Replies

1. 
   pzgren | Apr 19, 2007 11:59pm | #1

   Janet,

     None that I know of.

     Because ceramic is so brittle, I really can't think of any woodworking application where it might do a better or more effective job than steel.

     As an aside, we have a ceramic knife (the Ice Bear brand from Japan Woodworker http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=13165) that my wife wanted to try. It's very interesting: the cutting edge doesn't feel particularly sharp -- in fact it probably would be called dull if it were a steel blade -- but it will slice through a tomato like a razor blade through hot butter. Just incredible! The only thing is that we are constantly paranoid about dropping it, even from just a couple of inches above the counter top, and shattering a $60 knife blade. Despite that, it is a very nice knife that effortlessly slices through softer foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

   .

   Tschüß!

   James

    

   "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that...."

    

   -- A.C. Clarke

1. 
   RyanC | Apr 20, 2007 04:42am | #2

   Yeah, just think about a ceramic plane blade hitting a hidden nail...yikes!

2. 
   Scrit | Apr 20, 2007 09:10pm | #3

   Onsrud tried solid ceramic router cutters a few years back. They were not a success. Apparently it was one knot and "hit the deck"

   Scrit

3. 
   Joby | May 06, 2007 02:19pm | #4

   I think there are some ceramic bandsaw blades out there. If I remember right, they are larger blades for re-sawing and they are pretty pricy. I started to look for them, but I have very slow dial-up (slow even for dial-up)

4. 
   [email protected] | May 07, 2007 12:52am | #5

   Someone was in the prototype/preproduction phase and passing them out to select woodworkers four or five years back.  Apparently it didn't work out, because it still hasn't hit the street. 

   Did a quick google search.  Came up with http://www.carbideprocessors.com

   apparently they are producing them in a one off way, and the lead time is several months. 

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/6/2007 6:02 pm ET by Jigs-n-fixtures

1. 
   RickL | May 07, 2007 02:31pm | #7

   20 years ago I was reading the pro wood journals like Wood and Wood Products about ceramic tipped saw blades. It's old technology that never took off. Diamond seems to have taken it's place especially in high production CNC routers.

5. 
   KeithNewton | May 07, 2007 05:48am | #6

   I think carbide is a ceramic technically isn't it. It is just as hard when it is red hot as it is cool. Aside from that, yes there are some companies that are testing other processes.