May 10 2023

Stainless or carbon steel?

Jouni General carbon steel, kitchen knife, stainless steel

Stainless or carbon steel? Learn the main differences between the two most common types of steel

Steel is used in a wide range of applications, from automotive to construction, from spacecraft to kitchen knives, and in a variety of tools. There are many types of steel, but the most common are carbon steel and stainless steel. In this text, we discuss the differences between them and why they are such popular materials for knives and knife blades.

Carbon steel

Carbon steel is a steel alloy rich in carbon. Carbon steel contains more carbon than other metals. Hence the name. What makes carbon steel popular is that it is easy to work, easy to sharpen and relatively inexpensive. The typical carbon content of carbon steel is between 0,05 % and 2,11 % of carbon in the composition of the steel. In the case of carbon steel used in the manufacture of knives and knife blades, the carbon content is usually between 0,6 and 1,4 %.

What makes the material so popular is its hardness and easy machinability. When it comes to knives and blades, carbon steel is always tempered, giving the steel hardness and toughness. These help to maintain sharpness, which is a very important property, especially for cutting surfaces.

The weakness of carbon steel is its resistance to corrosion. Carbon steel has no chromium to protect the blade from corrosion, which is why carbon steel knives and tools should always be thoroughly cleaned and dried after use. We told you more about blade care in another article.

Stainless steel or stainless steel

Is another very popular steel material. Unlike carbon steel, it is very corrosion resistant and this is the main differentiating factor. The word " stainless" is misleading in a certain sense, because stainless steel does rust at the bottom of the sea. It just lasts much longer than steel grades that do not have the same corrosion protection.

Against rusting, or corrosion, stainless steel contains a large amount of chromium, which reacts with oxygen to form a protective film on the surface of the blade. This film prevents moisture from adhering to the surface of the steel, so that rusting cannot occur as it does with carbon steel, which starts to bloom relatively quickly unless you remember to dry it carefully.

However, stainless steel is more valuable than carbon steel, as it is slightly more complex to manufacture. It does, however, have the advantage of being, as already mentioned, corrosion resistant but also hygienic, being perhaps a little easier to clean than carbon steel. The stainless steel blade can in principle be washed with harsh substances and in the dishwasher, although we cannot recommend this for any knife. More on that in another article.

Summary

Both steel grades have their own strengths and weaknesses, so they are selected for products based on their intended use. Quality wood has carbon steel blades in items such as carving knives and kitchen knives, while spongeand crab knife blades are made of stainless steel. With a mushroom knife, stainless steel is the superior material, as its surface itself repels dirt and is not mossy even if it is left dirty in the scabbard after an outing. However, it is always a good idea to clean your tools after use.

The text was written by Jouni, the other owner of Laatupuukko, who plays the nominal role of CEO.

You could write a novel on the subject, so if you're more interested in the topic, head to the metallurgy section of the library. However, here was a brief look at the subject.

March 24 2023

How to take care of your kitchen knife

Jouni Instructions carbon steel, maintenance, kitchen knife

How to take care of your kitchen knives Read our tips in this blog post

A dull knife is a chef's nightmare. A blade that doesn't cut is also a safety hazard, as the knife is more likely to slip off the piece being cut. It is therefore important to take proper care of the blade. Here are some tips for knife care, gathered from our experience.

Rinse and dry

The first step with any knife is careful cleaning and drying after use. This applies to ceramic and stainless knives, but especially with carbon steel you will notice if you do not dry the knife after use. Rinsing cleans the blade, especially from the acids that are released from vegetables, which slowly corrode the surface of the blade. Drying ensures that the blade does not start to rust. If you leave the knife unused for a long time, for example in a summer cottage for the winter, you can brush the blade with cooking oil, which protects the blade by acting as a kind of storage grease.

Remember to wash the blade with dishwashing detergent if you have handled raw meat, fish or if the blade has the previous summer's storage oils on the surface.

Did I have to remind you that knives should not be washed in the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer says they can handle it. Dishwasher detergent contains zeolite, which unnecessarily abrades the blade of the knife and thus dulls it. Detergent residue is also easily trapped in small irregularities on the knife blade surface, where it is transferred to the food to be cut. In principle, a knife could be machine washed using a purely steam cleaning method.

Sharpen if necessary

There are many ways and you can get as fancy with sharpening as you see fit. Personally, I am a fairly lazy sharpener and use a diamond file or a grinding stone from my own shop. You can't quite get the best possible result with this unless you have a really steady hand, but it's worked fine for me at least. You have to sharpen a little more often, of course.

In addition to the cutting process, the blade can be straightened if necessary, using a diamond or ceramic needle. The operation is similar to sharpening, but is carried out as a maintenance operation, simply straightening the blade. My sharpening style is something between sharpening and straightening. Straightening is necessary when the knife blade is still in good condition but the cutting characteristics have deteriorated. In this case, the tip of the knife blade is bent and straightening the bend with a knife is sufficient. Many people use knives frequently and sharpen less often. This also extends the life of the blade, as sharpening always eats away material from the blade.

There are many different ways and tools for tanning, so I recommend experimenting and testing different options and choosing the one that suits you best.

Store correctly

Knives should always be kept in their sheaths and in the kitchen knives should be kept in a log or magnet. This minimises the chance of the blade hitting other objects unnecessarily and keeps the blade in better condition for longer. Any blow to the blade is likely to weaken the sharpness and really hard blows can break the blade into pieces. Ceramic knives in particular are delicate, as their hardness makes them very brittle and they will break on impact.

Remember the handle

It is important to consider cleaning and maintenance of the handle when necessary. Wooden handled knives are often treated with vernissa or a similar food-grade oil, such as chinese oil. The oil protects the wood from moisture and cracking. However, this coating wears off over time and should be renewed to keep the handle beautiful and resistant to moisture. Wood handles should not be unnecessarily wet and are best kept clean when the hand that handles them is clean.

Knives with plastic and silicone handles are more resistant to washing and are the choice of the chef with messy hands. Even the wooden handle can be cleaned with a damp cloth after use. For hygiene reasons, however, it is important not to handle raw meat or fish with the same hand as a wooden-handled knife.

I use the Small Chef's knife almost every day and every couple of years I have sanded the handle a little and put on a new vernissage. At least Wanha Wiljami sells food-grade vernissage. Not a paid advertisement.

Retrieved from

1. Rinse and dry after use
2. Sharpen as needed
3. Store properly
4. Maintain the handle
5. Do not wash in dishwasher

The text was written by Jouni, the other owner of Laatupuukko, who plays the nominal role of CEO.

I wanted to go into a little more detail about the "secrets" of knife maintenance and daily upkeep, so that you, the customer, can keep your tools in good working order for a long time.