Ceramic blades (Was Re: [Sca-cooks] Kitchen tools question (mandolin))

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Gorgeous Muiredach wrote:


> I've test driven some of these knives.  I personaly don't like them.  I
> know some folks that swear by them (Ming T'sai from FoodTV uses them).
>
> As an advantage, they are very light and it's good for some folks.  Me, I
> find the balance all off.


I wonder if, like the ulu, they are considered to be helpful in
preventing repetitive stress injuries on the wrist. On the other hand,
it is specifically recommended that they be used far away from bones,
which can chip them fairly easily.

  I like (and am used to) a good steel blade.
>
> They do tend to be more expensive.


I was looking at one on Per's mandolin website this morning, and I
thought, "Ooh, boy, $279 for a chef's knife! Drop somebody else's, then
stand back and watch the fun!"


> I do not feel they are as sharp as a good steel blade properly
> sharpened.  But then, I'm picky about my blades.

I suspect that, while they may have some useful applications, they aren't necessarily better than steel for all the purposes steel is good for (and perhaps, vice versa). It's like a guy I know who goes on and on about the surgical steel boatsman's kives he favors for cooking, the kind you might use to quickly sever a line in some kind of yacht-racing emergency, and his description of sharpening the knives on a coarse, then a fine, grinding wheel, then buffing them with a polishing wheel loaded with jeweler's rouge. "Yes," I say, "I'm terrifically impressed. Does any of this help you dice an onion any faster or better than me?"


Adamantius
--
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com

"It was so blatant that Roger threw at him.  Clemens gets away with
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let him get away with it, it's going  to continue." -- Joe Torre, 9/98