Why aren't knives made of titanium? Titanium knife (pros and cons). Titanium knives in the kitchen

The use of heavy-duty materials in the production of knives has become a popular trend recently. So today you can find blades made from the most unusual metals for manufacturing, including titanium. Folding structures made from this material can be an excellent gift idea for a real man who is interested in hunting, fishing, hiking, and outdoor recreation. This product has a number of unique characteristics and advantages that set it apart from others.

Advantages of titanium accessories for men

One of the most significant advantages of using titanium as a material for the production of blades in folding accessories is its non-magnetic properties and biological neutrality. Due to its paramagnetic properties, the product can be used to clear mines from explosive devices. For example, employees of the US NAVY SEALS special unit “Navy Seals” have such folding knives, which says a lot about the performance characteristics.

Biological neutrality does not allow the blade material to react with contact surfaces. Therefore, with a folding titanium knife, you can cut any food product without the risk of an unwanted chemical reaction. Manufacturers note the high anti-corrosion properties of the metal. This important factor affects the durability of the product, since during operation, knives often end up in an aggressive environment, which provokes the formation of plaque and rust.

Recently, the demand for a folding knife with titanium material has become very popular. A handle made of this material lightens the weight of the tool. This property is of great importance in the equipment of climbers and tourists. A folding knife made of titanium can be used in a set of special equipment. Titanium blades are distinguished by fairly high strength and reliability. Accessories from leading manufacturers have a long service life and will not let you down in difficult situations.

Profitable proposition

A knife with a titanium handle can be purchased on our website at a competitive price. The online store offers a wide range of models for various needs. The models differ in the design of the handles, the size of the blade, the folding mechanism and other parameters. We offer high quality products from world famous brands. You can purchase an inexpensive folding titanium knife from us with favorable home delivery. All folding products presented in the catalog on our website are certified and do not belong to edged weapons.

Titanium is not generally considered a precious metal. Strong, sharp and lightweight, it has a couple of disadvantages. However, everything changes when the conversation turns to household items.

In particular, about knives. Titanium is ideal for daily use. This comfortable, reliable material is durable, does not cause discomfort during use and looks good.

In addition, it is quite soft and a pleasure to work with. The downside is that it is not very suitable for knives, it wears out quickly and becomes dull.

Therefore, all knives made from titanium also have a steel blade. Thus, they perform their functions perfectly and look beautiful.

When choosing a knife, appearance is not the only thing you should pay attention to. We chose lightweight material to make the product itself lightweight.

Our goal is high-quality titanium material, resistant to damage and capable of working in extreme conditions. We made sure that all parts, including bolts, were tested and would last a long time.

After considering all the options, we removed the unnecessary, leaving the 5 best options for titanium knives for daily use.

Price: RUR 7,081
Pros: Carson folding knife
Minuses: At first the bolts loosen a little

Angel on wheels. This knife is worth taking seriously, because its open length is almost 23 cm.

Price: RUB 26,123
Pros: no problems even with long-term use
Minuses: difficult to open (but gets easier over time)

Die-hard. If you are looking for a titanium knife from Benchmade, then model 761 is your choice.

It has a few flaws, as it was designed to be unbreakable. Delicate pegs are located on the sides, positioned in such a way as to avoid accidental opening and not snagging on other items in the pocket.

The sandblasted titanium handle is shiny but not obtrusive. It surrounds an M390 steel blade, with a hardness range that doesn't go below 60. Great for emphasizing the relative flexibility of titanium in your hand.

Price: RUB 8,261
Pros: no blade play
Minuses: large handle

Unprocessed. Maxpedition, an unknown company among knife manufacturers, has released an excellent Excelsa model.

Cold rolled D2 steel was used to create a balanced blade with a perfectly flat ground for the most precise cutting.

There is a hidden lock on the knife, which disappears under the limiting mechanism and guarantees convenient opening and closing of the knife. The chance of cuts is minimal. 58-60 on the Rockwell hardness scale.

This hard, smooth blade comes at a very low price. Buy quickly before Maxpedition realizes what model they created and how much it actually costs.

Price: RUB 27,539
Pros: drop-point blade with thickening
Minuses: if you hit the butt of the blade, you can knock out the lock

Shades of grey. Sebenza appeared on the market in 1987 and immediately became very popular. Since then, the model has been improved as Chris Reeve Knives made several adjustments and adjustments.

Thus, this company's folding knife holds the market for pocket knives for daily use. Even now, many believe that this is the best option among its kind, and it does not matter whether you care about 6Al4V titanium or not.

The concave blade fits perfectly with the handle, is made of S35VN steel and cuts perfectly, even after a while.

Vershinina Olga

In modern realities, you can find knives made from both good old steel and newfangled plastic. The most unexpected materials are used, opening up more and more new horizons for knife makers. All this abundance and variety of raw materials is caused by man’s desire to find a universal solution for the production of knife products. Unfortunately, throughout its long history, humanity has never been able to invent a spherical horse in a vacuum. This means that any material has both its pros and cons.

