Ceramic knives have become a popular tool in the home kitchen. The ability to sharpen ceramic knives at home has become an important factor in the popularity of this lightweight and durable tool. They can be used to carefully and quickly cut even finicky foods into thin slices. This is due to the material from which the blade is made. A more accurate name would be a metal-ceramic blade. Zirconium dioxide is pressed and sintered at a temperature of 1500 degrees using a special technology. Production and material are high-cost, so a high-quality tool cannot be cheap.
Advantages of metal ceramics
On the hardness scale, zirconium dioxide exceeds the metal and approaches diamond. The material is both brittle, does not withstand bending pressure, and is not intended for chopping hard foods (such as bones or frozen meat).
The advantages of ceramic tools compared to conventional metal knives include:
Do you need sharpening?
Some manufacturers claim that there is no need to sharpen ceramic knives during the entire period of use. Unfortunately, this is just a publicity stunt. Even with infrequent use, a high-quality ceramic blade will lose its sharpness after a couple of years.
Cheaper Chinese analogues become dull even faster. If the tool is used actively, it will have to be sharpened once or twice a year.
Whether ceramic blades need to be sharpened or not is up to the owner to decide. If the tool is inexpensive, it is easier to purchase a new one. It is better to entrust sharpening of expensive high-quality tools to professionals who guarantee the quality of work. It is worth remembering that ceramic knives can only be sharpened a few times, although the blade material is considered very durable. This is due to the fact that the material crumbles and wears out.
Self-sharpening methods
An affirmative answer to the question of whether it is possible to sharpen a ceramic knife will be given in any specialized workshop. The ceramic blade is highly durable, so ordinary tools for sharpening metal will not work. You will need diamond-coated tools or CBN emery. You can buy a special electric sharpener (preferably made in Japan), which guarantees perfect sharpening. It is expensive, so it is worth purchasing it if you use several ceramic knives in the kitchen.
A manual sharpener or a sharpener (a round or faceted metal block attached to a handle) will be cheaper. You can use diamond paste, but then the work will take much longer. An indispensable condition during the work process is that the surface must be wet. Recommended pre-soak the sharpening discs in water for 10 - 15 minutes and regularly moisten during work.
The process will require certain skills and dexterity. If the blade becomes chipped, it will be almost impossible to restore it. Before starting work, you need to clarify the type of sharpening. Original Japanese knives have a one-sided sharpening, while European versions have a double-sided sharpening.
For self-sharpening are used:
Electric sharpener
A special device for sharpening ceramic blades runs on replaceable batteries or a rechargeable battery. Two diamond-coated discs are used, which are driven by an electric motor. There is no need to maintain a certain tilt of the blade when sharpening. The blade is inserted into a special hole, the process is performed automatically. Makes it possible to restore the degree of sharpness close to the original one.
Hand tool
A diamond-coated working surface is used, equipped with special guides for the knife. Better suited for sharpening knives. If you need to sharpen a very dull blade, the process will take a long time and will require some skill.
The blade is inserted into the slot intended for this purpose and pulled out several times with smooth movements. Factory-installed guides hold the blade at the desired angle.
Bars and Musat
A more labor-intensive process that requires a certain skill. Sharpening is done with a damp block, against which the knife is pressed at a certain angle. The pressure on the blade should be uniform and light. Movements are performed only in one direction from the handle to the tip 5-6 times on one side (for single-sided sharpening) or on each side (if double-sided sharpening). Finally, the resulting hangnail is removed in one motion.
Musat is suitable if you need to renew a dull edge. The musat is held vertically or mounted on a stand at the desired angle of inclination. The knife slides along the rod, at the same time there is a displacement from the handle to the tip. The movement is repeated several times. The sharpening angle is controlled independently.
If applicable diamond paste, a composition containing 5 micron abrasive is used. A layer of paste is applied to cardboard or a piece of leather and sanded. The optimal method for final finishing of a knife and its grinding.
Grinder
A diamond-coated wheel of 80 microns is installed for preliminary sharpening and no more than 40 microns for final sharpening. The speed should be low (approximately 200 - 300 per minute). The pressure on the blade should be light and uniform, otherwise the edge can be “drilled” to chips and nicks. The sharpening angle is 18-25 degrees and has a semicircular edge that increases the strength of the blade.
The choice of the best option for sharpening a ceramic knife depends on the skills and interest of the owner. Of course, not everyone has a sharpening machine at home. However, it is worth purchasing a quality manual sharpener, and the question of whether it is possible to sharpen a ceramic knife yourself will disappear by itself.
