On June 3, 2017, eight people were killed as a group of terrorists drove a van through a pedestrian walkway on the London Bridge during 8 minutes of horror.
As they neared the end of the bridge, the terrorists crashed into a nearby restaurant, where they exited with pink ceramic knives taped to their wrists and fake bombs strapped to their bodies.
The men exited the vehicle and began slashing and stabbing through the Borough Market as they screamed “This is for Allah.”
They randomly entered bars and restaurants, stabbing whoever came into their path.
Brave Londoners tried to fight them off, throwing chairs and glasses, but ultimately, 48 people were injured.
The three attackers were shot dead by officers from the City of London and Metropolitan police services eight minutes after the attack began.
2017 was one of the most active periods for terrorist attacks in England. Arrests for terrorism-linked offenses rose to a record 379 in the 12 months leading up to the attacks, an increase of 67% from the year before.
Now, it’s no secret that knives are often used as a deadly weapon, but in this particular case, the terrorists used ceramic knifes.
As we all know, in certain cities, states, and countries, carrying a knife in public is heavily restricted.
The United Kingdom has a long list of restrictions against carrying, buying or selling banned types of knives.
These banned knives include locking knives, gravity knives and any folding blade longer than 3 inches.
According to British authorities, terrorists used 12-inch ceramic knives, so they could avoid metal detectors while they moved around planning and carrying out their attack.
The reality is, ceramic knives have grown in popularity, especially by bad guys, but is there any reason for regular folks to own a ceramic knife?
Well, here are a few things to consider if you are looking at these types of knives…
Advantages of ceramic.
Sharp. If you don’t regularly sharpen your knives, then ceramic may be a good option. The fact is, ceramic will keep its edge longer than comparable metal knives.
With that being said, ceramic can chip so you have to be careful when sharpening the knife.
Inexpensive. When it comes to knives for survival or self-defense you typically want to have multiple knives for different locations.
However, many people can’t spend a ton of money per a knife when you need them for a lot of places.
A ceramic knife such as the Stone River Ceramic Neck Knife sells for around $40. In other words, you can purchase multiple knives without breaking the bank.
Electricity and rust. If electrical hazards are a concern, a ceramic knife is a great option since they don’t conduct electricity.
In addition, ceramic knives usually don’t contain metal, so they won’t rust over time or when stored in less than ideal conditions.
Disadvantages of a ceramic knife.
Won’t set off metal detector. Depending on the person, this is a good or a bad thing. Ceramic knives will not set off a metal detector.
Of course, you shouldn’t take a knife anywhere that you legally aren’t allowed to, since it’s not worth getting arrested over.
Some contain metal. When looking at ceramic knives, you will notice that some knife makers put metal shavings in the blade or add metal to the handle or sheath to avoid the knives being undetectable.
It’s important to check descriptions before purchasing if you want a knife that is 100% non-metallic.
Durability. Ceramic knives break easier than most steel knives because they are so hard and extremely brittle.
If you cook a lot, there is no question that ceramic is the way to go so you don’t have to worry about sharpening the knife.
However, I wouldn’t depend on a ceramic knife in a survival situation as they can easily break.
