Carbon Kitchen Knives

What would a kitchen be without knives? Nothing really. A yummy meal is close to impossible without this very important kitchen tool. Yes, it’s not the knife that determines the taste of the food, but ask any person who is passionate about cooking a good, sharp knife is a cook’s best friend. Most enthusiastic home cooks opt for a stainless-steel knife, but it turns out there’s a different option that the pros favour, and that’s carbon steel. Damascus carbon steel chef’s knife is a thing of beauty (and sharp as hell). Our two-day Damascus knife package is a fantastic opportunity to produce a knife of beauty.

Is Carbon Steel More High Maintenance?

In a word, yes. One of the reasons stainless steel is the material of choice for cutlery and knives is that it has chromium added to the mix, which makes it stain- and rust-resistant (but, as ZKnives notes, not entirely rustproof).

Carbon steel requires more care. Most chefs wipe down the blade with a damp cloth in between uses and always wash their carbon steel knives by hand with a mild soap (although, truthfully, you should do that with good knives no matter what they’re made of—all that rattling around in the dishwasher can dull their edges).

Carbon steel knives develop a patina over time, as they’re exposed to the elements and different kinds of food. (Some cooks really get into that aspect and even try to force a patina, similar to the way cooks obsess over seasoning their cast-iron skillets).

Plus, carbon steel knives need to be sharpened regularly, usually after you’ve completed using them to prep a meal. It’s a lot of maintenance, but many would argue that it’s a much superior tool.

During our one-day knife making course you can produce a carbon steel kitchen knife. Our team will support and guide you into designing and making your own knife from scratch.

Why the Pros opt for Carbon Steel

In a word, sharpness. Carbon steel blades are generally ground to a finer angle than most stainless steel knives and can take on a razor-like edge like nobody’s business. Many also argue that carbon steel is easier to sharpen than stainless steel, once you know how. And sharper knives are actually safer knives since you won’t have to saw and hack away at your food. This prevents the blade from slipping, which keeps your fingers intact.

While carbon steel knives can be pricey from the shelf, our knife making one or two day course offers you the chance to make a blade that you will cherish forever – along with a special story to be told. Find out more about our knife making course here

How to Sharpen Your Carbon Steel Knives

If you want a great and super-thorough tutorial on how to sharpen your knives, stainless or carbon, check out the videos on YouTube or contact our team who can offer support.