What makes a good knife?
Industrial steels are very well developed nowadays, which is why there are many different types of steel existing by now. Powder metallurgical steels are steels, that are specially designed for a certain field of use. They are therefore the current measure of things when it comes to knife steel and offer many useful properties for a knife. Nevertheless, such a thing as a perfect steel does not exist! Each steel has its advantages and disadvantages. This also means that each steel has its own area of application, which I will describe in more detail below.
Essentially, there are two things that make a really good knife. Number one is the blade geometry, I prefer to make blades as thin as possible because this guarantees effortless slicing. The thinner the blade, the less resistance, logically, right?
The second thing needed is a good steel. A high hardness of the steel itself does not already make a good knife in everyday use. On the contrary, a good knife needs a high level of toughness as well, so that the blade is more wear-resistant and does not break. Only a few steels can offer both together in a balanced ratio. In addition, to get a really sharp knife, the steel needs to have a high carbon content! The more carbon the steel contains, the finer the carbides are formed, and the more sharpness potential the blade of your knife will ultimately be able to develop. Unfortunately, however, high-carbon steels tend to rust more easily, so they need to be taken care of accordingly. But don´t worry, there are just a few principles to keep in mind. An information sheet on this is included with every knife upon delivery. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.
What makes a good knife?
Industrial steels are very well developed nowadays, which is why there are many different types of steel existing by now. Powder metallurgical steels are steels, that are specially designed for a certain field of use. They are therefore the current measure of things when it comes to knife steel and offer many useful properties for a knife. Nevertheless, such a thing as a perfect steel does not exist! Each steel has its advantages and disadvantages. This also means that each steel has its own area of application, which I will describe in more detail below.
Essentially, there are two things that make a really good knife. Number one is the blade geometry, I prefer to make blades as thin as possible because this guarantees effortless slicing. The thinner the blade, the less resistance, logically, right?
The second thing needed is a good steel. A high hardness of the steel itself does not already make a good knife in everyday use. On the contrary, a good knife needs a high level of toughness as well, so that the blade is more wear-resistant and does not break. Only a few steels can offer both together in a balanced ratio. In addition, to get a really sharp knife, the steel needs to have a high carbon content! The more carbon the steel contains, the finer the carbides are formed, and the more sharpness potential the blade of your knife will ultimately be able to develop. Unfortunately, however, high-carbon steels tend to rust more easily, so they need to be taken care of accordingly. But don´t worry, there are just a few principles to keep in mind. An information sheet on this is included with every knife upon delivery. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.
On the other hand, of course, there are stainless steels. Steels such as Damasteel, AEB-L, SB1 (+), Maxamet, ZDP and many others are particularly recommended here. The advantage of these steels is obvious, they are easier to be taken care of and – just like carbon steels – achieve a high final hardness of up to 67 HRC in some cases! Nevertheless, stainless steels are inferior in performance to high-performance tool steels (carbon steel). This is partly due to the fact that they do not retain their sharpness as long, form less fine carbides and are less tough. Chromium is added to the steel to make it rust-free (to be more precise, it should actually mean less susceptibility to rust, since even “stainless” blades will rust if they last long enough), which is responsible for the coarser steel structure. Namely, the chromium carbides are comparatively relatively larger and are therefore responsible for the coarser grain structure of stainless steels. That´s why I usually prefer carbon steels, which, in addition to the better performance, also has to do with the fact that these steels will “further develop” with use and tell an ongoing story of your very own cooking. A patina develops on the blade of a carbon steel chef’s knife over time. This has many wonderful properties. It protects the blade from corrosion/ rust, for example, but that’s not all, it also shows you what you’ve already experienced with your chef’s knife. Any contact with acidic cuttings leaves its mark on the knife. You could say that it is also a sign of good steel quality. Because the more carbon a knife contains, the finer the carbides and the finer the cutting edge. If you take good care of the knife, it even develops a beautiful bluish shimmering patina. Ultimately, the patina is nothing more than controlled rust formation. This can sometimes lead to the formation of odors, but don´t worry, this process is completely harmless to health. As has already been explained, the patina offers many advantages and ultimately makes up the special charm of a non-stainless knife!
If you´re not happy with the patina anymore, I am happy to restore the surface of your chef’s knife.
Let’s now turn to the individual types of steel. Enclosed you will find some of my favorite types of steel with their different properties:
On request I can also process any other available type of steel!
Blade Finish
As far as the shape of the blade is concerned, you either already have a concrete idea in mind or, ideally, you even already have a rough sketch at hand. Each shape has its advantages and its specific area of application. If you still need help developing the blade shape, we will work out together which area of application you are aiming for and, based on this, develop your own design, sketch by sketch. I would be happy to do that for you and accept adjustments according to your wishes. No knife is forged before you are 100% happy with the shape of your blade!
As far as the shape of the blade is concerned, you either already have a concrete idea in mind or, ideally, you even already have a rough sketch at hand. Each shape has its advantages and its specific area of application. If you still need help developing the blade shape, we will work out together which area of application you are aiming for and, based on this, develop your own design, sketch by sketch. I would be happy to do that for you and accept adjustments according to your wishes. No knife is forged before you are 100% happy with the shape of your blade!
Design handle materials I usually work with:
Fatcarbon, timascus, damascus steel, all types of wood, stabilized or natural, G10, micarta, juma, titanium, stainless steel, bronze, copper, buffalo horn, aluminum (also available anodized in any color), mammoth molar, opal, walnut burl, ash burl, bogoak, natural oak, juma, etc…
The question of the material is one of personal taste, although of course it must also be taken into account that some materials are more suitable than others for certain areas of application, so it´s always worth to discuss those things with the Maker.
I also offer custom sayas upon request!
A blue-heat-colored back of the blade is also possible.
The blades are ground in a V-shape to a minimum of convex, but can also be ground hollow or similar to prevent the material being cut from sticking. I am always open to special requests regarding the blade geometry. If you’re interested in more metallurgy, go check out: https://knifestelnerds.com
As far as the shape of the blade is concerned, you either already have a concrete idea in mind or, ideally, you even already have a rough sketch at hand. Each shape has its advantages and its specific area of application. If you still need help developing the blade shape, we will work out together which area of application you are aiming for and, based on this, develop your own design, sketch by sketch. I would be happy to do that for you and accept adjustments according to your wishes. No knife is forged before you are 100% happy with the shape of your blade!
Design handle materials I usually work with:
Fatcarbon, timascus, damascus steel, all types of wood, stabilized or natural, G10, micarta, juma, titanium, stainless steel, bronze, copper, buffalo horn, aluminum (also available anodized in any color), mammoth molar, opal, walnut burl, ash burl, bogoak, natural oak, juma, etc…
The question of the material is one of personal taste, although of course it must also be taken into account that some materials are more suitable than others for certain areas of application, so it´s always worth to discuss those things with the Maker.
I also offer custom sayas upon request!
A blue-heat-colored back of the blade is also possible.
The blades are ground in a V-shape to a minimum of convex, but can also be ground hollow or similar to prevent the material being cut from sticking. I am always open to special requests regarding the blade geometry. If you’re interested in more metallurgy, go check out: https://knifestelnerds.com