How ceramic knives are made. Ceramic knives: frequently asked questions
Ever since in 1985 the Japanese firm Kyocera started production ceramic knives disputes about the expediency of their use do not subside. To date, an unusual product has both its fans and ardent opponents, who have a weighty argument for their position. In order to understand the ranks of which of the camps you are ready to join, consider the main pros and cons of a ceramic knife.
Advantages of ceramic knives
1) Ceramic knives are based on zirconium dioxide, which is pressed in powder form in molds and subjected to long-term firing. Thanks to the resulting fine crystalline structure, we have a knife with a blade hardness of approximately 8.2-8.5 on the Mohs scale. For comparison, steel boasts a maximum of 6.2 on the same Mohs scale. This is the explanation for what Ceramic knives keep sharpening for a very long time. Manufacturers generally assure buyers that a ceramic knife will never require additional sharpening. However, this is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Any knife will become dull sooner or later, another thing is that a ceramic one will do it much later;
2) Zirconia ceramic knives are very sharp. They do an excellent job of slicing bread (without crumbling it at all), vegetables and boneless meat. It is easier to show it once in order to dispel all doubts about the sharpness of ceramic knives;
3) Ceramic knives Corrosion is not terrible, and all the troubles that accompany it. In addition, they are chemically neutral and do not oxidize products (cut with a ceramic knife - they retain their color, taste and smell, without a metallic taste). Due to the high density of the material, ceramic knives prevent the growth of bacteria and the formation of stains on the working part of the knife itself;
4) Aesthetic appeal and comparative lightness of the knife. Ceramic knife lighter than its metal counterpart. This is especially valuable for people who spend a lot of time in the kitchen - when working with a knife for a long time, the hand will get tired much less;
5) Ceramic knives are quite unpretentious in their care. They are very easy and quick to clean from any contaminants. However, the use of a dishwasher in this case should be abandoned, sooner or later this will negatively affect the knife. Ceramic is a rather fragile material that should not be put at risk once again.
Cons of ceramic knives
1) The hardness of ceramic knives is paid for by their fragility. This does not mean that the knife will break from the first fall, but you should definitely not abuse it. Sooner or later, the resulting microcracks can transform into something more serious. Knives require careful and careful handling - if used improperly, the knife may well break, but these are not the problems of the knife itself, but the way it is used. Most of the reports of broken knives, chipped tips, and crumbled cutting edges come from people who misused the knife or didn't follow the rules for using it.
Crash tests of ceramic knives.
2) Lack of universality. This point follows entirely from the first. ceramic knife you can’t chop bones, try to open cans with them, cut frozen foods. Moreover, you should work with such a knife on wooden or plastic boards. Violation of these rules will lead to the fact that the cutting edge will simply crumble, and the knife will lose almost all of its positive properties.
3) The complexity of sharpening. Sooner or later (even with careful handling) the cutting edge will become dull, and the question of sharpening the knife will arise. It will be more than problematic to do this yourself, for this you need special tools with diamond coating. It will be safer to give the knife to a specialized workshop. However, there are also automatic devices for sharpening ceramic knives. The Japanese corporation Kyocera produces two models of such knife sharpeners - Kyocera DS-20 (mechanical) and Kyocera DS-50 (electric). Both sharpeners restore the sharpness of the knife well and can even straighten small chips up to 5 mm. Of the alternative analogues, it is worth noting the Kasumi 33001 sharpener, which has compartments for sharpening both metal and ceramic knives.
Buy or not ceramic knife- Individual choice. If you are willing to pay decent money for a ceramic knife and use it for its intended purpose, then most likely you will be satisfied. If you buy Chinese models and carelessly treat them, then the consequences will not leave you waiting. This is exclusively a kitchen knife designed for cutting vegetables and bread, and not a universal tool that can chop everything that comes to hand.
It should be noted that the article considered ceramic knives from well-known manufacturers, such as Samura, Kyocera, Swiss Home, etc. Which have long gained a reputation as reliable manufacturers of these products.
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For the manufacture of handles used rubberized plastic, wood or silicone. Any of the materials has good performance, which does not allow the tool to slip even when working with wet or greasy hands. High-quality ceramic knives are distinguished by a special way of attaching the handle to the blade, they are securely welded to it, so they are almost monolithic. The ergonomic curve of the handle fits perfectly in the hand, providing a pleasant and comfortable work with this tool.
For convenient and reliable storage, knives are equipped with special protective covers that protect the cutting edge from damage. For a set of ceramic knives, a special stand is provided in the kit, in which each knife occupies a certain place.
