More and more people have started using ceramic knives as replacements of stainless steel ones. These unusual knives are often considered to be the best choice if you are sick of dealing with rust. However, just like a regular metal knife, ceramic knives also get blunt over time. And that’s when you ask: “how to sharpen ceramic knives?”
Ceramic knives are made of sturdy zirconia, or zirconium oxide instead of any type of metal. With these, you don’t need to agonize that this blade will corrode over time. Even the most loving care will stop it from getting dull though. Therefore, you need to have some idea on how to sharpen ceramic blade knives. Ceramic knives are tough and sharp, and we all know a sharp knife is the healthiest knife.
but they are also just as breakable as any ceramic utensil in your kitchen. Despite handling with care, you must’ve broken a ceramic plate or two in your life, right? Your ceramic blade should be dealt with just as much care. Just because it’s a blade, doesn’t mean it won’t break at a moment’s inattention. That is also why sharpening a ceramic blade is a lot more tricky than sharpening a metal blade knife. Let’s get into the thick of it.
How to Sharpen Ceramic Knives at Home?
It is most probably that the ceramic knife you have is being used in the kitchen. So I’m going to tell you how to sharpen kitchen knives right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Using an Electric Knife Sharpener
If you don’t know what an electric knife sharpener is, you can check out my blog post on the issue. They are very convenient for quickly sharpening knives at home, despite being slightly expensive. There are special knife sharpeners for ceramic blades. If you follow the instructions of using the machine, your ceramic knife will be sharp as new!
Using a Knife Sharpening Rod
Just like electric knife sharpeners, some knife sharpening rods also come especially made for ceramic knives. You really don’t need a ceramic knife sharpening rod, you can just go with a regular one.
However, keep in mind that you cannot, absolutely cannot use too much force while sliding the sharpening rod along the ceramic knife. I’ve already mentioned that the ceramic knives are fragile, and will not hold up to too much pressure.
Using a Sharpening Stone
This is, admittedly, the safest method of sharpening ceramic knives. If you want to know how to sharpen ceramic knives without causing it to crack or break, you better read carefully. Using a sharpening stone means your work will be slow, but safe and free of accidental breakage of the ceramic knife. You have more control over the blade, and you can go as slow or as fast as you feel comfortable.
Always use both of your hands and place them on the flat of the blade against the sharpening stone. Move the blade’s cutting edge in a smooth motion. At the end of the process, your ceramic knife will be in one piece and sharper than ever. Traditional water stones or diamond stones are best for sharpening ceramic knives.
How to Sharpen Ceramic Coated Knives?
Let me tell you right off the bat that this is a trick question- you actually aren’t supposed to sharpen knives coated in ceramic or other materials. Coated knives come at a very cheap price, so it’s a general consensus that you just get rid of them once they’re dull.
In case you are thrifty like me and want to keep using the cheap coated knife after it has served its purpose and gone blunt, here’s an idea. You can, technically, sharpen it like any other metal knife (as the material under the coating is usually steel). However, say goodbye to the coating.
You can now use it as a low-quality knife to do miscellaneous chores. Honing a ceramic coated knife on the other hand, would go a bit better as you’re not actually taking any material off the blade. Be careful not to nick the coating and your coated blade would work better after honing.
Sharpening Various Brands of Ceramic Knives
You’d think that despite being a ‘new thing’, ceramic knives would be similar regardless of the manufacturer. Well, dear fellow knife-enthusiast, I should inform you that you’d be very wrong. Ceramic knife performance varies wildly across the brands, and as a result you can’t get away with sharpening them the same way.
It’s gonna be handy to know how to sharpen ceramic knives of each and every brand you might come across. While I must warn you to read the instructions that the manufacturer gives about sharpening a specific knife, I can also give you this more generalized guide:
How to Sharpen Cuisinart Ceramic Knives?
