Traditional knives on ceramic plates?

M

Mort Canard

Joined
Dec 5, 2009
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197
I am curious about a number of pictures on the traditional forum showing fine knives being for cutting up food on ceramic plates or china. I have always tried to keep fine edges away from plates and glass cutting boards because the ceramic or glass is harder than the edge of the knife and the edge of the blade on ceramic will dull the knife. What are your thoughts on whether this is a good idea? Do you figure that you will just touch up the edge afterward, or that you can keep from banging the edge against the plate?

Thanks four your thoughts in advance!
 
I personally avoid it whenever possible. Although honestly, with the relatively soft steels on most traditional knives it's not a big deal to take care of any rolled or flattened bits of edge that result.
 
I always use a cutting board myself and I rarely use a pocketknife, unless there's noting else around. A habit I acquired when working in a kitchen as a teenager.

I kind of shudder when I think of cutting something on a glass or ceramic plate. :D
 
That's the reason for the serrations on the steak knives. It keeps the cutting edge above the plate and in the soft tissue and the peaks of the serrations keep the least amount of cutting edge contacting the dulling surface of the plate.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
That's the reason for the serrations on the steak knives. It keeps the cutting edge above the plate and in the soft tissue and the peaks of the serrations keep the least amount of cutting edge contacting the dulling surface of the plate.
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Good point, Ted. I wasn't thinking of steak knives. I'll freely admit to using steak knives on ceramic and glass plates, without shuddering.:D
 
Ted,
About the only place i really like serrated edges is on steak knives and knives for table use for the very reasons you indicated.

My cutting boards are all some plastic or wood and I am perfectly comfortable using fine edges on those.
 
I avoid the use of my traditional blades on ceramic. Yes, I can just resharpen the blade but I rather not have to sharpen my knife that often.
 
I guess I agree with everyone that you shouldn't cut on ceramic or glass except with a serrated knife designed for it.
 
I despise serrated steak knives (sawn-through food is ugly food) so as a rule, I use my own fixed blades and folders at restaurants (beautiful, clean slices!).

The key is to avoid touching the plate with the edge of the knife. It's not that hard to do with a little creativity.

.
 
LimuHead said:
I despise serrated steak knives (sawn-through food is ugly food) so as a rule, I use my own fixed blades and folders at restaurants (beautiful, clean slices!).

The key is to avoid touching the plate with the edge of the knife. It's not that hard to do with a little creativity.

.
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Well said! Careful cutting so you don't bash the edge will make short work of your cutting job while keeping the edge from dulling on the plate.
 
I will not hesitate to use my maroon micarta sodbuster on my dinner, regardless of the plate it is served upon.
It is one of my "food safer" knives. I don't use it in the yard yet, and I don't use it at work. It is for all intents and purposes a spare until my orange delrin needs swapping out. Due to that, I use it around the house, on fruit, foods, things like that.
I will often choose a piece of meat or something more solid than mashed potatoes to use as an impromptu "cutting board" and proceed with my meal until I have a few cuts left. Then I take a second, make my remaining cuts, then proceed with my meal.
 
LimuHead said:
I despise serrated steak knives (sawn-through food is ugly food) so as a rule, I use my own fixed blades and folders at restaurants (beautiful, clean slices!).

The key is to avoid touching the plate with the edge of the knife. It's not that hard to do with a little creativity.

.
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I agree too. Serrated don't cut, it tears off, even if you don't see . It also depends of the kind of steel used on the knife. Softer steel will not loose edge at a level you can't easily restore it.
Also, when you cut in a plate, you don't use the entire blade, unlike when cutting a branch for example.
 
I just use whatever knife I'm carrying on whatever plate I'm using. I've never worried about it. Just use your knife however you want, on a plate, avoiding plates, clean it, don't clean it.
 
trey999 said:
I just use whatever knife I'm carrying on whatever plate I'm using. I've never worried about it. Just use your knife however you want, on a plate, avoiding plates, clean it, don't clean it.
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In like, but opposite manner, I don't use my pocket knives for food, so worrying about cutting on a ceramic plate just isn't an issue for me.
 
Let's cut to the chase here, if you cook your steak/meat right... dare i say it... you won't need a knife...:);)
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Let's cut to the chase here, if you cook your steak/meat right... dare i say it... you won't need a knife...:);)
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At home?

Yes!

Eating out?

A different story.

I prefer my steaks with salt and pepper, cooked rare (my standard quip: "Just burn off the germs.") and have sent many over-cooked steaks back (Medium? Well? Aaaah 😲) only to be re-served another over-cooked steak. Sometimes I just have go with it because I'm so hungry!
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Let's cut to the chase here, if you cook your steak/meat right... dare i say it... you won't need a knife...:);)
Click to expand...

If you don't need a knife for your steak, your not eating a steak (filet mignon).

Give me a skirt, flap, or flank over filet any day of the week... Those require cutting that oppose the grain of the musculature to, in essence, shorten the fibers and make it more tender on the plate as opposed to how you cook it.

A burnt piece or raw piece will both be more tender cut across the grain than one cut along it.

I am not far from a caveman, but what separates the great apes from myself is that I know the benefits from cooking meat vs. eating it raw, and I know how to use a knife.

Know your meat and keep your knife sharp.
 
You are right, glass or ceramic plates will dull your knife. Don't do it unless you want to sharpen it.

Just because AGRussell sells "gentleman's" steak knives to be used in restaurants does not meant it's a practice that should be followed. It's kind of rude to wipe off your steak knife on the ???? to return to your pocket. Not the way I was taught to behave in public by either my parents or school. Do you bring your own fork and spoon too?
 
I use mine when the supplied cutlery is not up to my standards. I have no qualms about wiping it off an putting it back in my pocket, but I've never been on for formalities. I usually take whatever meat I'm cutting and slice it in half carefully avoiding the plate, then I cut up one half sitting on top of the other half. Continue in this fashion until the halves are small enough to call bites. Keeps the knife off the plate.
 
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