Advantages and disadvantages
According to the numerous reviews of users of ceramic knives, it is difficult to draw an unambiguous conclusion about their quality characteristics. Some express enthusiastic opinions and talk about the excellent cutting properties of the products. Users whose experience turned out to be negative, and their knife quickly fell into disrepair, have an absolutely opposite opinion.
A modern kitchen is impossible without high-tech tools that can make the cooking process as efficient and safe as possible. A novelty of kitchen tools, which appeared relatively recently, are ceramic knives. They were first made in Japan in 1985. The main raw material for their production is zirconium, from which zirconium dioxide is produced in the form of a powder. It is pressed into molds and fired at 1500°C. The duration of thermal exposure is at least two days.
Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic knives
Thinking about buying a ceramic knife, we are primarily interested in how they differ from traditional steel ones, how practical they are in operation, what are their pros and cons.
Advantages of ceramic knives:
- zirconium ceramics is absolutely harmless to human health;
- knives are hygienic, do not absorb odor and do not stain;
- the ceramic blade does not undergo oxidation, the products do not acquire a characteristic metallic taste and do not stain. Therefore, a ceramic knife is a real find for everyone who adheres to the principles of a healthy diet;
- the blade does not fade over time and retains its original appearance for a long time;
- it is possible to accurately cut soft fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, freshly baked bread;
- a ceramic knife is much lighter than a steel one, which is important for its professional use;
- periodic sharpening is required, but it is necessary to do this very rarely.
Disadvantages of ceramic knives:
- the high cost of the tool, due to the labor-intensive manufacturing process and manual sharpening. On average, the price range varies from $50 to $150;
- zirconium ceramic knives cannot be used for cutting frozen and a number of other hard foods;
- ceramic knives, despite the impressive blade, are very fragile, they are afraid of impacts and can break if dropped;
- the knife cannot be washed in a dishwasher, stored with metal objects, its contact with glass products is undesirable;
- temperature fluctuations, such as when washing with hot water, can cause cracks on the knife.
How to sharpen ceramic knives?
Ceramic knives do not need frequent sharpening, but they still need periodic sharpening. If you do not have the opportunity to take the knife to a specialized workshop, which, by the way, is not available in all cities, then you can sharpen the tool at home. For this, ordinary graters and emery sharpeners used for steel surfaces are not suitable.
To sharpen a ceramic knife, you need to use a material that, by its characteristics, will be harder than the blade itself. For these purposes, special sharpeners for ceramic knives are used. They are sold in two types - mechanical and electrical.
An electric sharpener is a small device that has diamond-coated discs, between which a knife blade is placed for sharpening. With this device, you can not only align the cutting part of the blade, but also remove chips. This sharpener is easy to use, but has a fairly high cost.
Manual sharpeners are more suitable for fine correction of the ceramic surface. However, experienced craftsmen argue that manual sharpening provides more control, and therefore there are more opportunities to sharpen the blade. But if you have never done such a thing, it is better to opt for an electric sharpener.
You can adjust the surface of the knife on a grinder with low speed, and using a diamond wheel. You can sharpen a ceramic knife on the so-called musat.
Do not forget that the number of sharpening ceramic knives is limited. Therefore, it is undesirable to use such a tool for cutting bones and frozen foods. Also, do not use knives on a glass cutting board.
How to choose a ceramic knife?
The range of knives offered on the Russian market is very diverse. Ceramic knives differ in shape, size, color, price, they are produced by different manufacturers.
Types of ceramic knives
The first thing you should pay attention to when buying is the shape and size of the knife. Manufacturers have thought through the handle, blade length, tool shape and center of gravity in the smallest detail so that the product has the most effective ergonomic properties. Therefore, it is impossible to purchase one knife that is suitable for all occasions. One is good for cutting meat, another for peeling potatoes, the third is ideal for bread.
The length of the knives ranges from 75 mm to 150 mm. A universal knife suitable for cutting most vegetables and fruits is a knife with a blade length of 125 mm.
Common types of kitchen knives made of zirconium ceramics include knives with D-shaped blades, hatchets with raised or lowered points. Special attention should be paid to the handle. It is made of rubberized plastic or wood.
Color matters
Ceramic knives come in black and white. Black ones are professional tools and, accordingly, have a higher cost. A special dye is added to black knives. Black knives undergo a longer agglomeration, as a result, the blade acquires high durability and hardness. Such blades are more expensive than white ones and have higher wear resistance characteristics.
But if you are not a restaurant chef, then you can buy a knife with a white blade. It is great for domestic use and also has fairly high strength characteristics.
