Ceramic Knives

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.

I've tried several of them of different sizes, but only briefly.
Didn't like any of them, because the weight and balance weren't good
(for me).

And I don't want a 'never needs sharpening' knife if what that really
means is 'i can't sharpen it.' Cutting food eventually dulls my
knives, even though you would think that meat and fruit and vegetables
were softer than hard stainless steel. So then I sharpen them and I'm
good to go again. What would I do with the ceramic knife then, throw
it away? -aem

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.
Janet

They're great, but read the directions.
I tried carving a turkey on an antique ceramic
platter, and I was amazed to discover the knife
went right into the platter just like it was
a paper or styrofoam plate!

According to the directions you have to watch
out for your fingers. You can take off all your
fingers in one stroke! Hope this helps! :-)

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.
Janet

Eventually you send them to the factory for sharpening. Anything will dull
in time. They are breakable also. Under normal use, they hold up well, but
there have been reports of blade breakage under some circumstances.

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives?

snip

Quoted message said:

According to the directions you have to watch
out for your fingers. You can take off all your
fingers in one stroke! Hope this helps! :-)

Well, that's a darn important thing to know :o]

I hadn't thought about cutting through the platter -- but since they also
say that the knife can score glass for cutting, you point out a silly
weakness in the use of the knife.

Thanks
Janet

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested
in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about
them.

I've tried several of them of different sizes, but only briefly.
Didn't like any of them, because the weight and balance weren't good
(for me).

And I don't want a 'never needs sharpening' knife if what that really
means is 'i can't sharpen it.' Cutting food eventually dulls my
knives, even though you would think that meat and fruit and vegetables
were softer than hard stainless steel. So then I sharpen them and I'm
good to go again. What would I do with the ceramic knife then, throw
it away? -aem

I wondered about the weight and weight distribution. Maybe I'm too old to
change, but I'm accustomed to a certain weight in the hand when using my
knives.

"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested
in buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about
them.
Janet

Eventually you send them to the factory for sharpening. Anything will
dull in time. They are breakable also. Under normal use, they hold up
well, but there have been reports of blade breakage under some
circumstances.

Sending to the factory seems inconvenient. Do they actually cut any better
than a good stainless knife? Or slide through food more easily?
Janet

Janet Bostwick said:

"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them.
They're touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not
interested in buying any more knives, but I just want to know
something more about them.
Janet

Eventually you send them to the factory for sharpening. Anything
will dull in time. They are breakable also. Under normal use, they
hold up well, but there have been reports of blade breakage under
some circumstances.

Sending to the factory seems inconvenient. Do they actually cut any
better than a good stainless knife? Or slide through food more
easily? Janet

Janet,

Ming Sai (sp?) popularized ceramic knives on his food-tv show. They are
super sharp! He was very proficient with them.

Try this link for good info on them:

http://fantes.com/kyocera.htm

Good luck,

Andy

"Andy" <q> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Janet Bostwick said:

"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> What's the deal with ceramic knives?

snip

Quoted message said:

Janet,

Ming Sai (sp?) popularized ceramic knives on his food-tv show. They are
super sharp! He was very proficient with them.

Try this link for good info on them:

http://fantes.com/kyocera.htm

Good luck,

Andy

Thanks, Andy. That was a lot of good information.
Janet

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.
Janet

My understanding is that they rarely (not never) need sharpening but you
have to send them back to the mfg. I have heard from various sources that
they are never as sharp as a well-sharpened, high quality steel knife, but
sharp enough to suit many people. As for unbreakable, I do not know although
it sounds unlikely.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.

They are incredibly sharp and maintain a blade for a long time. It's not
entirely true that they never need sharpening. They do lose their edge over
time and need a special process for sharpening. I believe it requires a laser
but I would have to check on that. I have had two of them for more than 10
years and they are both still very sharp. It is certainly not true that they
are unbreakable. In fact, you have to be extremely careful with them or they
will snap. My wife snapped a half inch off the larger knife that we have and a
small piece has snapped off the end of the smaller one. You cannot use them
on anything really hard, like frozen meat and cannot use them for prying, not
even a little bit.

