Aside form the other answers, I always thought ceramic blades were much sharper, the same way silica/obsidian blades have much sharper edges cf. metal blades.
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Ceramic Boker Plus Anti-MC
- Thread starter Jesse B.
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Aside form the other answers, I always thought ceramic blades were much sharper, the same way silica/obsidian blades have much sharper edges cf. metal blades.
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Knife nuts like us sharpen our steel blades to a much higher level than any factory edge. I sincerely doubt the ceramic knife can get sharper than a steel blade sharpened to a mirror finish at 20 degrees inclusive. Even the vaunted ZDP-189 has the tendency to chip at that angle, so I really don't think ceramic would be less prone to that problem.
JTR357
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I'm looking for it.I know I read it somewhere.
Please disregard until I find the link
[edit] Actually I think I read that about other ceramic knives,not particularly this one.Sorry for the mis-information.
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I don't think he meant to imply that they were the same knife, just to point out the very high degree of similarity. I agree with MORIMOTOM that a likely explanation of the similarity is that the Boker one is a licensed, economically priced version of the Stone River Gear knife. (Think of the relationship between the Boker Exskelibur and the Burger Exkelibur.)
High magnification photographs of a properly sharpened ceramic blade show a much more uniform microedge than steel blades (there are no teeth on the ceramic edge!). In my experience the ceramic knives come from the factory with a more obtuse edge to lessen the chipping problem. I usually get them resharpened to a more acute angle. I tried sharpening ceramic blades on diamond "stones" but didn't have much luck. The edge crumbles, and no burr is formed. The black blades are Zirconium Carbide, and the white blades are Zirconium Oxide. The former is supposed to be the second hardest material after diamonds. I use ceramic straight knives in the kitchen, and they work fine. Just don't go after frozen food or try to break down a whole chicken. I use ceramic knives as a finishing steel for my steel, Titanium, and Stellite blades. The folding ceramic knife doubles as a portable steel.
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87HRC is theoretical equivalent or HRC.
Ceramic will hold the edge longer that any steel ONLY if it is used on very soft materials, and off the board. Anything else, and it will dull quicker than many steels due to micro fracturing.
I use custom, end grain cutting board fro all veggie cutting, and all the ceramics from Yoshi to Kyocera and Boker still suffer fracturing, as soon as I get to relatively harsh vegetables like carrots or broccoli stems.
Embedded dirt (in the skin or inside, like in leeks or celery) is also a killer for ceramic edges.
Considering that most of the people use edge grain, plastic, rubber, glass etc boards, edge chipping and dulling will be far more severe.
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I liked it because it has a "William & Henry" gents folder looks thing going for it without the big sticker price.
Ceramic is just a convenient thing to use for folks that like to use their folders a lot for food prep jobs. No steel tastes on foods, no worry about acidic fruits or veges staining or dulling an edge, not that its a big problem with stainless blades, but overall the novelty just makes it worth having to play with something new and different for a change.
I don't know how ceramic would compare to obsidian tools but obsidian is said to be so sharp that when it cuts tissue it doesn't even bruise the cells it cuts so cleanly.
Anyway, mine came today. Actually it arrived while typing this post. 2.5 ounces is all this thing weighs. The blade is not obtuse at the grind at all. In fact its what I'd call thin. Its much sharper and thinner than the last ceramic Boker I bought that I mentioned earlier. It comes with a tip down only low rider clip also. Something I'll have to flip here shortly I'm sure. I used this knife to cut up my potato and carrots and a beef roast in half to cook up dinner today in the slow cooker. No complaints here really. It went through things about as well as any of my kitchen knives do. Well, okay better, since the wife is hell on edges but you get the drift. It didn't resist from being too thick is what I'm saying.
The lock up is 100% perfect akin to that of my Sebenza in how it contacts and how much of the lock engages. I'd say about 60-65% which I really like. The ceramic blade rolls quite smoothly along on the ceramic ball bearing in the lock. The detent actually works and keeps the blade secured during carry and the blade is dead centered when closed. Speaking of the blade, its got a deep almost mirror black finish that is actually pretty darn cool. Its like a gun blued blade only better because it kind of glows from the shine. Again, its hair popping sharp too. The open design should make cleaning it up a cinch. I suspect it will be a fairly maintenance free folder for most folks. Overall for the price tag I'm quite happy with it. Its a better knife than the last one from Boker that I owned and for a lot more money than this one. Heck I could own four of these for what I paid for that last one. Boker has improved some things with this one by quite a bit. Now that I see it in the hand and play with it I can say it really does have that William & Henry thing going on. I like it!
STR
Ceramic is just a convenient thing to use for folks that like to use their folders a lot for food prep jobs. No steel tastes on foods, no worry about acidic fruits or veges staining or dulling an edge, not that its a big problem with stainless blades, but overall the novelty just makes it worth having to play with something new and different for a change.
I don't know how ceramic would compare to obsidian tools but obsidian is said to be so sharp that when it cuts tissue it doesn't even bruise the cells it cuts so cleanly.
