GT Knives

What Are Ceramic Knives?

By D Antony

Typically, ceramic knives are made from zirconium oxide (ZrO2) also referred to as  zirconia. They are extremely hard and don’t rust, and that’s why professional chefs in high-end kitchens typically like using them. Ceramic knives do one thing better than any other Knife: They slice. And that’s the job ceramic blades are suppose to do. In fact, a good ceramic blade will let you slice a vegetable so thin that it’s translucent. But, you must be careful when you chop with a ceramic knife. As long as it stays in a pivoting motion with the tip held down against the cutting surface, because you could damage your knife if you use it like a meat cleaver and bring it down on the surface too hard.

Manufacturing

Ceramic knife manufacturer Kyocera uses around 300 tons per square inch of super-high pressure to mold zirconia powder into blanks. Then, it fires the blanks for many days at around 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit. Lastly, the blanks are sharpened on a diamond wheel.

Hardness
Ceramic knives are much harder than steel. Material hardness is rated on what is called the Moh scale. Hardened steel rates 6.5 Mohs; ceramic blades, 8.2 to 8.5 Mohs; and diamond, 10 Mohs.

Diving
Because they do not rust at all, dive Knife Manufacturers increasingly use ceramics in their manufacturing. Stainless steel corrodes in the harsh salt water environment.

Disadvantages
Sharpening ceramic knives calls for expensive equipment. They must be hand washed to avoid chipping in a dishwasher. And again, they are useful only on wood and plastic surfaces.

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