Manufacturers of ceramic knives
Name brand knives have a strict classic design; Chinese manufacturers have some mixing of styles. Ceramics of good manufacturers are snow-white in color, even a little transparent. In Chinese counterparts, the blade is gray-yellow or ivory. This is due to the fact that knives are made using accelerated technology: firing takes place for an insufficient amount of time. As a result, such knives are more fragile, quickly dull, do not withstand even light blows and are prone to staining.
When purchasing a ceramic knife, pay attention to such popular brands on the Russian market as Swiss, Bergner and Kyocera.
And the last point - do not forget to purchase a special stand for it when buying a ceramic knife. This will protect the tool from accidental dropping and extend its life.
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Ceramic knives appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, but quickly gained popularity, despite their relatively high cost and fragility. A ceramic knife is made, as the name implies, from hard ceramic, usually based on zirconium dioxide, by dry pressing and long firing. Ceramics for the production of knives can be used both white and black. In both cases, there are certain features. For example, knives made from black ceramic have better strength and wear resistance than knives made from white ceramic. This is explained by the fact that when black dyes are added to ceramics, products from such a composition are fired longer than white ceramic knives. Accordingly, their strength increases (however, the cost also increases due to the greater consumption of electricity).
The main material for the production of ceramic knives is the mineral zircon, which is quite rare. Colorless zircon is mined in Australia, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, India, USA. Zircon, intended for the manufacture of both Japanese and European ceramic knives, is sent to Chinese factories, where it is used to produce a white powder - zirconium dioxide. In knife factories, finely dispersed zirconia powder is pressed into blade-shaped plates under a pressure of about 300 tons. The resulting blanks are fired in a furnace at a temperature of 1400-1500 degrees Celsius for 48 hours (two days is the minimum period). At the exit from the furnace, the brittle plates turn into light and durable ceramics, which in hardness can be compared with the hardest steel and even surpass it. So, the hardness of Damascus steel is 6.3 points on the Mohs scale, and the hardness of ceramic blades is in the range of 8.2-8.5 points. At the last stage, ceramic knives are sharpened. Expensive products manufactured in factories in Japan and Switzerland are sharpened by hand on a diamond-coated wheel. This is a very long and expensive process. Obviously, the quality and high performance characteristics of ceramic knives depend primarily on the composition used and careful adherence to production technology.
Zirconia knives are distinguished by an ultra-sharp blade that does not require additional sharpening for a long time; resistance to external physical influences (they are very difficult to scratch); chemical neutrality during use (do not react chemically with acids). In addition, they are easy to use and do not require special care. However, ceramics is still a rather fragile material, which is contraindicated in impacts, blade bends and falls from a great height. A ceramic knife should not be used to cut hard, hard and very dense foods. It is also not recommended to use them for cutting fruits and vegetables with a hard and durable skin (watermelon, melon, cabbage, etc.). It is not suitable for chopping and for cutting on a hard surface, as all this can damage the blade.
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To date, the largest and most famous manufacturers of zirconium dioxide knives are Japan and China. In these countries of the eastern region there are hundreds, if not thousands of different production facilities - from semi-handicraft to the largest factories. The most popular in the entire market are two Japanese brands - Samura and Kyocera. In much smaller quantities, ceramic knives are produced in Switzerland and Germany. However, "produced" in this case is not quite the right word. Even well-known European companies that own the Franc Muller, Bergner, Kelli trademarks locate their production facilities in the People's Republic of China, which is famous for its cheap labor force. At the same time, European managers exercise strict control over the quality of products. It is in Chinese factories that almost all orders are carried out under third-party brands for the domestic markets of various countries of the world.
What is the difference between Japanese and Chinese knives? Leading Japanese companies are constantly working to improve the quality of their products and their performance, experimenting with materials and improving the technology used. However, due to the high cost of modern production equipment, as well as the use of various innovative materials, the retail price of Japanese products is an order of magnitude higher than the average market price. If earlier the high cost of ceramic knives was explained by their novelty and a small selection, then as competitors (primarily from China) appeared and prices for ceramic knives fell, Japanese brand products ceased to be very popular. Chinese manufacturers are oriented, first of all, to the mass buyer. Of course, lowering the price inevitably leads to some deterioration in quality. For Chinese-made products, the blades require more frequent sharpening than for Japanese counterparts. In addition, it does not differ in reliable fastening of the handle. And, despite all this, affordable prices and compliance with quality standards have provided ceramic knives from China with high popularity among Russian consumers.