Just like any other, it tends to deteriorate. To prevent this from happening, regular maintenance must be carried out. In today's publication, the HouseChief editors will look at how to sharpen a ceramic knife at home to restore it to its former sharpness. The listed methods will help you save money and avoid buying a new product for cutting food.
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What is special and different between ceramic knife blades and metal ones?
By appearance cutting kitchen tools, it can be determined that metal and ceramic specimens have significant differences. As for the second type of knives, they have an aesthetic design, are easy to use, and are less likely to become dull (of course, if they are a high-quality tool).
However, the way to care for such knives is more serious. They must be stored in a specially designated stand or niche, use only special accessories, do not cut hard objects, etc.
Speaking about knives with a metal cutting edge, it can be noted that they are no less sharp, but have an ultra-thin sharpened edge. These models will cost less, but will dull faster than their ceramic counterparts. There are many cases where the handles of steel tools break off, making their use inconvenient.
What is sharpening ceramic knives at home: possible methods
Before you start renewing the cutting edge of a ceramic knife, you need to take care of special sharpening agents. After all, those that we are used to using for steel blades are not suitable for this processing. Let's consider possible options sharpening ceramics with your own hands.
How to sharpen a knife with a ceramic blade at home on one side
Some products can discolor the surface of the ceramic, which impairs its properties. Single-sided knives are one of the convenient and unique devices. They are sharpened only on one side and have incredible sharpness. Therefore, the approach to improving the properties of the blade is individual.
- First, clean the knife well and. It is advisable to do all this with a soft cloth.
- Then, to ensure that the edge remains perfectly sharp without nicks, one side is sharpened with a slope that corresponds to the factory wedge of the blade.
- Grind down the wedge-shaped edge with smooth movements in one direction until burrs form.
- To remove the defect that has appeared, you should sharpen the opposite edge a little, but only until the notch completely disappears.
All that remains is to get the knife in proper shape and you can use it. It is worth noting that single-sided ceramic knives are more designed for cutting products of precise thickness. This is often practiced in professional activities, for example, in restaurants.
How to sharpen a ceramic knife on both sides at home
There are two types for double-sided edges sharpening stone: coarse and fine grain. First of all, the blade is sharpened on both sides using a coarse stone, after which the final sharpening is performed exclusively with fine sandpaper.
How to sharpen a ceramic knife at home using various tools
When wondering how to sharpen a ceramic knife at home, you need to understand which tools are suitable for this. After all, if you use analogues for steel cutting tools, this can quickly ruin the working surface of the knife.
Special musat for ceramics
This type of grinder is easy to use, but requires special care and storage, as it has a similar ceramic surface for sharpening. It usually has different abrasiveness on each side. Using this sharpener, you need to properly update the cutting edge. More about this below:
- the knife should always be in right hand, and musat in the left;
- The angle should be maintained at 20 degrees when sharpening;
- you need to lead in the direction of the handle of the sharpening tool;
- these steps should be repeated 6-8 times.
All that remains is to polish the knife using a special polishing polish with a smooth ceramic surface. As a rule, with this method of sharpening, burrs rarely appear, so you can get the tool into working condition in just a few minutes.
Using a whetstone and whetstone for ceramic knives
A sharpening stone is a prepared product specifically for processing ceramic blades. It has two working surfaces: one with fine crumbs, the other with large ones. The whole process begins with the processing of edges with large grains. When finished, the opposite side of the stone is used. Let's take a closer look at the entire instructions.
- We position the knife blade perpendicular to the surface of the sharpener, and do not forget about the angle provided by the manufacturer.
- All movements are performed by lightly pressing the blade.
- If it is necessary to sharpen both sides, all movements should be performed in the opposite direction.
- Don't forget to wet the block 30 minutes before processing the knife.
- Move along the entire length of the sharpening surface.
Eliminate all physical effort and sharp turns cutting edge. Otherwise, you risk damaging the working side of the ceramic knife.
Manual sharpener for ceramic knives and the basics of its use
This type of sharpener works on a simple principle: a person only needs to move forward and backward. The rest will be done by the disks installed inside the working mechanism. Manual sharpeners are absolutely safe for ceramics, as they require the knife to be placed in the grooves at a strict angle.
The ceramic edge must be sharpened many times, without haste. Then the sharpening result will be perfect.