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.
Janet

They are dazzlingly sharp when new and stay that way for a surprising
amount of time. They're super-hard and can score glass or ceramic plates
(don't ask). They're very light in the hand and can be used for a long
time without fatigue.

They can't be sharpened at home and need to be sent off to the factory
for that. They advertise 2-3 weeks turnaround, but my experience is 11
days start to finish.

Drop one on a hard tile floor and it could break. I've never seen any
described as unbreakable. I like them. I was convinced at a meeting
where I literally bumped into Ming Tsai while we both watched the people
from Furi knives demonstrating theirs (stainless steel, and also very
good). I asked Ming what he used and he said that he liked ceramic
knives. We talked about them for a while, so I bought one. Good. Also
bought some Furi knives. Good.

Here's the corporate propaganda from Kyocera. Turn up your sound for a
FlashDance about their knives.
<http://www.kyocera.de/kyocera_n/english/kitchengoods/default.html>

Pastorio

Janet Bostwick said:

Sending to the factory seems inconvenient. Do they actually cut any better
than a good stainless knife? Or slide through food more easily?

Yes, they do cut very nicely. They are extremely sharp and have narrow blades.
They are really nice for cutting through tomatoes. I like to use mine for
slicing onion very thin. It is my first choice for that kind of work.

"Janet Bostwick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them.

They're

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested
in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about
them.

I've tried several of them of different sizes, but only briefly.
Didn't like any of them, because the weight and balance weren't good
(for me).

And I don't want a 'never needs sharpening' knife if what that really
means is 'i can't sharpen it.' Cutting food eventually dulls my
knives, even though you would think that meat and fruit and vegetables
were softer than hard stainless steel. So then I sharpen them and I'm
good to go again. What would I do with the ceramic knife then, throw
it away? -aem

I wondered about the weight and weight distribution. Maybe I'm too old to
change, but I'm accustomed to a certain weight in the hand when using my
knives.

Nope, you're not too old, I think we all feel that way. A knife should feel
comfortable to your hand. I prefer a heavy knife myself. Same as a cue
stick for pool, a hammer to a nail, etc. You like what you like. That's
it.

kili

Peter Aitken said:

My understanding is that they rarely (not never) need sharpening but you
have to send them back to the mfg. I have heard from various sources that
they are never as sharp as a well-sharpened, high quality steel knife, but
sharp enough to suit many people.

I used to think that I did a reasonable job of sharpening my steel knives, but
they do not compare with my ceramic knives. They were extremely sharp when I
bought them, and after many years of use without sending them out for
sharpening, they are still are very sharp. Very, very sharp..

Quoted message said:

As for unbreakable, I do not know although
it sounds unlikely.

I don't know where the OP got the idea that they are unbreakable. On the
contrary, they are quite fragile. I suppose that it is possible that since I
bought mine they could have modified their materials or process to make them
less fragile. I was at a party last Christmas where I was talking with two
young chefs who won't use them because they are too fragile.

kilikini said:

Nope, you're not too old, I think we all feel that way. A knife should feel
comfortable to your hand. I prefer a heavy knife myself. Same as a cue
stick for pool, a hammer to a nail, etc. You like what you like. That's
it.

I have a set of steel knives. They all have different weights. Most of my
cooking at home is for 2-4 people, so I never have to use the knife that balance
is going to be a problem. My ceramic knives are light, but for the things I use
them for, they are fine, Their keen edge makes up for any balance problem.

Dave Smith said:

I used to think that I did a reasonable job of sharpening my steel knives,
but they do not compare with my ceramic knives. They were extremely sharp
when I bought them, and after many years of use without sending them
out for sharpening, they are still are very sharp. Very, very sharp..

If they are that good, why do they not make razors
that way. I use an antique Rolls razor, because I
like having a razor which lasts forever (but it
requires stropping with every use).