Anyway, mine came today. Actually it arrived while typing this post. 2.5 ounces is all this thing weighs. The blade is not obtuse at the grind at all. In fact its what I'd call thin. Its much sharper and thinner than the last ceramic Boker I bought that I mentioned earlier. It comes with a tip down only low rider clip also. Something I'll have to flip here shortly I'm sure. I used this knife to cut up my potato and carrots and a beef roast in half to cook up dinner today in the slow cooker. No complaints here really. It went through things about as well as any of my kitchen knives do. Well, okay better, since the wife is hell on edges but you get the drift. It didn't resist from being too thick is what I'm saying.
The lock up is 100% perfect akin to that of my Sebenza in how it contacts and how much of the lock engages. I'd say about 60-65% which I really like. The ceramic blade rolls quite smoothly along on the ceramic ball bearing in the lock. The detent actually works and keeps the blade secured during carry and the blade is dead centered when closed. Speaking of the blade, its got a deep almost mirror black finish that is actually pretty darn cool. Its like a gun blued blade only better because it kind of glows from the shine. Again, its hair popping sharp too. The open design should make cleaning it up a cinch. I suspect it will be a fairly maintenance free folder for most folks. Overall for the price tag I'm quite happy with it. Its a better knife than the last one from Boker that I owned and for a lot more money than this one. Heck I could own four of these for what I paid for that last one. Boker has improved some things with this one by quite a bit. Now that I see it in the hand and play with it I can say it really does have that William & Henry thing going on. I like it!
STR
What STR said. 
. The fit and finish is great and the knife really looks slick. I like the box it is sent in, complete with magnetic locking lid and knife shammy. The wife really likes it too, so much that I ordered another one. They are already selling out. Every now and then a knife maker will throw us a bone. Kershaw threw us one with the Stone Wash S30V Spec Bump for around $50. Now Boker is throwing us one with Ti & Ceramic goodness and WH style. I will carry this one as a gents folder and it will not see hard use, as it is not made for it. $50 for Ti and Ceramic, get them while they last. I don't see Boker selling these at this price for very long. If they do, good for us knife knuts. .
. The fit and finish is great and the knife really looks slick. I like the box it is sent in, complete with magnetic locking lid and knife shammy. The wife really likes it too, so much that I ordered another one. They are already selling out. Every now and then a knife maker will throw us a bone. Kershaw threw us one with the Stone Wash S30V Spec Bump for around $50. Now Boker is throwing us one with Ti & Ceramic goodness and WH style. I will carry this one as a gents folder and it will not see hard use, as it is not made for it. $50 for Ti and Ceramic, get them while they last. I don't see Boker selling these at this price for very long. If they do, good for us knife knuts. .
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What STR said.
I agree. I've been looking this thing over and comparing it to some other knives I just got recently also. Its strikingly similar in so many ways to 'Sanrenmu' knives in how its built I have to wonder. I'm not saying its the case or anything but the bevels on the edges of the folder are the same, the lock cut is the same and to the same depth, the lock cuts regarding long and short cuts for the lock itself look the same too not just the one to thin it in back to spring it. Hmmm. Either they have identical equipment or??? Not that it matters. The knife is quality all the way. The convenient storage box the, knife, paper work and cleaning cloth came in it does say made in China. I guess the jury is still out on if that is just for the box or the entire package huh?
STR
I don't know how I missed this earlier but the Boker and the Stone River Gear Knife are the same knife... SRG premiered it at the 2010 Blade Show and won best buy of the year at and MSRP of $90 not $150. Boker has since relieved the Anti- MC at a fluctuating MSRP
In terms of usage I've had the SRG 1STLB for over a year and a half I use it as my work knife its amazing how sharp it still is (i've no exaggeration opened countless boxes) ... I will say that it is extremely brittle so using it as anything other and cutting is out.
Full disclosure I do work part time for Stone River and will be more than willing to answer any ceramic knife related questions SRG products or other's
In terms of usage I've had the SRG 1STLB for over a year and a half I use it as my work knife its amazing how sharp it still is (i've no exaggeration opened countless boxes) ... I will say that it is extremely brittle so using it as anything other and cutting is out.
Full disclosure I do work part time for Stone River and will be more than willing to answer any ceramic knife related questions SRG products or other's
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I got the Stone River Gear knife that's shown above. I've been carrying it for a couple months and really like it. Like someone mentioned, it has a William Henryesque look to it, and the ergos are very good. As far as cutting, it's done everything I've asked of it just fine. The edge is not quite as sharp as a steel knife, but it is definitely still sharp. You should note that they round the tips a bit to prevent breakage, so don't think there is something wrong when it arrives with a somewhat rounded tip. I have to say that I like it much better than the ceramic Boker I got a while back, and this one was half the price. I'll probably get at least one more of their knives with a different handle material if this one keeps performing as well as it has.
- Mark
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It won't hold the edge longer than a good steel on any hard material. Especially if you manage to get a thin edge on it. Way too brittle, and microchipping kills the edge very quickly.
Even though I can sharpen ceramic knives, it's near impossible to keep them as sharp as steel, even if I used them strictly for vegetables and strictly on end grain wood board...
You will get no burr. The ceramic is going to dust off. Without that burr to tell you what's going on, I suspect sharpening takes more technique.