Black steel vs carbon steel5/19/2023 ![]() Make sure you know how to sharpen your knife properly though, it will require some practice!Ĭarbon steel has, as the name implies, a high carbon content. I would recommend stainless steel if you want your knife to last as long as possible, and don’t want to worry about keeping it constantly clean and pristine when out on the trail. While a carbon blade will outperform a stainless one in terms of sharpness, it will also have to be cleaned extremely well from any blood or water that accumulated on the blade, which won’t be an easy task in remote or rural areas. Other activities that are best done with a stainless knife are hunting and fishing. If you live in a humid or snow-prone country, then it’s without a doubt the best choice, as it will resist the environment and remain effective without too much maintenance. ![]() Stainless steel also takes much longer to re-sharpen, making more difficult to maintain a good edge when out in the wild without a professional sharpening system. Most will hold an amazing edge and can be razor sharp, but when it comes to the ultimate slicers, carbon steel wins. The main cons of stainless steel lie in its edge and sharpness. This type of steel is also less hard and more flexible than carbon, which allows it to absorb impacts more effectively without breaking or chipping. This weather resistance means that a stainless knife can be used essentially in any environment, from snow to jungles and even underwater!Īs far as sharpness and edge retention are concerned, stainless steel can hold a razor sharp edge for a long time. The main reason stainless steel is so popular, is because its composition makes it very resistant to water and humidity. We have a number of demo pieces and can help you find the perfect piece for how you cook and also help you with seasoning and caring for your pan.Stainless steel is an alloy containing a high percentage of the element chromium, which gives its main characteristic, corrosion resistance! If you’re considering a carbon steel, head in and talk to the Milly’s team. Humid Auckland air can result in a bit of surface rust but this is simply remedied by a good scrub down of the surfaces and reseasoning. Nothing will happen to the pan (apart from your carefully cultivated seasoning disappearing) but these foods can react with the steel and develop metallic flavours which are never pleasant.Īlso, if you are going to be storing your carbon steel for lengthy periods unused it is wise to oil it well and wrap in a tea towel or similar in as dry a place as possible. Carbon steel doesn’t respond well to highly acidic ingredients so consider carefully sauces with a heap of red wine or vinegar or tins of tomatoes. Lighter than cast iron (granted, not a lot for a quality pan) these are a good choice for anyone wanting the qualities of cast iron but who is struggling to lift a cast iron skillet these days.Īdmittedly, there are a couple of cautions we should mention. These pans are exceptionally robust and should be up for years and years of use – like most Milly’s cookware, a piece to hand down to the next generation. Carbon steel pans respond well to lengthy pre-heating (unlike a true non-stick pan) and you should feel free to dig away at the surface with metal implements and the like to your heart’s content – you cannot damage the surface. Carbon steel (and it’s cousin cast iron) are very similar in that they need to be ‘seasoned’ (the process of repeatedly oiling, heating and cooling them) before use but these few steps will reward their owner with a pan surface that will become pretty close to non-stick. All carbon steel pans will darken with use – this is both normal and desirable as it shows you are building your ‘seasoned’ surface. Essentially the difference is a final treatment to the blue and black which comes from an additional heat treatment in manufacture and which protects the surface before seasoning. You will find carbon steel pans in “blue”, “black” and “carbon steel”. They are super versatile, come in a wide ranges of sizes and they go straight from hob to oven without a care. They heat hot and fast and they retain that heat well which makes for fabulous searing and browning of steaks, crispy chicken skin and gorgeous caramelisation. There is a reason that carbon steel pans have long been favoured by professional chefs.
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