There are hundreds of videos that supposedly show the sharpest knife in the world but there are always different knives in these videos and hardly anyone seems to have proof for the sharpness of his blade but it would be extremely interesting to know which blade is the sharpest in this whole world.
And that’s why we started looking deeper into the subject. There are several different blades for different tasks. Such as swords, kitchen knives, razor blades, scalpels.
Sharpest Knife in the World?
Let’s start with the swords. Of course, swords have to be sharp because it makes it easier to cut an opponent. However a sword must not be too sharp, otherwise, the blade becomes too fragile. If an incredibly sharp blade hits hard resistance like armor or another sword it will break very quickly. That’s why even the most legendary katanas which are known fr their sharpness were not nearly as sharp as a good kitchen knife, for example, kitchen knives don’t have to withstand as much force as swords and therefore can be sharpened much more.
Razor blades are even sharper than that. They are usually made of hardened steel ad have a very thin edge for a comfortable shave which is also the reason why you have to change your blades so often. A sharp blade doesn’t hold up for long. The edge of a razor blade is about 500-600 nanometers wide and thus many times thinner than human hair.
Scalpels also need to be extremely sharp so you can use these instruments to perform clean cuts during surgery. Ordinary steel scalpels are not sharper than knives or razor blades as the limiting factor is the material. At certain point steel just cannot be sharpened anymore but there is a special lance. It’s mainly used for eye operation which surpasses all ordinary steel blades in every possible way.
Diamond scalpels are more durable sharper and have better wear resistance. With these blades, you can achieve an extremely smooth cut which is very important for a scar-free healing process. The disadvantage is of course diamonds blades are very expensive, after all, they are made of diamonds, and because of their hardness, they had to be cut with lasers and with other diamonds. After all that work the cutting edge is about two thousand times thinner than a human hair at just 20 nanometers.
It might sound crazy but there is a blade sharper than that and it was used by humans for millennia. An obsidian blade. Obsidian is a volcanic glass formed when lava is rapidly cooled. The cutting edge of an obsidian knife is only one molecule wide at the thinnest point and that’s just about one nanometer but obsidian is not as easy to work with as steel. You can only get these extremely sharp edges by flint knapping.
It’s very difficult to get a perfect edge and it only works in 1 out of 100 attempts. In addition, the blade is incredibly fragile and does not last long. Therefore despite the potential for extreme sharpening, this material is used very little.
Sharpest Blade- Obsidian Blades
Obsidian blades are the dark volcanic glass from which obsidian is made, which can be formed into sharp, razor-like tools. You can use the word obsidian in many different contexts, but most commonly, you’ll see it applied to sharp knives.
An Obsidian is a hard rock that forms when magma cools in the ground. It is formed from lava. Lava is not just molten rock but also gases and minerals. The sharpness of obsidian, also called lava glass, is due to its unique structure. Obsidian is usually silica-rich, and that’s why it’s so sharp. But it can also contain iron and magnesium.
The Aztecs were one of the few cultures to use obsidian for cutting tools. Obsidian was imported from Guatemala and Central America and used in religious rituals, jewelry, and household items. It was also used as a mirror for many years.
Uses of Obsidian Blades
Obsidian blades are sharp, heavy, and very durable. They are also very easy to work with, and this makes them an excellent choice for those looking to create a tool.
Obsidian blades have been used for many different things throughout history. One of their most common uses has been weapons, especially when they were first discovered. They can be easily chipped into thin and sharp blades to be used for cutting and piercing enemies during battle.
Obsidian weapons, or blades made of volcanic glass, have been found across the world, mostly in Europe and Asia. It’s no surprise, given that it’s an easy material to work within both its liquid form and in a solid form. These days obsidian knives are used by chefs and chefs are also collectors of them.
Obsidian was originally thought to be a volcanic stone but is made from water-soluble glass that forms over time as lava cools. It’s used in jewelry and art, but it’s most famous as a source of cutting tools.
Types of Knife You Need to Have
When it comes to blades, sharpness is not the key factor. Before getting your next set of knives, you should first know how to use a single knife and understand the difference between your different cutting tools. After you have some experience with one, you can move on to getting the right tools for your job.
There are two kinds of knives: slicing and chopping. The first kind is the ones you use for slicing (cutting) foods into small pieces (such as the slices of bread). The other kind is for cutting (chopping) large food pieces into smaller ones (such as chopping an onion). When cooking a meal, the type of knife that you will need depends on the task you want to accomplish. You don’t have to have a big bunch of different knives to do any job.
For example, you can use a paring knife for peeling vegetables, but if you’re going to chop an onion, a chef’s knife is the best choice. A chef’s knife is a multi-purpose tool. You can use it for so many tasks that a good chef’s knife should be in every kitchen.
A paring knife is the size of a chef’s knife but not as well suited for slicing larger pieces of food, such as fruit or vegetables. A boning knife is much more flexible than a chef’s knife and is perfect for cutting away the meat from small game animals.
If you love bread, you’re in luck! There are many options for making it into a variety of pieces. A slicer is a device used to slice bread so it can be more easily toasted, cut into single slices, or sliced into individual pieces. Slicers come in different shapes and sizes, but a serrated knife is best for slicing bread as it has teeth for the cutting crust.
A carving knife is designed to slice large roasts like beef, pork, or lamb into thin slices that can then be served at gatherings like potlucks or holiday dinners. A carving board is meant to provide a stable surface for your roast while allowing excess juices to flow away from the meat and not pool up on top where they can be difficult to clean up after cooking.
Conclusion
As you can see sharpness is not everything. You need the right blade for each task and sometimes the dulled one is better suited for you.
Hi, my name is Taras Kulakov and I’m a knife enthusiast. I have been collecting knives for over 30 years and I’ve owned literally thousands of different models over that time. My goal with this site is to share some of what I’ve learned about knives. You can find more info about Taras Kulakov here.
