IN Lately Ceramic knives will become increasingly popular in the kitchen. It is not for nothing that this item is popular with customers; it has a sharp blade, is environmentally friendly, and is not susceptible to rust. Unlike metal analogues, ceramic products need sharpening much less often and a special device is required for this procedure. Therefore, everyone should know how to sharpen Ceramic knives at home and use them correctly so that the products last longer.
A ceramic knife requires careful handling, since if the operating rules are not followed, the product may simply lose its attractive appearance. appearance or, in general, break down. Therefore, it is not recommended to use knives for chopping bones and frozen meat, as well as for chopping ice. You should also not bend the blade or cut food on glass cutting boards. With proper use, sharpening a ceramic knife may be required once or twice a year.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of ceramic knives are:
- Blade sharpness. This product makes it easy to cut and chop food. The cut is smooth and beautiful, and the blade glides easily and does not get stuck.
- No need for frequent sharpening. If the knife is used correctly, it will remain sharp enough for a long time and will require sharpening no more than twice a year, or even less often. In addition, the material is not susceptible to rust, unlike its metal counterparts.
- The presence of zirconium oxide in the composition of the material. This element protects the knife from oxidation, which means that the products it cuts also do not oxidize. Ceramics are ideal for people prone to allergies.
- External attractiveness. Ceramic knives look stylish and modern; they have a variety of designs, thanks to which you can decorate any kitchen interior.
But ceramic knives also have disadvantages:
- High fragility. This knife needs to be handled carefully. It should not be dropped, especially onto a hard surface such as a sink or tile.
- The need to have a special sharpening device. The knife blade can be made sharp again at home, but you will have to purchase a special diamond-coated device. Also, sharpening of ceramic knives can be done in a workshop.
- The blade length is no more than 18 cm. Due to the characteristics of the material, the knife blade cannot be very long, otherwise it will quickly break during use. Most products are easy to process with such knives, but, for example, they are not suitable for cutting watermelon.
- The appearance of stains on the blade. If you use a white ceramic knife at home to process colored vegetables and fruits, and do not wash it immediately after use, then, most likely, unattractive stains will remain on the surface of the knife, which will be difficult to get rid of.
Sharpening methods
There are several ways to sharpen a ceramic knife: at home, using a special sharpener, or using an electric diamond-coated sandpaper. You can also contact a specialist at a workshop.
Manual diamond sharpener
You can sharpen a ceramic knife at home using a manual sharpener. It can be mechanical or electrical. In any case, the sharpness of the blade is given by a diamond disk, the presence of which is implied by the design of the product. Manual sharpener is the most economical option and easy to use. There is no need for special skills or knowledge of the sharpening process, since the tool will take care of it itself. Electric option requires virtually no effort during the work process, and the result will be of high quality in a fairly short time.
Diamond-coated emery wheel
This option can also be used at home to sharpen a knife yourself. For the process to occur correctly, the machine must operate at low speeds. The knife should not be pressed too hard against the disk and should be held at an angle of up to twenty-five degrees. Failure to comply with these conditions may damage the blade or make it brittle. Therefore, it is better to have at least minimal skills in working with an emery wheel. Otherwise, it is better to take the knife to a specialized workshop rather than do this at home.
Specialist services
To make the blade sharp again, the easiest way is to take it to a workshop for sharpening. This will not only save effort and time, but will also provide a certain guarantee that the product will be of truly high quality. Of course, this will require additional expenses, but they're worth it. And the next sharpening will not be needed soon.
In order for a ceramic knife to serve for a long time and effectively, you need not only to use it carefully, but also to check the sharpness of the blade in a timely manner.
The problem of how to sharpen a ceramic knife can be dealt with different ways, including at home on your own, using a manual sharpener or electric emery. For those who prefer to save effort and time, you can contact a specialized workshop and, for a small fee, get a high-quality product that will last a long time.
Ceramic knife - indispensable tool in the kitchen. And, despite the fact that they remain sharp longer than steel ones, sooner or later there is a need to sharpen them. Is it possible to sharpen ceramic knives and how to do it correctly? I share my observations with you.
Advantages and disadvantages
Before finding out what and how to sharpen ceramic knives, let’s consider their main pros and cons.
The advantages include:
- Acuity. Ceramic blades are very thin and sharp, which allows you to make easy and neat cuts.
- Strength. Ceramic, unlike steel, does not rust.
- Hypoallergenic material. Such knives contain zirconium oxide, due to which its surface does not oxidize and, therefore, products do not oxidize.
- Ease. Ceramic tool weighs much less than steel.
