Ceramic
knives are made of a compound of zirconium, a substance found mainly in
Australia, combined with other elements such as magnesium and calcium to
increase its hardness. The knives are made by a process of heat treatments and
diamond sharpening. This means the blade of a ceramic knife is significantly
harder
than a stainless steel knife (ceramic around 8.5 Moh, stainless steel between 5
and 5.5 Moh), and retains its sharpness, if used as manufacturers recommend,
for a good deal longer than a comparable stainless steel knife. Kyocera, for
example, suggest that their ceramic blades will last 10 times longer than
carbon steel blades. It is possible to buy a sharpener specifically designed
for ceramic knives. Ceramic knives will not rust or corrode, are not attracted
by magnets, and as they are chemically inert, they won’t react with foods which
are strongly acidic or alkaline.
The downside of ceramic knives is that they are more brittle in some
circumstances than stainless steel knives; they are more prone to shatter if
dropped when using. Ideally, ceramic knives need to be stored more carefully
than other cutlery; it is wise to protect them with a knife guard or to store
them in a knife block, to prevent other items from striking and shattering them.
They tend to break if used to cut bone or frozen foods, and do not work well in
cutting situations where one is prizing sections apart. It’s also inadvisable
to use them for non-food related work – they have been known to shatter when
used as a makeshift screwdriver! Ceramic knives work better if used on a soft
cutting board, such as rubber, wood or soft plastic – they are more prone to
shatter on marble or hard plastic. One should also be aware that as the blade
of a ceramic knife is sharper than that of a stainless steel knife, it is far
easier to cut oneself when using a ceramic knife.
Amazon sells a 3 piece Oliver & Kline best ceramic knife set for $23.99
This set contains:
·
1 x 6” chef’s knife
·
1 x 5” utility/slicing knife
·
1 x 4” fruit/paring knife
A sharpener for these knives is available at $5.75.
Ceramic knives in
summary
Key:
JGood
KNeutral
LBad
! ! Be aware of risk
Sharper than steel compound
knives
|
J
|
Sharpness retained longer than
steel compound knives
|
J
|
Knives will not rust or corrode
|
J
|
Knives are not attracted by
magnets
|
K
|
Knives will not react with acid
or alkali
|
J
|
Knives work best on a softer
cutting board, such as soft plastic, bamboo or rubber
|
K
|
More brittle than steel
compound knives, so prone to shatter when dropped
|
L
|
Knives need to be stored where
they will not be knocked
|
K
|
Knives are unsuitable for
cutting bone or frozen items
|
L
|
Knives are unsuitable for
prizing sections of food apart
|
L
|
Knives cannot be used for tasks
other than food preparation
|
K
|
Caution is needed when using
knives as it is easy to cut oneself because they are so sharp
|
! !
|
Read more for best glass pots for cooking !!