Moreover, some Russian manufacturing companies enter into contracts for the supply of ceramic knives together with Japanese manufacturers and at the same time place most of their orders in China. Such trilateral cooperation allows us to maintain the quality of products at a fairly high level, adhere to global quality standards and at the same time maintain affordable prices. It is unprofitable to establish the production of ceramic knives in Russia, since one equipment will “pull” several tens of millions. At the same time, the cost of one ceramic knife made in China in the simplest version is about 30-35 rubles per piece. The cost of more expensive models can be 10 times higher due to the use of high-quality materials, manual labor when sharpening blades and the cost of electricity for additional firing of blanks. For example, a ceramic knife of one of the Japanese brands with a universal blade 5 inches long can be purchased from the manufacturer for 500-600 rubles in our money. The exact cost of one product depends on the volume of the purchased lot.
At the same time, the same knife will cost 900-1200 rubles for domestic wholesale companies. In retail stores, the same knife is sold at a price of at least 2,500 rubles and more. Thus, when working with Japanese knives, it is more profitable to buy them in large quantities directly from the manufacturer and sell them in Russia through retail chains. To organize such a business, it will take from one million rubles. These funds will be used to register an individual entrepreneur, purchase the first batch of goods, customs clearance, obtain all necessary documents, and organize sales. When ordering ceramic knives at a Chinese nameless factory, the wholesale price will be 30-150 rubles per product with a minimum lot of 300 units. You can also buy them at retail (often even with free delivery around the world) at a price of 300 rubles apiece (it will come out even cheaper in a set - from 150 rubles per knife).
Ready-made ideas for your business
Depending on the capital that you have, you can either order the production of knives in China under your own brand, or purchase ready-made products and draw up all the necessary documents for it. The first option, of course, is more cost-effective and suitable for long-term work, since you can not only determine the volume of the purchased lot, assortment, etc., but also brand your products, giving them individuality and developing your own brand. The only downside is the high costs. You will need to register your own trademark, track demand changes, collaborate with designers, organize sales, manage pricing, and perform many other functions. For effective work, a whole staff of employees is required - from a purchasing manager to a marketer. In fact, it will already be a real manufacturing company placing orders in China (as most domestic and Western enterprises do).
If you have a small amount of money, then it would be more expedient to purchase batches of knives from Chinese manufacturers and wholesale companies and sell them in Russia through your own and third-party online stores and distribution networks. This option is no less promising, although the level of competition in this case will be an order of magnitude higher. It is best to focus on products of a low price category, for which you can set a large margin (it can reach up to 300%), and even in this case it will still cost much less than Japanese knives.
Ready-made ideas for your business
There is a third option, which is less profitable, but attracts entrepreneurs with a low level of competition. You can buy European-made ceramic knives made in China with the same European quality and from Japanese materials. They will cost 1.5-2 times more than Chinese knives due to the presence of another link in the chain. You will have to pay extra for a well-known and resonant brand. In general, this segment is quite promising. But you will have to spend a lot of time and money promoting your products: domestic consumers associate ceramic knives with Japan, and you will have to convince them that European products are in no way inferior in quality and durability to Japanese ones.
Please note: although this direction is still promising, the market is already close to saturation. Therefore, if you want to succeed, you need to carefully monitor the quality of your product, invest in advertising and promotion, organize sales and plan further business development (creating a network of company stores, expanding the product line, entering the federal level).
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The search for ways to create the best cutlery used in the process of cooking and eating has been going on for many centuries and will continue into the future. At the dawn of mankind, sharpened stones and shells were used as cutting tools. Later, copper-bronze knives appeared, then iron ones. Iron knives are quite reliable, but they have significant drawbacks, one of which is their instability to corrosion.
This problem was practically solved with the advent of stainless steel, but stainless steel also has its drawbacks: it is quite soft, and knives made from it do not hold sharpening well. Therefore, the search for a more perfect knife did not end there, and ceramic knives appeared. Ceramics turned out to be the most promising material for the production of non-metallic knives. Experiments in the manufacture of ceramic knives began in the 80s of the 20th century in Japan.
Japanese ceramic knives have become the pinnacle of knife art, which was achieved thanks to the skillful combination of centuries-old traditions and the use of the latest technologies of one of the most highly developed countries in the world.
Buying ceramic knives is now quite simple - they are cheap and sold everywhere. But more recently, the purchase of a ceramic knife was a serious blow to the wallet.
In 1985, the Japanese company Kyocera began manufacturing zirconia ceramic knives. Zirconium dioxide has a high hardness, which is measured using the Mohs hardness scale of materials. Thus, the hardness of zirconium dioxide on the Mohs scale is about 8.5 units, while the hardness of steel on this scale is 5.5 - 6 units, corundum - 9 units, diamond - 10 units. Thus, the material from which ceramic knives are made is close to diamond in hardness. Zirconium ceramics is used not only for the production of knives, but also in jewelry, in the aviation industry and mechanical engineering, and in dentistry. The wear resistance of zirconia exceeds steel by more than 80 times: high-quality ceramic knives made from it can last a very long time while remaining sharp.
