- Steel. In this case, we mean
steel blades made by stamping. It is believed that this method itself does not provide as high quality as forging; in addition, the blade and tang in this case can be made separately and then welded together, which further reduces the durability of the knife and increases the risk of breaking it under great force. However, stamped blades are easy to produce, inexpensive, and usually sufficiently durable for most tasks, both everyday and professional. This ensured their high popularity.
— Steel (
non-stick coating). Steel blades with a special polymer coating applied to them. It not only prevents the sticking of products, but also protects the blade from corrosion, makes it easy to clean, and also gives the tool an original and bright appearance - because the coating can be given any color. The tendency to abrasion reduces many of the advantages of such a blade to nothing.
—
Forged steel. Blades made of steel by forging. Such knives are considered much stronger and more durable than stamped ones, in particular because the shank and blade are initially one piece, which reduces the risk of breaking the knife. On the other hand, the process itself is quite expensive and troublesome, and therefore is used mainly in premium knives.
—
Damascus steel. In modern knives, Damascus steel
...refers to steel consisting of many layers with different carbon contents. Such layers vary in color, which gives the blade a characteristic beautiful pattern, while Damascus blades combine high strength, flexibility and durability. However, the complexity of production significantly affects the price - such knives can cost many times more than even similar forged ones.
— Three-layer steel. The name “laminated” is also found. As the name suggests, such blades consist of three layers of steel (this is one of the main differences from the multi-layer Damascus described above). These layers differ in composition and, accordingly, properties: the core is made of hard high-carbon steel, and the lining is made of soft “stainless steel”. This combination allows you to combine the advantages of both types: the core provides the blade with the necessary hardness, and the linings compensate for the fragility of high-carbon steel. Another advantage of three-ply blades is the ease of sharpening, since relatively little hard material has to be removed during the process. Their disadvantage is, first of all, their high price. In addition, the fragile core does not bear shock loads well, which is why such knives are unsuitable for chopping.
- Ceramics. Ceramic, usually zirconium based, is considered a very advanced material. It allows you to create very sharp blades that do not dull for a long time, do not oxidize, are easy to clean, are not susceptible to scratches, and also weigh much less than steel. On the other hand, ceramic blades are very fragile and have absolutely no flexibility, making them prone to chipping and very sensitive to shocks and falls. In addition, due to the high hardness of the material, such blades cannot be sharpened using traditional methods, and special ones are quite expensive - despite the fact that the cost of the knives themselves is also very high.
— Titan. Titanium-based alloys are premium materials. They are characterized by a solid appearance; titanium blades are also distinguished by their low weight combined with high strength properties. The blades of titanium knives do not enter into chemical reactions when in contact with food, which means they ensure proper hygiene in the food preparation process. Anodizing titanium allows you to get fantastically beautiful and rich colors of the blade. The main disadvantage, traditionally for such materials, is the high cost.
