In any kitchen, a knife will be one of the most important tools. But in the process of exploitation, it sooner or later becomes dull. And if everything is clear with standard models, sharpening ceramic knives raises questions. Is it possible to do this at home? What tools and fixtures are best to use? All these and related issues will be discussed later.
Features of ceramic knives
What distinguishes these tools in the first place is that they do not rust at all and do not become dull for a long time. But along with this, they also require careful handling. A broken ceramic blade, alas, cannot be repaired. Therefore, you can’t open canned food with a knife, cut frozen meat, break bones and ice.
Also, the blade should not even try to bend. The knife does not withstand bends - it immediately breaks.
The product is covered with a special protective layer, which does not give even the slightest chance of rust formation. A layer of zirconium is sprayed on top. What is it for? Zirconium does not allow the blade and products in contact with it to oxidize.
In many cities, specialized centers of well-known manufacturers for sharpening and repairing ceramic knives are opening. There are many private traders offering similar services. However, the owners of ceramic tools often quite successfully grind them on their own, at home.
Pros and cons of ceramic knives
Before proceeding to sharpening ceramic knives at home, let's get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of such a tool.
| pros | Minuses |
| A sharp blade that is equally well suited for slicing both hard and soft foods. | Fragility - falling from a great height, the knife can crack. |
| Ceramic knives need sharpening much less often than usual - with proper use, the need arises no more than once a year. | Self sharpening ceramic knives is very troublesome - we will analyze it further. |
| Light weight tool. | The maximum length of such a tool is 20 cm. This makes it unsuitable for large products. |
| Rust never appears on the blade. | The knife must be washed on time after cutting dye products. Otherwise, its blade becomes stained. |
| Ceramics cannot oxidize. | The tool, despite the “peaceful” appearance, is very sharp - it is easy for them to cut themselves. |
| The material is hypoallergenic, therefore it is universal for allergic users. | You need to store the knife in a special stand, and not in a box with the rest of the cutlery. |
| Sharp temperature fluctuations can cause cracks in the ceramic material. |
And now let's move on to sharpening ceramic knives at home.
What can be used for sharpening?
In fact, we need a material whose structure is stronger and stronger than ceramic. Professionals and product manufacturers are advised to stay on a device that has diamond spraying.
Hence, the sharpening of ceramic knives can be done as follows:
- Special sharpener for such products.
- Diamond paste.
- Electrosuspension.
We’ll talk more about ceramic waste for sharpening knives.
Sharpener selection
Buying such a device is expensive. However, if you have several ceramic knives, and you want to use only this tool, then you cannot do without acquiring a sharpener. Many models are universal - they are also suitable for metal tools.
Sharpeners for ceramic knives are available mechanical and electrical. The first option will be more economical. For all of them, when buying, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the blade suitable for the device, the type and angle of sharpening of the ceramic knife.
The recognized leader in this field is the Japanese company Kyocera. On the shelves you can also find products of European, American and Chinese manufacturers. Good mechanical sharpeners from the Japanese company Kasumi, which are sold at a relatively low price. However, the fee for this is the duration of the sharpening procedure.
Tieda hand sharpeners also stand out. They have a convenient stand that allows you to lock the knife at the required angle. If you want to purchase an electric version, you can stop at the products of the American manufacturer ChefsChoice and the Chinese company Taidea.
An important point is to pay attention to what type of knives the sharpener is intended for. Japanese tools, for example, are characterized by one-sided sharpening. In Asian knives, her (sharpening) line is narrower, and the angle is 15 °. But for European tools, a sharpening angle of 20 degrees is standard.
How to work with a sharpener?
We found out that there are two types of tool. Each has its own characteristics:
- Mechanical (manual). Easy defect correction and surface updating. To sharpen a very dull knife, you will have to spend a lot of time and make a lot of effort.
- Electric. Run on a regular battery. The option is not cheap, but it allows you to return even ceramic knives that have long been used without sharpening to an almost perfect shape.
The first time it is not always possible to make a sharp blade - experience and dexterity are important. How to operate a sharpener? Insert the blade into a special slot and fasten it at a suitable angle. Then turn on the tool. In mechanical models, the knife is not fixed - you yourself need to drive them through the grinder.
Before sharpening, be sure to read the instructions! Remember that the key point here is the angle of sharpening. For the first time you need to set the minimum number of beats and revolutions. Also try not to press the blade too hard so as not to break the fragile ceramic.
Electrosuspension
For ceramic knives, this tool is also suitable. However, only circles having diamond spraying should be used. Its grain is not more than 40 microns. The edge should be made rounded and slightly convex, and the sharpening angle should be chosen close to 20-25 °. Other indicators can make ceramic material more fragile. Set the speed to the lowest. The same goes for beats.
If you have never dealt with electric emery, we do not recommend that you use a tool for sharpening a ceramic knife. Great chance of inexperience to break both the blade and the device itself.
Diamond paste
The best alternative to ceramic knives for sharpening. However, when choosing a composition, you need to purchase a tool of no more than 5 microns.
Using it is easier than all the described methods. Apply the paste to the pre-cleaned blade. Then it remains to rub it with a wooden die over the paste until the knife becomes sharper. That's all!
But this method has a significant minus - not every house has diamond paste. And buying it only for sharpening a knife once a year is not entirely cost-effective. It’s easier to stay on a good sharpener.
Alternative option
If you understand that none of the presented home methods is suitable for you, then the solution is to contact a specialized workshop. For example, sharpening ceramic knives in Moscow is a very common service.
Today, this option will cost you several hundred rubles. The master will spend about half an hour on all work. Given that knives need sharpening not so often, this option is quite acceptable for economic reasons.
Important operating rules
In order for the ceramic knife to be sharpened as little as possible, we recommend that you follow these simple rules:
- Try to use the tool for cutting solid products as little as possible.
- Cutting board is better to choose from wood, plastic or silicone. But stone and glass products contribute to a blunt knife.
- Try to cut foods evenly and smoothly.
- When working with greens, you should not “chop” it with a ceramic knife, as you used to do it with metal.
- Do not scrape fruits and vegetables with a blade. This further contributes to its dullness.
- Try not to knock, do not slap the knife on a hard surface.
- The ceramic knife can only be cleaned under running water with a small amount of detergent added. Do not put it in the dishwasher.
- Do not store the ceramic knife with metal cutlery - they can damage fragile material.
- Try to be extremely careful with the tool - if you drop it, it can just break.
- Do not allow sudden changes in temperature - from them the ceramic part will go cracked.
- If the knife began to cut food worse than before, this is a sure sign that it is time to grind it.
Ceramic knives are a great alternative to metal knives. But having its drawbacks and also in need of sharpening. The latter can be performed not only in a special center, but also at home.