Ceramic Kitchen Knives: Any Good?

[mawnansmiff]

Be careful taking your knifes to "Professional" shapeners.

Many many moons ago when I worked in the hotel trade we had a guy visit us about every 4 - 6 weeks or so who (for a fee of course) would sharpen/reprofile everyone's knives. Some chefs declined his service preferring to do it themselves, myself among them.

My preferred knife is my ~10" Japanese santoku blade which though nice and thin, is very strong and super capable edge wise. On the other hand, my Sabatier blades (which were gifted to me) rarely see the light of day as I find them to be too thick and slightly overweight for regular cutting tasks.

I also have a gorgeous Italian (the brand escapes me) narrow bladed carving knife with ~12" blade but having nothing to carve anymore sits idle in my drawer.

As for ceramic blades, I'm slowly being put off but time will tell.

Jay.

 

[Searock Fan]

Bought a ceramic kitchen knife years ago. Now it's somewhere in the back of a drawer almost forgotten.

If you want a good (great) kitchen knife you can't beat a Cutco, they're amazing. We have several and one of them is from the early 50s, and has only been sharpened once. The problem with them is the price.

 

[simong]

Seems like ‘overkill’ to me jay, just for cutting up Cornish Pasties.
I’d spend the money on booze instead.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Hitachi Blue and White steels are very good. Watch for single or double bevel. I have this steel in traditional Japanese single bevel styles and you need to sharpen differently. All have to be oil with mineral oil to avoid flash rust.

My current primary paring blade is Aogami Super Blue (64HRC). I give it an oil wipe every 6 months or so. As long as it's dried off after use. I've had no oxidation issues. Patina is coming along slowly.
I love its performance- it's he first knife in blue or white I've ever owned. I'd be open to a gyuto in blue or white in the future.
As much as I love carbon steels, I've been using a Magnacut gyuto from Meglio for almost two years and it's impressive. I've been fighting the urge to grab one of their Magnacut nakiris.

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Cheaper stainless knives are trash. Brittle and almost impossible to sharpen. When my wife and I go to visit and make family for dinners we bring our knives.

Same here

 

[proteus]

My current primary paring blade is Aogami Super Blue (64HRC). I give it an oil wipe every 6 months or so. As long as it's dried off after use. I've had no oxidation issues. Patina is coming along slowly.
I love its performance- it's he first knife in blue or white I've ever owned. I'd be open to a gyuto in blue or white in the future.
As much as I love carbon steels, I've been using a Magnacut gyuto from Meglio for almost two years and it's impressive. I've been fighting the urge to grab one of their Magnacut nakiris.

I have a takohiki hand made by a smith in Japan and it's amazing. Several deba, usuba Okinawa and Tokyo style, yanagiba about 250mm. The couple vg10 San mai nakiri I have are like straight razors. I never tear up with onion slicing. All of those steels are amazing.

 

[proteus]

Cheap trick to get el cheapo knife to take an edge temporarily in a pinch. Use the bottom of a coffee mug and there you'll find uncoated ceramic. Use that as a makeshift stone.

 

[mawnansmiff]

there you'll find uncoated ceramic. Use that as a makeshift stone.

On a camping trip to Wales some tears ago I pulled a piece of slate from a river bed to sharpen a knife. Not ideal but was better than using a blunt blade.

Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Pretty sure most of you guys are familiar with this site! I was blown away over the detail discussed and illustrated.

Link to Knife Steel Nerds

 

[Searock Fan]

Same here

A simple test.... touch it with a magnet. If its magnetic it will rust, if not it won't.