For more information on the Rolls razor, go here:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3541/Rolls_Page.htm

Janet Bostwick said:

What's the deal with ceramic knives? I know nothing about them. They're
touted as never needing sharpening and unbreakable. I'm not interested in
buying any more knives, but I just want to know something more about them.

Ceramic *insert* cutters have been used extensively in the metal
working industry for some 25 years now, was only a matter of time
before ceramic kitchen knives would appear, but in fact it's only a
marketing gimmick... not only do kitchenware suppliers always looking
to turn a quick buck but the ceramis industrt as a whole is struggling.
Ceramic cutters withstand tremendous pressure, heat, and are virtually
abrasion proof, but they are brittle (which is why in industrial
cutting applications they are inserts), the thinner the cross section
the less they will resist chipping/cracking, ceramics are extremely
vulnerable when dressed to a fine edge such as a kitchen knife...
they'll stay at factory sharpness for a long time, just don't tap their
edge against anything harder than a carrot... you definitely do not
want to be carving around a t-bone. Industrial ceramic cutters do not
operate on the sharpness factor, in fact they are manufactured rather
dull edged, usually with a 1/64" radius or greater and no taper
whatsoever, often a negative rake is employed (whereas the two sides
forming the cutting edge meets at an obtuse angle, ie. greater than
90º)... they instead maximize pressure, heat, and abrasion resistance
for severing materials. And yes, ceramic cutlery can definitely be
resharpened, even reshaped (ceramic inserts are re-formed in the shop
all the time, but a diamond impregnated grinding wheel (wet) is
essential... one could probably do light touch ups at home with one of
those fercocktah diamond hones that idiots use to ruin perfectly good
steel cutlery... diamond hones were developed for dressing fully
hardened tool steels and carbides, not the relatively soft steel used
for cutlery, soft steel will load up with diamond particles and then in
use will continue to accellerate dulling itself forever, the loaded
diamond particles can never be removed... such a knife will literally
destroy itself and a knife steel... never switch a diamond honed blade
back to a knife steel. Ceramic cutlery can never be made as sharp as a
good steel kitchen knife, certainly not a carbon steel knife... don't
yoose think were that true the shaving industry would be hyping ceramic
razor blades by now. There really is no practical benefit to ceramic
kitchen knives (okay, the different grades of ceramic come in pretty
colors and are good for tiling your bathroom)... but for those
afflicted with chronic snobitis and with more dollars than brain
cells...

http://www.ceramicindustry.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2710,875,00.html

Sheldon Strop

Mark Thorson said:

Dave Smith said:

I used to think that I did a reasonable job of sharpening my steel knives,
but they do not compare with my ceramic knives. They were extremely sharp
when I bought them, and after many years of use without sending them
out for sharpening, they are still are very sharp. Very, very sharp..

If they are that good, why do they not make razors
that way. I use an antique Rolls razor, because I
like having a razor which lasts forever (but it
requires stropping with every use).

For more information on the Rolls razor, go here:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3541/Rolls_Page.htm

I have one tucked away somewhere... an interesting concept that made
sense competing with Gilette Blue Blades but nowhere near as sharp as
today's disposables. Recently I treated myself to a Gilette Mach 3
Turbo, has *three* blades (the cherry red color grabed my attention),
geeze but that thing can shave tough beard, don't even feel it
shaving... so far I've gotten better than twenty shaves from the first
blade and no indication it's any duller than shave number one. I can't
even go back to the single edged BIC, wouldn't even attempt the Rolls.

Sheldon

Mark Thorson said:

If they are that good, why do they not make razors
that way. I use an antique Rolls razor, because I
like having a razor which lasts forever (but it
requires stropping with every use).

Good question. I have my grandfather's straight razor somewhere around the
house. I remember the double sided "safety razors" of a few decades ago, and men
walking around in the morning with little pieces of tissue stuck to the nicks to
staunch the flow of blood from the morning shave. I don't know if there would be
a market for a new sort of straight razor. Nor would I imagine the razor blade
industry would be interested in marketing and ever lasting blade when they are
selling disposable blades for $3-4 each.