Thus, corrosion-resistant steels with a carbon content within 0.65% are guilty of being too soft. In other words, they hold an edge poorly and have low wear resistance. A knife made of 420 steel often has to be adjusted and brought into proper shape. In contrast to “soft” steels (with a hardness of 52-56 HRC), samples with a carbon content reaching 1% and a hardness of 59-61 HRC benefit in terms of wear resistance, but are no longer as corrosion-resistant.

It would seem that problems with corrosion resistance can be solved by treating the blade with special materials, from spraying plastic to carbide coating on the working surface of the knife. However, the first option solves the problem of corrosion and the blade’s resistance to aggressive environments, but is short-lived - the plastic coating quickly scratches and has poor wear resistance. And the hard-alloy coating, in turn, even with minor damage requires major repairs, with replacement of the entire coating.

Ceramic knives are sharp, lightweight, chemically neutral and have delighted both housewives and chefs for many years. But despite all their undoubted advantages, ceramic tools are fragile, far from universal and require a special approach to sharpening.

Knives made from various types of plastics also cannot be considered the pinnacle of knife products. A high-quality plastic knife requires high-tech, costly, and even environmentally harmful production. Otherwise, the knife will be more of a stupid toy than a useful household item. The aesthetically attractive appearance and lightness of a knife cannot replace the strength and reliability that a good tool requires.

The search for new solutions in the field of knife production has led the bright minds of our time to the idea of using titanium alloys. Titanium has long been present in the knife industry, primarily used for the manufacture of small parts: pins, screws, handles, etc. The lightweight, durable and biologically neutral material has proven itself in such strategically important industries as aircraft and shipbuilding. But, despite all this, for a long time about manufacturing completely titanium knives there was no question.

Titanium alloys can be divided into three groups:

Alpha structure alloys;
Alloys with alpha+beta structure;
Alloys with beta structure.

Of all three types, only alloys with a beta structure are suitable for the production of knives. Such alloys contain 25% vanadium, 2% aluminum, 15% chromium, 0.15% oxygen and up to 0.3% carbon. This composition allows you to combine plasticity, strength, elasticity, high corrosion resistance, low weight and antibacterial properties. The hardness of the titanium beta alloy blade reaches 48 HRC. Therefore, such a knife will cut approximately the same as a knife made of 420 steel.

Let's take a closer look at all the pros and cons titanium knives. Let's start with the positive qualities.

Paramagneticity of titanium. In other words, titanium is a non-magnetic material. I don't know how this can help in everyday life, but all fans titanium knives they unanimously talk about how convenient and safe it is titanium knives defuse explosive devices equipped with a magnetic fuse. As a matter of fact, it is precisely in this area that the Mission Knives company has made its mark with its famous underwater knives - “MPK-Ti”. Since the above function titanium knives is very specific and narrowly focused, then the plus (for ordinary users) turns out to be dubious. But since it exists, it was worth mentioning.
Biological neutrality. Unlike the first property, biological neutrality titanium knives, is a useful property even for ordinary housewives. The blade does not enter into a chemical reaction upon contact with food, which means that the hygiene of the food preparation process remains at the proper level. In addition, it is the biological neutrality of titanium that has provided it with a reliable place in the production of medical equipment.
Corrosion resistance. Titanium knives are not at all afraid of rust. A titanium alloy knife can easily withstand the effects of sea air and water, which are destructive to most metals. The thin oxide film covering titanium reliably resists the effects of an alkaline environment.
Light weight. Titanium knives much lighter than most metal instruments. If we compare knives made of titanium and steel of similar dimensions, the second one will gain in weight by about 40%. Agree, this is a definite plus. A lighter knife will have a positive effect on both the weight of a tourist’s equipment and the fatigue of a professional chef’s hand.
Mechanical characteristics. This point is quite controversial. Everything is learned by comparison, which means that if you compare titanium knives with plastic and steel knives, the result will be ambiguous. Titanium loses to high-alloy steels, but is nevertheless a fairly durable material.
Aesthetic appeal. Anodizing titanium allows you to obtain fantastically beautiful and rich colors. Visual appeal titanium knives makes them increasingly in demand on the world market.

Behind all the above advantages, there are also disadvantages of titanium knives.

Low wear resistance. Well sharpened titanium knife will not be able to keep its sharpening in perfect condition for a long time. Compared to steel, titanium is much less hard and loses its edge faster.
Difficulty of machining titanium. Titanium, unlike other metals, is difficult to grind. Conventional metal grinding machines are absolutely not suitable for processing titanium alloys. They simply break, unable to cope with colossal loads. To produce titanium knives, special equipment is required.
High price of material. Titanium is an expensive metal, and the difficulty of processing it only increases the already exorbitant price.

In general, titanium is an ambiguous and sometimes unpredictable material. Usage titanium knives for domestic purposes is controversial. However, if the idea of working with a titanium knife seems attractive to you, then go for it.

Titanium alloys can be divided into three groups:

Alpha structure alloys;
Alloys with alpha+beta structure;
Alloys with beta structure.

Let's take a closer look at all the pros and cons titanium knives. Let's start with the positive qualities.

