Do I need to heat treat a weddig cake knife?

S

shaynster

Member
It's only going to be used once and it's just cutting cake. It's aeb-l stainless, should I still heat treat it? If so is there anyone in northern Indiana that wants to do it?

Thanks,
Shayn
 
Interesting question. I have no professional knife making backing to my statement when I say this. A wedding cake knife as I understand them are purely decorative and have no real sharpened surface. Just kind of a slightly less dull area near the cutting surface. If it doesn't need to hold an edge, and will only be used once, I wouldn't. Do with with my advice what you will. It's worth less than you paid for it. Sucker!!! :p
 
Well, for starters, it isn't stainless till its heat treated. Also, if it's done properly, it may well get used - especially on special occasions. Also, it will stay bent if flexed at the wedding. This is a great opportunity to show your stuff. Show it right. HT is cheap. :)
 
You should make each knife like it will be used for a lifetime. After all that is what they will be promising each other! With any luck they might just decide to use it for their lifetime!
 
I'm not sure if AEB-L is the most appropriate material for a cake knife... in other words, it may be a bit of overkill.

It is correct that some stainless steels are in fact MORE susceptible to rusting/tarnishing if not properly heat treated. That said, ANY stainless will typically "stain" or rust regardless, if it's not properly cared for and maintained.

If I were making a cake knife, I'd want it thin and flexible, with a little bit of spring to it. Heck,6Al-4v titanium may even be a good option.
It takes a relatively decent polish, is light weight, corrosion resistant, food safe/hypoallergenic, and naturally durable and springy without having to heat treat.

The "springiness" is desired not so much for function, but more for durability.

BTW, where abouts in Indiana are you located?
 
Overkill is underrated. Being 17 I am not married but it is my understanding that the cake knife is kept. Now when I look forward and see my wife and I in our house with little offspring running around I would want to be able to tell people that the cake knife is real and useable. It makes for a more interesting piece if you as me. Of course, I'm no expert on married life.

Changed my mind, my wife will cut her cake with a felling axe.
 
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LiamLynch said:
Overkill is underrated. Being 17 I am not married but it is my understanding that the cake knife is kept. Now when I look forward and see my wife and I in our house with little offspring running around I would want to be able to tell people that the cake knife is real and useable. It makes for a more interesting piece if you as me. Of course, I'm no expert on married life.
Click to expand...

I'd like to think I'm an expert.....

But then my wife reminds me that I'm not. :noway:

;) I kid... I kid.

Durability wise, I'm not sure that AEB-L would really last any longer or shorter than Titanium would. But then again, I guess it depends on how bad of a baker your wife is...

If the cakes consistently come out of the oven hard as a rock, you may wish you had ugraded to a cake knife with a rockwell in the mid 60s.

:s12137:
 
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