- Appearance. You can find exclusive specimens with interesting ornaments.
Main disadvantages:
- Fragility. If you drop ceramics on a hard surface, they may break into pieces.
- Sharpening. Ceramic blades can only be sharpened using diamond-coated products.
Why sharpen knives?
No matter how sharp the knife is after purchase, over time it will begin to cut worse and worse. I propose to find out what causes knives to become dull.
There are three main reasons:
- Firstly, the more often you use a tool, the faster it will become dull. This is due to the fact that microscopic pieces begin to break off from the blade, and it gradually wears off.
- Secondly, the blade begins to bend over time. Since we very rarely cut food at right angles, the load on the sides of the blade is distributed unevenly.
- Third, washing in hot water gradually destroys the material. There are many impurities in running water that can contribute to dullness.
How to make ceramic knives sharp?
There are several ways to sharpen a ceramic knife, namely:
- special sharpener;
- diamond wheel;
- diamond paste;
- sharpening of ceramic knives by a specialist.
4 ways to sharpen knives yourself
You can increase the efficiency of sharpening ceramic knives with your own hands by using special devices. The most popular of them are presented in the table:
| Image | Device |
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Device No. 1. Sharpener for ceramic knives
There is an electric and mechanical sharpener. The main difference is the price; the first ones are much more expensive. The instructions for sharpening kitchen tools are quite simple: you need to insert the blade into the cut at a certain degree and make forward/backward pressing movements several times.
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Device No. 2. Diamond wheel
Turn on the diamond spinner motor at low speed and apply gentle pressure to the blade. The sharpening angle is no more than 25°. |
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Device No. 3. Diamond paste
Apply the paste to a wooden block and sharpen your knives at home. Work the surface slowly to avoid chipping and cracking. |
Sharpening can be either one-sided or two-sided. But in any case, it is better to process the product on both sides.
We resort to the services of a specialist
If you cannot sharpen ceramic knives at home, you can resort to the services of professionals. Take your tools to the workshop and within 30 minutes they will be sharp.
Features of care and storage
Manufacturers of ceramic blades claim that they do not need to be sharpened at all for the first 5 years of use. But it is imperative to follow the recommendations for care and storage. Here are the main ones:
- Do not cut very hard foods(for example, bones).
- Glass and ceramic cutting boards are taboo. You can use a plastic, wooden or silicone board.
- These devices must be stored separately from other kitchen utensils.
- You cannot scrape or chop with ceramics.. There is a risk of breaking the blade.
- These blades can only be washed by hand. and without detergent.
Bottom line
I hope I was able to help you dot the i’s in the matter of sharpening ceramic knives. Almost all of the methods described have been tested, and I can promise their effectiveness.
The video in this article will show you clearly how to make a knife sharp. If you know other ways or have questions, write in the comments!
The main reason for the popularity of ceramic knives is the extraordinary sharpness of the cutting edge. Despite the fact that ceramic knives dull much more slowly than steel ones, they also need regular updating of their cutting properties.
Large manufacturers usually offer sharpening services for their products, but this option is not available in all countries, and not everyone wants to spend money on the services of a specialist. This is why methods for sharpening ceramic knives at home are gaining popularity.
The word “ceramics” conjures up an image of something delicate and beautiful, for example, a blue-white porcelain saucer or a painted earthenware teapot. The association with a sharp blade of a cutting tool hardly comes to mind.
For the last two thousand years, the material for making knives has been metal in one form or another, be it old-fashioned carbon steel or modern composite. Until, at the end of the last century, the Japanese company Kyocera decided to move away from tradition and began to produce revolutionary ultra-sharp ceramic blades a new generation, second in strength only to diamond. After some time, other manufacturers took up the initiative.
The blade manufacturing process is a mixture of traditional methods And modern technologies. Preparations are being made made from zirconium dioxide powder by dry pressing under enormous pressure, followed by firing until the particles are sintered. Differences in the hardness and quality of the future knife are due to two parameters: the dosage of heat and the pressure in the mold during processing.
After shaping and firing, the blades are secured into handles and sharpened. In reputable industries, the latter is done manually. Even though most knives on the market look very similar, they are made in... different conditions. You can find both high-quality products and outright fakes. Nice knives can't be cheap. Both steel and ceramic.
The zirconium oxide from which the blades are made is much harder than any steel. But it is not a miracle material over which the laws of physics have no power, so sooner or later a working knife will become dull.
Of course, ceramic blades do not need to be sharpened as often as steel blades. If used regularly, this will have to be done at least once a year.