The process of making ceramic knives is complex and lengthy. To obtain a ceramic blade, zirconium dioxide powder is first pressed under a pressure of 300 tons per square centimeter, then subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 1600-2000 degrees Celsius in special furnaces for a long time (from two to six days). In this case, the zirconium dioxide crystals are sintered and the blanks are formed. Moreover, the longer the product is kept in the oven, the stronger it becomes. Then the ceramic plates (future blades) are sharpened.
Depending on the features of the technological process, black or white ceramics are obtained. Black ceramics are obtained by adding a special black dye and keeping the blanks in furnaces for a longer time, as a result of which they become stronger. Therefore, black ceramic knives are more durable, but they are also more expensive than white ceramic knives. The quality of ceramic knives is very different from each other, as it entirely depends on the technological equipment of the manufacturer, on the observance of the technological process.
Ceramic knives are popular among both professionals and lovers of culinary arts. True Japanese ceramic knives have one-sided sharpening, which is due to the traditions of the samurai heritage and the influence of Japanese national cuisine. For export, the Japanese, as a rule, make knives with double-edged sharpening, which is familiar to Europeans. Among the most famous brands are knives Hatamoto (Hatamoto), Kasumi (Kasumi), Samura (Samura), Kyocera (Kuosera), Shinoda (Shinoda), Bergner (Bergner), Swiss Home.
What are the advantages of ceramic knives over conventional knives made of steel?
The first advantage is the sharpness of the knife and the ability to keep sharpening for a long time: they are sharpened once every one and a half to two years, and with intensive but careful use of the knife, such a knife can keep sharpening up to three years.
The second advantage is the chemical neutrality of ceramic knives, which is expressed in their inability to retain odor. The ceramic knife does not affect the taste and quality of the food being cooked, as it is made of an extremely dense, low-porous material. It is enough to rinse it with hot or cold water after meat, and they can already cut fruit. Ceramic knives do not leave an unpleasant aftertaste, as they do not enter into chemical reactions with food.
The third advantage of ceramic knives is their light weight, which makes them easy to use. With a ceramic knife, you can cut long and fast without feeling tired.
The fourth advantage of ceramic knives is their absolute resistance to corrosion. There are no metal components in ceramic knives, so they do not rust, do not change color, do not get stained, are not afraid of hot water and aggressive detergents.
A fifth advantage is their resistance to blade scratches. Due to its exceptional hardness, the ceramic blade is virtually scratch-resistant, which means it will last a long time while maintaining an attractive appearance.
The sixth advantage of a ceramic knife is that the ceramic surface is smoother than steel. This provides an easier cut.
The negative qualities of ceramic knives include their relative fragility: as a result of a strong bend, the blade can be broken. A steel knife is much stronger in bending, since the metal has a high viscosity. When cutting meat with bones and other very hard products, the cutting edge of the ceramic knife may be chipped. Before you buy a ceramic knife, decide how you will store it. Many manufacturers offer special stands in which the knives do not touch each other.
Another, conditionally negative, property of a ceramic knife can be considered its lack of versatility, characteristic of metal knives. Ceramic knives are very convenient in the kitchen, but are completely unsuitable for use as a tourist knife, or a knife "for all occasions".
Let us dwell on the features of using ceramic knives.
So, these knives are ideal for cutting soft, juicy foods: fruits, tomatoes, meat. Hard foods (e.g. pumpkin, watermelon, zucchini) should be cut with care, in a sliding motion. It is not recommended to cut frozen products with ceramic knives due to the danger of breaking the blade. Cutting with a ceramic knife should be done using a cutting board made of plastic or wood, work should be done above the table, as if the knife falls and hits a hard surface (tile), the ceramic knife may burst. It is also impossible to use such a knife for cutting. You can wash ceramic knives with hot water without fear, but it is not recommended to wash them in the dishwasher, as the knife can hit the cutting edge on metal surfaces. Store these knives carefully, separately from other utensils. The ideal option is to use special coasters with "noodles" - these can be bought in our store.
In conclusion, it should be said that sometimes it is advisable to buy a set of ceramic knives: this will allow you to more efficiently and quickly cope with cooking. It is essential that a set of several knives will cost you less than buying each knife separately. The standard set includes knives with blades of various sizes and shapes. The choice is yours!