Ceramic Knives? Like/Not?

[jyl]

I'm curious about ceramic kitchen knives. Thinking about buying one to try out, but I don't use paring knives so it would have to be a 6" at least. Worth a $50 try, or blow the bucks elsewhere?

[lowyder993s]

I've wanted 1 for years for skinning game. If Cliff would ever stick a hog we could have a skin-off.

Cabela's: Boker 2040 Ceramic Blade Knife

[enzo1]

Trail Master In SK-5 High Carbon : Hunting and Outdoors (Fixed Blade)

[Evans, Marv]

They aren't fancy, but if you just want to get familiar with a ceramic knife, I bought a few at Harbor Freight. Got the first one about a year ago and still use it in the kitchen. The largest one has a 6" blade (or thereabouts) and cost $16. It would probably give you as good a judging point as one that cost $50. When they go down hill, I'm just going to get rid of them & get another one.

[TimT]

I wouldn't bother with the ceramic knives. I bought a few over the past few years and the are all junk now.

The blades are very fragile...chip easily, I dropped one a while back and the blade basically exploded into half a dozen pieces..

For example carving a chicken with a Kyocera ceramic blade a few years ago I broke a half moon sized piece from the blade.. Sent the knife back to Kyocera, they re-ground the blade, and I was left with a odd shaped knife..

And I don't use blades in Belushi samurai fashion..

[BlackTalon]

What TimT said. They chip easily, and are very difficult to sharpen. As someone posted higher up, look at a good carbon steel knife if you want to play/ experiment with something. It opens a 'new world', as you can get the blades quite a bit sharper then the typical soft stainless steel German knives. And you get to pick up a new skill -- sharpening with stones :-)

[charlesbahn]

I'll differ- I've got a little ceramic paring knife. Light and well balanced- still sharp as a razor after two years and doesn't have any nicks that I can see. Can't speak to larger knives.

[sc_rufctr]

I tried one but somehow it didn't feel right. So I didn't buy it.

A blade should be steel IMHO... Nice and heavy, stiff.

[DARISC]

False advertising!

I had one once't an' tried to cut the jaggy broken handle stubs off'n my favrit ceramic coffee mug and rooned it...the mug and the knife.

[vash]

my stepdad got one. i hate it. it has no "heft".

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I bought one (expensive as hell for what it is) several years ago for my wife. She uses it exclusively for tomatoes for fear of breaking it on anything else.

She has stuck with the 6" santoku her father gave her before college. It's carbon steel jacketed in stainless so it takes a nice sharp edge but there is only 1-2mm of carbon steel exposed. Lets you be a little lazy about cleanup.

[scottmandue]

I have one of the paring knifes that someone gifted me.

I like but wonder how do you sharpen the thing if you ever need to?

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

...I like but wonder how do you sharpen the thing...

With the only material harder than the knife - diamond sharpener.

Knife Sharpening Experts: Ceramic Knives