Electric sharpener for ceramic knives
Using the knife after sharpening has positive reviews; the surface does not have the smell of burnt matter The electrical device can be powered by mains power or batteries. It renews the cutting surface in a few minutes, without harming the knives at all. The working mechanism has two built-in diamond-coated wheels. They start moving when the engine starts. The sharpening angle can be adjusted. All the owner needs to do is simply insert the knife into the slot and wait for the sharpening process to complete. Therefore, the owner should no longer have the question of how to sharpen a ceramic knife at home.
Using Diamond Paste
How to sharpen ceramic knives at home, other than sharpening devices? Diamond paste is considered an excellent alternative. This product is quite effective and safe. However, it is recommended to use it only for final sharpening; you will first have to use one of the above options. The product is sold in tubes and contains diamond particles up to 5 microns in size.
On a note! The paste should be applied to a coating that has been cleaned after previous treatment. You will have to polish for 10-15 minutes until the blade becomes smooth and sharp. For processing, it is better to use smooth material - cardboard or leather.
Application of a special machine
The sharpening machine is equipped with two diamond discs that perform ideal sharpening actions on the ceramic blades. During initial processing, a disk with an abrasiveness of 80 microns is used, and to complete the procedure it should be changed to a less aggressive one, for example, 40 microns. To learn more about this sharpening procedure, we recommend watching this video on how to sharpen a knife at home.
Fragile, like clay... Pottery is perhaps the oldest type of ceramic product, but in modern world Ceramics are associated not only with short-lived, breakable things.
For example, the definition of “ceramic” has long been attached to such a necessary item in the kitchen as a knife. Of course, ceramic knives are made from special ceramics - zirconium oxide, and they are also hardened at very high temperatures. high temperatures. As a result, the knife becomes almost as hard as diamond (at this point sellers like to refer to the Mohs scale, according to which diamond is equal to 10 units, and the hardness of a ceramic blade ranges between 8 and 9).
Ceramic knives can be used to cut a wide variety of foods, primarily vegetables and fruits, as well as bread, cheese, butter, boneless meat and fish. When slicing, you should not put pressure on the knife, much less chop with it - the movements should be smooth and sliding, and the pressure should be distributed evenly.
Would you say that all these actions can be performed with an ordinary stainless steel knife? Without a doubt. But if ceramic knives did not have special qualities, no one would start producing them.
Buyers are often attracted by the aesthetic appearance of ceramic knives: a smooth, pleasant-to-touch surface, not as cold and “alien” as metal. Sets of several different-sized knives look especially impressive (perhaps that’s why they are sometimes chosen as gifts).
The color of the knife - black or white - does not affect the properties of the ceramic in any way.
Which knife is more convenient to use for cutting food, steel or ceramic? This question is more of a matter of personal preference. There are people who speak enthusiastically about ceramic knives and their smooth and soft cutting. But there are also those who do not accept them as a class, preferring traditional kitchen utensils. In addition, the convenience of any knife is largely determined by factors such as the shape of the handle, the length and width of the blade, and they can be completely different.
Ceramic knives are famous, first of all, for their hardness (we have already mentioned that it is comparable to diamond), so their blade remains sharp for a long time - with careful handling, they will need the first sharpening in a few years. Ceramics are easy to clean and aggressive detergents she's not afraid.
You will have to take special care when storing ceramic knives: if you keep your knives in a drawer, then there are no problems, but if you are used to hanging them on a magnetic holder... Alas, this is not the case. Usually, where they sell knives, you can buy a special vertical stand for them.
What is the biggest disadvantage of ceramic knives? Yes, that's right... "Solid" does not mean "durable". Ceramic knives require careful handling.
If you have acquired such a knife, do not try to separate frozen cutlets with it - where the metal springs and holds, the ceramic blade will break. “Ceramics” is not used for cutting frozen foods; even if the blade does not break, it may become chipped, which means you will have to send it ahead of time for sharpening. Ceramic knives should not be washed in the dishwasher, nor should they be used on a glass cutting board, only on a wooden or plastic one. There is a risk that a ceramic knife will split if it falls on a hard floor (let's not forget that tiles are often laid in the kitchen, in the cooking area).
If you weigh the pros and cons, you have to admit that you can do without ceramic knives in the kitchen. But will they be a pleasant addition to the usual arsenal (especially in the kitchen of an avid cook)? Very likely, because “ceramics” has enough positive qualities.