Are
Ceramic
blades Fragile?
Not fragile as
much as very different from steel – note that even steel when
taken to extreme hardness levels will snap or break if you attempt to
bend it. You see this more often with very hard drill bits that tend
to break at tips when any side force is exerted. You can, most times
drop a ceramic knife and as long as it does not fall right on the
pointy end no damage is likely.
You cannot use a
ceramic blade as a pry bar !, cutting into hard wood really does not
cause a problem EXCEPT when you exert force on an angle (trying to
bend that edge right - ! This might snap the blade but more likely
will cause some small chips on the edge. Same thing with cutting
through chicken bones – cut straight & you will likely
succeed but that is not easy to do with these small blades.
Salt Water?
The ceramic
blades really do not react with much in the way of chemicals, not
reactive to vinegar or other food acids! BUT with the 400 series
stainless steel handles you really do have to flush off salt water as
even stainless steel is not totally corrosion resistant. And of
course, salt or sand particles will tend to jam up the pivot. Close
the knife & throw in dishwasher if it gets truly dirty.
Care and Feeding
The ceramic
blades are very, very abrasion resistant which means they will retain
their sharpness at least 10 times longer than steel blades and
depending upon what you are cutting up to 40 times as long. BUT
eventually you will have to touch up the edge. Read my Sharpening
page for some suggestions.
The stainless
steel bodies on these knives use a number of small “stainless
steel” screws and nuts. Bouncing around in your pocket
everyday can cause these to work a bit loose, especially the pivot
pin. You can even hand tighten this using fingernails if it works
lose. The Lanyard ring has also reported to come loose from time to
time so check it every month or so.
Custom Designs
I get asked
quite frequently if I can supply blades or custom designs. The
blades have to have a special mould made and a minimum production run
of around 2,000. Yes it is possible but just not economic. I
already have quite a large inventory and will not be introducing any
new models until the current inventory gets lower. Suggestions or
recommendations are, however, very welcome. This is a small part
time occupation for me so advice is useful.
Wholesale
or Re-Sellers
Sure, I am
open to offering special pricing on larger orders. Aside from a few
specialty retailers I have provided larger orders to military and
police organizations and oddly to wedding parties as gifts to the
men. You can always contact me by e-mail with your requirements.
However, keep in mind that I have priced my knives for internet sales
and cannot offer huge discounts.
Shipping charges
Yes there is a flat
charge of $5.00 per order regardless of number of items ordered.
Shipping and handling for one
knife actually costs me more than this. But my shopping cart is
easier
to operate with a flat cost. IF you want a large quantity of
knives I can quote a special price BUT in that case courier charges
will likely occur and they can get pretty high!!! My normal
shipping
process is to send by First Class Airmail- light packet!