Sharpening ceramic cutting tools - difficult and slow procedure. Primarily due to their extreme hardness and high fragility. Inept actions can irrevocably damage a good and expensive instrument.
Therefore, the most the right decision in case of quality knife will either send it to the manufacturing plant, or entrust it to a specialized workshop. It’s easier to throw away cheap Chinese products and buy new ones.
If you can’t turn to professionals or you want to try own strength, it is worth keeping in mind the main thing: ordinary stones and musats for steel won't help bring back the edge ceramic blade.
It can be sharpened and straightened only with diamond abrasives. And this process will not be simple and quick. Mainly due to the fragility of ceramics - this property eliminates tight pressure on the sharpening tool.
Specialized electric sharpeners
If speed is important, and the condition of the blade does not require serious intervention, then you should pay attention to specialized electrical devices. This The best decision for users with no experience.
It is important to remember that it is far not all sharpeners are designed for working with ceramics based on zirconium oxide. Often, knife manufacturers themselves make devices for straightening their products at home.
Typically, such sharpeners are designed in such a way as to prevent high pressure on the edge and are equipped with diamond abrasives. The rules for working with them are described in detail in the attached instructions.
If chips and nicks are visible on the ceramic blade, or it has survived an unsuccessful attempt at sharpening by amateurs, more serious measures will be required than straightening the cutting edge on an electric sharpener for the kitchen.
Using a Diamond Wheel
Ideally a set necessary equipment is as follows: a standard sharpener, a fine-grained diamond wheel (no more than 40 microns) and a set of devices to maintain the sharpening angle.
It is very important to achieve from the circle rotation without beats, otherwise it will crumble the blade during processing. All movements during contact of the knife with the circle should be smooth and without pressure.
Since overheating of a ceramic edge does not entail such serious changes in the structure of the material as with metal knives, you can do without without liquid cooling during sharpening.
However, to completely avoid thermal chipping, only brief contact between the blade and the wheel is recommended. Another difference from steel knives is no burr after treatment with abrasives. The rest of the procedure looks like very careful and careful sharpening of a metal blade.
Processing on special bars
Processing on diamond stones is classic method care for ceramic knives, which can bring pleasure to enthusiasts. In this way, the full potential of the zirconium oxide blade can be revealed.
The quality of the cutting edge and its sharpness will be limited only by the patience of the master, the steadiness of his hand and the assortment of sharpening stones. It will be enough set of diamond stones with the following grain size:
- 200 grit;
- 600 grit;
- 1000 grit;
- 1500 grit.
In theory, everything is simple: you need to drag each side of the knife blade many times at a stable angle along the diamond block. If there is significant damage on the cutting edge, then treatment is necessary start with a 200 grit stone. This step can be skipped for a knife that is not too dull and without noticeable chips.
After processing on a coarse-grained abrasive, you need to move on to sequential sharpening on stones 600, 1000 and 1500. This method able to restore the sharpness of a new product.
The main difficulty is that the ceramic blade is very easy to break due to its fragility. Therefore, you must definitely keep this in mind when working with bars. The desire to apply force will arise due to the lack of feedback during friction against the stone: the ceramic slides over the abrasive as if on glass. Under no circumstances You can't put too much pressure onto the plane of the blade. Only smooth movements and light pressure, not allowing even the slightest deflection of the knife.
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Ceramic knives are becoming increasingly popular today. Moreover, they are preferred not so much by housewives, who definitely need to work in the kitchen. sharp knife, how many owners are lazy to sharpen metal knives every week.
Ceramic knives are highly durable and dull much more slowly than metal ones.
But, although these knives do not require frequent sharpening, due to long period operation or due to improper use, sooner or later the problem arises of how to sharpen a ceramic knife. To sharpen a metal blade, it is enough to have an ordinary one at home. abrasive wheel, this tool is not suitable for sharpening a ceramic blade.
How to sharpen a ceramic knife?
It has long been known that it is possible to process a hard material only with the help of an even harder one. Since ceramic cutting products are second only to diamond in hardness, the following are used for sharpening them:
- special sharpener with diamond coating;
- grindstone;
- special musat.
It is better to carry out such work in a specialized workshop. In it, the blade will be sharpened correctly and no excess will be removed, thereby shortening its service life. But, if you have the right sharpener, you can sharpen it at home. It is better to purchase a special sharpener for this case. You can not only sharpen ceramics with it, but also adjust the sharpening angle, and also get rid of small chips.
To sharpen a knife you will need musat, a whetstone or a diamond-coated sharpener.
