Always Sharp Guarantee:
To sharpen simply mail your Tachi knife back to the distributor with
9.95 for return shipping.
I wonder how often they need sharpening?
jeff
Haven't tried them personally. They're supposed to be very sharp and
stay sharp, but they are of course relatively brittle, so unlike a
conventional steel knife you can break it fairly easily. I believe the
infamous Harbor Freight carries one or two models.
Everything that is from HF and has sharp edges, does not stay sharp
for long. I like their stuff that is welded, forged, but not sharp
edged or motor powered.
I bought a 5" version from Harbor Freight and love it. Very sharp, does
not stain. AFAIK does not respond to a metal detector, I think it is
considered a plastic knife by TSA ;)
Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
** Posted from
I have the HF 5" model, it is tough & sharp and doesn't stain or rust.
It seems sharper than steel, and easily cuts the tough plastic bubble
packages better than anything else i've tried. IIRC it is non-metallic
and missed by metal detectors and I believe it is considered 'plastic'
by TSA ;)
Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
IIRC it is non-metallic
Actually, I just saw these made on the "How it's Made" TV show. For security
concerns, they mix a small amount of metal powder in the knife so it Does
set off the metal detectors.
Without looking on fleabay I can say I have a nice set Kyocera Classic
Ceramics.
They works VERY well for routine kitchen work. the edge is sharper than
most of my steel blades and holds it a long time. They don't stain when
used to cut acidic foods, and they slice straight due to the low
friction of the ceramic. It is possible to sharpen them if you dull the
edge HOWEVER I would suggest sending them back to the company as the
edge requires more than just a diamond stone to sharpen it properly.
Drawbacks, the blades CAN be fragile, it depends on who actually made
them and how they finished them. You also want a GOOD wood or plastic
cutting board, just like the ones you want for steel blades. That keeps
the edge from being damaged and worn. NO HAMMERING ON THE BACKSTRAP!!!
The top names in ceramics are Kyocera, Tachi, Shenzhen (who also make
ceramic blades for a couple of the HIGH end steel blade companies)
On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:22:21 -0600, the infamous Ignoramus6517
scrawled the following:
I bought a 6" chef's knife about 4 years ago and used it happily for
about a year, when I broke it. I was cutting down through a head of
cabbage when it got through the dense core and started speeding down
at the cutting board. As it hit, it shattered at the junction of the
handle, breaking into two pieces. Up until then, I had adored the
thing. While it was just as sharp at the end of the year as it was
new, it is said that they can be honed on diamond plates.
I remain a strong proponent of ceramic knives.
Ig, I have two caveats for you:
1) Shock is your enemy. Don't allow it to hit the cutting board very
hard or fast.
2) The cutting edge is brittle. Don't try to cut bone or attempt to
cut frozen items. And resist rotating the knife in the cut, but
rocking is OK. (I learned anti-rotation with a tiny 1/16" chip, but
the chipped edge is just as sharp, so it didn't diminish the cutting
capacity. (google "flintknapping")
Other than that, they're really great knives. Go for it! The top
brands cost about triple that price.
--
Latin: It's not just for geniuses any more.
Are these similar to the glass knives that were peddled in the 1940's
and 1950's? They had the same keen cutting edge and shattering
problem. Mom wouldn't buy one because they just didn't seem safe.
Paul
Hi Iggy,
I had one and I do a lot of cooking. A friend brought it back from
Japan as a gift for me. It was sharp but it did not slice things like
tomatoes as well as my steel knives. I must say I keep my knives razor
sharp and a bare 20-degree edge. I don't think the ceramic knives can
get that fine an angle without the risk of chipping.
I used it for about 5 weeks and finally went back to steel. I have a
knife made in Brazil and labeled "Surgical Stainless" It holds an edge
for many weeks and I regularly hack through chicken wings cutting up
raw wings for my cat. I use it like a cleaver and it is amazing.
I didn't look at the ebay one but if it is within your disposable
budget then get and try it. I was also given a ceramic blade potato
peeler and that rests untouched after a few weeks trial.
It does, especially since the usual reason for adding metal powder to
ceramics is to (1) allow lower-temperature sintering, and thus to lower
cost; or (2) to increase toughness. That's what cermet cutting inserts are
all about.
It wouldn't surprise me if they were using cermet technology in knives for
the same reason. It *would* surprise me if they were doing it for metal
detection.
--
Ed Huntress
I've only played with the first generation of Kyocera kitchen knives from
over 10 years ago. I'm pretty sure they were 100% alumina.
They are very sharp and just beg to be broken or chipped. The novelty
factor aside, it's not really clear to me what they offer over a good
carbon steel knife, which nobody seems to sell anymore.
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:06:51 -0800 (PST), the infamous
" snipped-for-privacy@coinet.com" scrawled the following:
No, I strongly doubt it. These are metallic ceramic called
"zirconia", aka "man-made diamond", which I believe hadn't been
invented back then.
formatting link
Tempered glass. Not the
same at all, Paul.
--
Latin: It's not just for geniuses any more.
What was the troble with the potato peeler/
By the way, has anyone ever heard of ceramic 3 blade safety razors? I
vaguely recall seeing something about them on a doco a while ago, but
nothing since. Maybe they never wear out. That would leave Gillette in deep
trouble.
Zirconia (zirconium dioxide) is not man-made diamond. It's just another
ceramic. Man-made diamond is...man-made diamond.
Zirconia is the material used to make Mitutoyo's Cerablock gage blocks.
I see you read those links about Latin. d8-)
--
Ed Huntress
Oh, wait, I remember where you got the diamond thing. You're talking about
cubic zirconia, which is a form that's clear crystal, used as artificial gem
diamonds.
It still isn't diamond, man-made or otherwise. But you probably know that.
The ceramic zirconia usually is white.
--
Ed Huntress
You got to be kidding! Made from Zirconia? You
ought to read the warning labels on electronic
gear with zirconia ceramic in them. They
basically tell you to get into a moon suit
whenever touching the component. (Maybe I'm
thinking of the wrong ceramic, or that hazard has
been reevaluated.) Anyway, I suspect if you drop
it, it will be in a million pieces. Not real good
to drop knives anyway. I also suspect the blades
would chip easily. So, don't put them in the
dishwasher.
Jon
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