Knife Materials

A couple of posts ago I talked about the 3 knives you need. Now, I’ll break down the most common kitchen knife materials; carbon steel, stainless steel, a mix of the two and ceramic. You’ll also see Damascus, which is not a type of steel, but refers to a layering method of at least 2 different types of steel using heat and force to create a wave like pattern. It’s not typical which types of metals are used, therefore care and maintenance will be different for each knife.

🔪CARBON STEEL – Carbon + steel creates a harder, easier to sharpen surface that holds an edge longer. Most carbon steel knives are a thinner blade, which creates a slightly lighter, but more brittle knife than pure stainless steel and prone to rust/stains. It’s imperative that you wash/dry after each use.

🔪STAINLESS STEEL – a good, less expensive option.They’re stain resistant. Lower grade stainless won’t keep a razor sharp edge as it’s a fairly soft material and is not easy to sharpen, meaning you’ll have to purchase new knives more frequently. Higher quality stainless will keep a sharper edge & sharpen easily.

🔪HIGH CARBON STAINLESS STEEL – This is what I have (with the Damascus method). It’s a good balance of sharpness, easy resharpening & corrosion resistance. They re-sharpen well and they hold an edge for a while (though I sharpen my knife once a week). Hand wash/dry, and make sure to store them properly.

🔪CERAMIC – Very light weight, keep an amazingly sharp edge for a long period of time, however it can chip easily or shatter if dropped and you need a special sharpener or send them back to the manufacturer to be sharpened.

Do you have questions about buying a knife? Or anything kitchen knife related?