Why are carbon knives almost always cheaper than stain-resistant knives?

[Korin_Mari]

Carbon knives are well known amongst professional for their incredibly sharp blades and easy to sharpen material. Yet, regardless of carbon knives’ superiority, chefs often wonder why stain-resistant knives are always more expensive than carbon knives.

Carbon knives are cheaper than stain-resistant knives, because they are inherently much more expensive to manufacture. Carbon knives are always 100% carbon regardless of what grade or quality it is. However, to make stain-resistant knives several different alloys must be added to create the steel and a blade that strives to match carbon knives. Stain-resistant knives must also be forged at a significantly higher temperature than carbon steel knives. While carbon knives are forged at 800 to 900 degrees, stain-resistant knives are forged at around 1,400 degrees. Generally, manufacturers cannot do this procedure and must send them elsewhere for the initial forging.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5456/7211349602_948b211fee.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68766473@N04/7211349602/)

[oivind_dahle]

Carbon (except 52100) are more easy to work with and you can do the whole process in-house. Thats why custom makers prefers to use carbon and not stainless. Grinding Blue or White is much more easy than AEB-L or other stainless steels. Carbon steel is also more cheap than stainless (my conclusion after reading about them).

[Korin_Mari]

Do you craft custom knives? Thats awesome! But yes, exactly. :D
Thanks for reading :)

[Shinob1]

In Japan, do most chefs use Carbon?

[Korin_Mari]

It really varies. More people in Japan definitely use carbon knives, regardless of being a chef or not. A lot house wives or home cooks just prefer traditional Japanese knives or carbon knives. In terms of chefs, I think it depends more on what type of cuisine they're making, just like in the US. But there are definitely more carbon knife users in a Japanese kitchen.

(Sorry it took me a little while to reply. I was trying to get my facts straight lol)