Paramagneticity of titanium. In other words, titanium is a non-magnetic material. I don't know how this can help in everyday life, but all fans titanium knives they unanimously talk about how convenient and safe it is titanium knives defuse explosive devices equipped with a magnetic fuse. As a matter of fact, it is precisely in this area that the Mission Knives company has made its mark with its famous underwater knives - “MPK-Ti”. Since the above function titanium knives is very specific and narrowly focused, then the plus (for ordinary users) turns out to be dubious. But since it exists, it was worth mentioning.
Biological neutrality. Unlike the first property, biological neutrality titanium knives, is a useful property even for ordinary housewives. The blade does not enter into a chemical reaction upon contact with food, which means that the hygiene of the food preparation process remains at the proper level. In addition, it is the biological neutrality of titanium that has provided it with a reliable place in the production of medical equipment.
Corrosion resistance. Titanium knives are not at all afraid of rust. A titanium alloy knife can easily withstand the effects of sea air and water, which are destructive to most metals. The thin oxide film covering titanium reliably resists the effects of an alkaline environment.
Light weight. Titanium knives much lighter than most metal instruments. If we compare knives made of titanium and steel of similar dimensions, the second one will gain in weight by about 40%. Agree, this is a definite plus. A lighter knife will have a positive effect on both the weight of a tourist’s equipment and the fatigue of a professional chef’s hand.
Mechanical characteristics. This point is quite controversial. Everything is learned by comparison, which means that if you compare titanium knives with plastic and steel knives, the result will be ambiguous. Titanium loses to high-alloy steels, but is nevertheless a fairly durable material.
Aesthetic appeal. Anodizing titanium allows you to obtain fantastically beautiful and rich colors. Visual appeal titanium knives makes them increasingly in demand on the world market.

Behind all the above advantages, there are also disadvantages of titanium knives.

Low wear resistance. Well sharpened titanium knife will not be able to keep its sharpening in perfect condition for a long time. Compared to steel, titanium is much less hard and loses its edge faster.
Difficulty of machining titanium. Titanium, unlike other metals, is difficult to grind. Conventional metal grinding machines are absolutely not suitable for processing titanium alloys. They simply break, unable to cope with colossal loads. To produce titanium knives, special equipment is required.
High price of material. Titanium is an expensive metal, and the difficulty of processing it only increases the already exorbitant price.

Titanium knives are a unique combination of characteristics. They remain sharp for a long time and do not rust, are flexible, light weight and have antibacterial properties. This type of knife is made from an alloy of titanium, silver and zirconium oxide powders. The shape is given to the blade under high pressure. The strength of the blades is achieved by high-temperature firing of powder materials.

Previous attempts to create a kitchen knife based on titanium ended in failure. A technology was created in Japan that made it possible to achieve success and create a real titanium knife. All other knives, called "titanium" knives, are simply coated with a thin surface coating of titanium, while Japanese titanium knives are composed entirely of titanium powder.

The main problem in the production of titanium knives was creating a blade that was hard enough to be sharpened. The Japanese overcame this problem by interspersing particles of zirconium oxide into the alloy, the second hardest material after diamond. Zirconium oxide imparts hardness to the cutting edge and provides wear resistance. Independent studies have shown that titanium knives maintain an edge as long as brand-name knives made from traditional stainless steel. Titanium knives refute the main tenet of stainless steel knife manufacturers: the harder the blade, the longer its sharpness will remain. Knives made of titanium, having a lower Rockwell hardness, nevertheless remain sharp for a long time.

Like any kitchen utensil that comes into contact with food, a knife must be made from materials that are safe for health. Titanium is an absolutely safe metal. It is hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Titanium is used in the production of dentures, artificial joints, eyeglass frames, surgical instruments and jewelry. All these objects are constantly in contact with the human body and do not cause harm to it. Since titanium knives do not emit metal ions, food prepared with these knives does not have an unpleasant metallic taste.

Nowadays, “lightness” is an attractive characteristic of any product for the consumer. Using a lightweight titanium knife in the kitchen, you will be less tired even during long-term work. Despite its lightness, a titanium knife is insensitive to force loads. It is more resistant to stress than a stainless steel knife. Lightness and resistance to stress are the properties of titanium due to which it is used for the manufacture of the most critical components in the aerospace industry.

Titanium is a metal that is not subject to corrosion. The titanium knife will not rust even in sea water. This beneficial property of titanium makes titanium knives ideal for use in the kitchen. Titanium knives do not have to be washed and dried immediately after use to avoid corrosion.

Titanium is paramagnetic, that is, it is a completely non-magnetic material. This fact allows the use of a titanium knife, for example, for demining devices that use a magnetic fuse. One of the most famous manufacturers of titanium knives, Mission Knives, produces a knife "MPK-Ti", which is designed in accordance with the requirements of the US Navy SEALs special forces (US NAVY SEALS)

It is the non-magnetic properties, as well as the biological neutrality of titanium, that explain the use of this material for the manufacture of various medical products (implants, instruments). This property is very important for knives, since the blade material should not enter into a chemical reaction when cutting food products.

2 products with this characteristic were found in the catalog.