Invented a wooden knife that is sharper than steel

Scientists at the University of Maryland (USA) invented a wooden knife and claimed it was sharper than steel. However, many people remain skeptical.

More than 60 years ago, in the book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", Julia Child, the most famous chef in America at that time, wrote about the importance of kitchen appliances.

"In theory, a good cook should be able to do well in any situation. However, cooking is much easier, more enjoyable and more efficient if you have the right utensils," Child said. .

The three things she mentioned were a whisk, a pan, and a knife - specifically a stainless steel knife.

Special wood

However, decades later, scientists are trying to prove what Child said is not entirely correct. Because in 2021, a research team from the University of Maryland (USA) announced they have developed a wood that is 23 times harder than natural wood.

In addition, they also use this wood to make a knife. Research from the team shows that it is almost 3 times sharper than knives on the market, made of steel, plastic or natural wood.

To create the hardwood, the researchers performed a process that included chemical treatment, water coating, cold pressing, and heating of the agarwood. Then, they soaked it in food-grade mineral oil to increase its water resistance and made a knife.

This wooden knife is advertised as being able to replace the steel knife.

Teng Li, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland and leader of the research team, said they used juniper wood, a soft wood commonly used to make musical instrument bodies. However, they are working to be able to apply other types of wood.

The researchers experimented with using a wooden knife to cut a steak, along with cucumbers, carrots, onions and tomatoes. Great results. However, these are laboratory results. Many people question how it will apply in real life.

Bob Kramer, a knife and sword master in Bellingham, Washington (USA), says he needs to test the knife before commenting.

"Try slicing a lemon, slicing an onion and slicing a raw chicken with it. If done well, you can feel the power of the knife," said the 30-year-old master.

Worse than a steel knife?

Yao-Fen You, senior manager at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York (USA), said she is especially picky about her knives. She learned to use a knife around the age of 5 and now owns about 10 kitchen knives. One of them is a Miyabi Koh stainless steel knife, priced at about $130.

"I'm quite skeptical. There are problems with wooden knives. The feel of them is nice but it gets worse over time," she said.

Steel knives are considered the standard of kitchen masters.

Teng Li said he listened to such concerns in the process of creating the wooden knife "sharper than steel". According to him, natural wooden utensils such as chopsticks, spoons and cutting boards are still widely used in kitchens around the world.

Even if they degrade over time, they still have a high use value. With proper maintenance, hardwood furniture can last longer than solid wood. On the other hand, hardwood knives can also be re-sharpened like steel knives.

Good for the environment?

In recent years, special attention has been paid to environmental issues. When talking about this story, Teng Li said that producing hard materials from metals and alloys is energy intensive, leading to a large amount of carbon emissions.

However, Chris Pistorius, co-director at the Center for Iron and Steel Production Research, Carnegie Mellon University (USA), argues the climate impact of a steel knife is very small. Meanwhile, its recyclability is great.

Jesko von Windheim, a professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University (USA), thinks that to evaluate a knife made of hardwood is better for the environment, we need to analyze the life cycle.

The recycling problem with wooden knives is still a question mark.

"There are products that look quite environmentally sustainable. But if it's true or not, we can't say just based on the manufacturing process and how it is handled. If you want to claim a better hardwood knife, you need more calculations," he said.

Zak Eastop, of Durham, England, spent about $200 on a new kitchen knife. Eastop described the knife to him as a "semi-symbiotic" relationship. It's like an extension of the hand. And Eastop wondered if the hardwood knife would be as durable and sharp as steel.

"I can't imagine using something else to replace high-grade steel knives," he said.