I really like the beautiful jewel colored ceramic coated knives of Cuisinart. They can be sharpened or honed like any metal knives. That’s because these aren’t true ceramic blades, and the inside material of the blade is stainless steel. However, sharpening, honing or even lightly scratching the surface causes the vibrant color coat to come off, and that’s a real pity.
How to Sharpen Kyocera Ceramic Knives?
I am very much partial to the Kyocera ceramic knives. They are made of great quality zirconia and are easily the best in the business. They can rival any stainless steel blade, really. Compared to the other ceramic knives, Kyocera actually stays sharp much longer, even longer than steel blades.
And when it does eventually grow dull, you do not need to worry over how to sharpen ceramic knives of this brand. Contact the company, they will either take care of the sharpening or send you a replacement: a win-win situation!
How to Sharpen Kitchenaid Ceramic Knives?
Kitchenaid ceramic knives are for those who like an understated look for their cutlery. These knives are amazingly sharp, however, they’re also prone to snapping off at the handle. That said, if you follow the instructions and handle your Kitchenaid ceramic knife with proper attention, you need not worry, really.
Keep these knives away from bones, hard pits and thick rinds. If you must sharpen these, do so with a sharpening stone and a pair of gentle hands. Otherwise, you’d be dismayed when the tip breaks off.
How to Sharpen Bodum Ceramic Knives?
Bodum ceramic knives are so aesthetically pleasing, and they come cheaper than most high-quality ceramic knives. Amazingly though, customers claimed that this blade stays sharp for up to a whole year.
Just remember to keep it away from frozen food, bones, glass cutting boards and the like. After that, don’t go looking for information on how to sharpen ceramic knives made by Bodum. It’s your best bet to just send the ceramic blade to a pro for sharpening.
How to Sharpen Farberware Ceramic Knives?
I would suggest you sharpen this brand of ceramic knives with diamond abrasives. However, the reviews for this knife is steller and one even claimed that if treated with love and care, these stay sharp for up to three years! I’m frankly amazed, as I can’t imagine a stainless steel knife retaining sharpness after as little as six months of constant use.
How to Maintain Sharpness of a Ceramic Knife?
A ceramic knife if not a stainless steel knife: sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well, people still try using these babies like metal knives and grumble when they ruin the blade. Atrocious! Come, let me tell you how to properly care for a ceramic knife so it stays sharp for a long time.
What to Cut With Ceramic Knives?
This is the crucial step in keeping the sharpness of a ceramic knife. This blade is not made of metal and would not hold up against materials like bones, avocado pits, coconut rinds, or even a chunk of frozen steak. Use it to cut bread, moderately soft fruits and veggies, leafy green, and even boneless, defrosted meat.
How to Cut With Ceramic Knives?
I know you’re feeling skeptical. Am I a toddler learning how to use a knife again? It’s not so complicated, just remember ceramic knives are more rigid, and therefore you can’t expect them to be as flexible as a metal blade. You can’t put pressure on it sideways, you can’t wiggle it, twist it, or press down hard on it. It will chip and get dull in record time.
How to Clean Ceramic Knives?
Many brands of ceramic knives will nonchalantly tell you to put the knife on the dishwasher, usually they advise top rack only. Speaking from experience, I’d say keep it away from a dishwasher and only hand wash it. Use soap and water, and dry it with a soft cloth before putting it away.
How to Store Ceramic Knives?
You’ll notice that most good-quality ceramic knives come with a nice sheath of its own. Use it! Sheath the knife and then put it in a cupboard with the rest of the cutlery. Don’t ever store it while wet. It would not rust, but it might still sustain some damage. Never stow it away without the sheath if you want it to retain the sharp edge.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to sharpen ceramic knives of various brands, what are you going to do? Are you going to take a courageous leap and try sharpening it at home? Or do you think shipping it to a pro for some TLC is a better bet? Whichever you do, make sure to take good care of the ceramic blade from now on, so you can enjoy the sharpness for the next year or more.