The science of a steel knife. A good well made knife will not only look cool it makes cooking more enjoyable. The making of a quality knife requires following specific parameters regarding the physical composition of the steel and how the steel is cooled from a semi-liquid state to solid steel. A good knife will have a sharp edge which maintains it’s sharpness over time. To accomplish this the steel will contain a higher amount of carbon or carbide which makes the steel “harder” (see Mohs scale of hardness) it also makes it more prone to oxidation (rust). This physical property which makes the steel hard also makes it more brittle which is directly related to the level of hardness, more hardness=more brittle. So a knife completely made out of this type of steel will cut excellent but would most likely not last long as it would crack apart due to the brittleness of the steel. To overcome this problem most of a knife will contain steel which is “softer” than “hardened” steel with the cutting edge comprised of hardened steel. The softer steel provides the structure or backbone of the knife. Another factor is how the steel is cooled from a semi-liquid state to solid steel and how the sharpness is applied to the edge.
All steel is not the same and the same is true for stainless steel. The element Chromium is used to make regular steel into stainless. There is an industry standard of using at least 12-13% Chromium for the steel to be classified as stainless with up to 26% Chromium to create high quality stainless. Chromium when compared to steels other main elements; iron, carbon and nickle is relatively expensive. A quality knife will have a high % of Chromium in it’s stainless steel.
The two process used to shape the knife are forging and stock removal. During the forging process the knife is pressed or hammered into its shape. During the stock removal process the knife is grind-ed or cut into its shape. Cheap knives typically use the stock removal process and will not hold a sharp edge compared to a forged knife. Forged Knives
The last factor to consider in a knife is the handle. A quality knife will have the steel extend completely thru the handle taking the shape of the handle. The best knives will be forged out of high quality stainless steel with a carbide edge with the steel going completely thru the handle.
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