In addition, most of these tools have a function automatic detection optimal distance between sharpening elements. This allows them to automatically adjust to the thickness, which fluctuates on a ceramic blade, although imperceptibly to the eye. This adjustment makes it possible to sharpen the cutting edge evenly and efficiently.
You can sharpen a ceramic knife using a regular knife. sharpening machine, replacing the abrasive wheel with a diamond-coated wheel. Such work can be done manually on sharpening stones, and in order to correct the knife blade, you can use musat - a rod made of hard materials inserted into the handle, but not an ordinary one, but a special one, coated with diamond.
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Features of sharpening a knife with your own hands
Sharpening on a sharpening machine must be carried out at low speeds. If you do it at home, under no circumstances should you press the blade as hard as you can against the surface of the circle. But you can’t hold it too loose either. It is better and safer for the blade to be held so that it is constantly pressed against work surface sharpened, and did not bounce, breaking away and coming into contact with her again.
If you look closely at the edge of a ceramic knife, you will notice that in cross-section it looks slightly convex. And since you need to apply minimal effort when pressing the sharpener, be prepared for the fact that the process itself will last much longer than with a metal blade.
The technique for sharpening a ceramic blade is somewhat different from working with a metal blade. Holding the handle in your hands, the blade near the handle should be lightly pressed against the rotating circle and slowly move it towards the tip of the tip. You cannot limit yourself to one pass of the sharpener.
You need to go over it with a blade at least 5-6 times. Then turn over to the other side and repeat all over again. Only in this case can you be sure that the knife will acquire the required sharpness, and there will be no chips or other damage on its blade.
Sharpening a ceramic knife can also be done manually. For this purpose, special sharpening stones with different grain sizes are used. If the ultimate goal is to straighten and polish the cutting edge, then it is performed on a sharpening stone with a grit of at least 6000.
To get rid of small chips, straighten the blade on a whetstone with a grit of 3000, and sharpen the cutting edge on a stone with a grit of at least 5000. Whatever the grit of the sharpening stones, they must be wet.
Therefore, immediately before starting work, they need to be kept in water for 5-10 minutes, and periodically moistened with water during the work itself. To sharpen the blade, it is slowly and smoothly moved along the sharpening stone, while the blade should constantly rub against the surface of the stone, but with minimal pressure.
A ceramic blade can be sharpened on one or both sides. Double-sided blades are more convenient, since they can be used by both right- and left-handed people. If you are sharpening a one-sided blade, then first you need to use a wedge on the side that acts as a wedge until cutting edge will not take on a uniform burr, and then grind off this burr by turning the blade over to the other side.
A double-sided blade is sharpened using the same principle: first, one side is ground on a coarse-grained stone until it reaches the point of a burr, and then the same amount of time is spent on the other side. The final sharpness of the blade is achieved by polishing the blade on a fine-grained stone.
When sharpening a blade, whether using a sharpening machine or whetstone, you need to carefully ensure that after finishing the work the original sharpening angle is preserved, otherwise the blade will not cut well, no matter how sharp it is.
A ceramic blade can only be sharpened a limited number of times.
In addition, despite all its hardness, it is very fragile and can easily break if handled carelessly. Therefore, in order to extend its service life, you must carefully follow the instructions for use.
Real ceramic knives, when used correctly, remain sharp for a long time. But over time, even this type of cutting tool requires sharpening. The ceramics from which these kitchen utensils are made are quite fragile and require special handling. Therefore, the methods used for sharpening conventional metal knives are not applicable to ceramics.
Workshop for sharpening ceramic knives. The fastest and reliable way. This way you don’t have to study the nuances of processing this tool and purchase special devices. In half an hour of work and spent several hundred rubles, your knife will acquire its original sharpness. Not a bad option, considering that the next call to the specialist will not be needed soon. Sharpening using a machine and a diamond grinding wheel. When operating the machine, there is no need to press the knife blade too hard; the sharpening tool should operate at low speeds and with minimal runout. It is recommended to keep the sharpening angle of a chef's knife within 20-25 degrees, because a smaller angle will make the blade more fragile. In order to properly sharpen a knife and not damage it, a certain amount of experience and skill is required. Sharpener for ceramic knives. They produce manual, electric and mechanical sharpeners, equipped diamond blades. You don't need any special skills to use them. Each of them copes with the task perfectly, sharpening the blades at the desired angle.
Sharpening ceramic knives is a long process that should be done with extreme care. In addition, you can sharpen it only a few times. Therefore, to extend the life of this appliance, do not use it to cut bones or heavily frozen foods. cutting board use wood rather than glass. Then the knife will serve you long years, and you won’t have to sharpen it often.