The main use for a ceramic knife is in the kitchen. Boker makes a couple of different sizes of kitchen knives. The best thing about a ceramic kitchen knife is that they are non-porous. Metal has microscopic pores in it that can pick up smells and can be stained if they are not cared for. Ceramic knives do not stain and they do not pick up the smells of food.
Personally for the money I will be buying my knives made of metal but if the price drops enough a couple of ceramic kitchen knives would be great. Just don't drop them or....
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Jason Cadden
Webmaster
Smoky Mountain Knife Works, Inc.
Ceramic blades are more brittle than the majority of steel blades (RC in the region of 80, I think). It makes for a great slicing knife and holds that edge very long. But don't let it hit bone or the porcelin plate underneath or it might chip. And don't drop it either as it will almost definitely break. And no prying with it either. It does not like lateral forces very much.
You can sharpen it if you wish, but it takes a long time and you will probably need diamond hones.
You can sharpen it if you wish, but it takes a long time and you will probably need diamond hones.
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2000
- Messages
- 1,667
Culter;
I have one of the Boker small folding ceramic knives and have used it to cut cardboard with.
The ceramic blade is extremly sharp and "glides" through cardboard but if you hit a staple or twist the blade you will experience chipping on the edge. I had to send mine back to Boker for resharpening, however, I feel that I can sharpen it my self on one of my diamond hones.
For just slicing they are good as long as there is NO side pressure and nothing hard is encountered.
This little knife sells for $140.00 ,with its titanium scales, and I do not feel that it is worth that. It would be a good knife for a surgeon to carry on him in case of an emergency.
On another note, even if the blade has very small chips in the edge, it will still keep cutting and the chips act kind of like a serrated blade.
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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
I have one of the Boker small folding ceramic knives and have used it to cut cardboard with.
The ceramic blade is extremly sharp and "glides" through cardboard but if you hit a staple or twist the blade you will experience chipping on the edge. I had to send mine back to Boker for resharpening, however, I feel that I can sharpen it my self on one of my diamond hones.
For just slicing they are good as long as there is NO side pressure and nothing hard is encountered.
This little knife sells for $140.00 ,with its titanium scales, and I do not feel that it is worth that. It would be a good knife for a surgeon to carry on him in case of an emergency.
On another note, even if the blade has very small chips in the edge, it will still keep cutting and the chips act kind of like a serrated blade.
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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington