The first ceramic knives have been presented by the Japanese company Kyocera in 1984, but at first they were not available to the Russian consumers and have appeared on counters of domestic shops only in the late nineties. Today, choosing between traditional steel and ceramics, it is necessary to consider all its merits and demerits not to be mistaken and to be disappointed in the choice.
What is ceramic knife
The ceramic edge of such knife is made of powder of zircon which has undergone processing at ultrahigh temperatures and has undergone at first process of pressing and agglomeration, and then also roasting. As a result of it especially strong material the zirconium resistant to corrosion and chemical influence turns out. From that, what is the time the ceramics will be affected by high temperatures, its durability depends. The famous producers take away on this process from 2nd to 7 days. The preparations which have gone out of furnaces then process, sharpen them manually that is one of the reasons why such kitchen knives have the high price. The Chinese fakes characteristic the fragility and fragility, carry out in furnaces much less time, they became the reason of the famous myth that having fallen to firm surface, the ceramic knife scatters into smithereens as glass glass. And whether so it actually?
Merits and demerits of ceramic knives
First of all, you need to understand well that knives from ceramics take the place in kitchen – they are intended for cutting of crude meat or fish by thin slices, for processing of fresh vegetables and fruit, cutting of bread. Their length usually does not exceed 18 cm therefore to use such knife as will be universal mistake.
Ceramic knives have very attractive modern and ergonomic design. Their handles do of the hi-tech solid rubberized plastic or silicone providing good coupling with hand that is reached also by convenient form. At the real Japanese knives the handle is welded on edge and strongly connected to it, Chinese just stick together handles from two halves.
Ceramic knives happen to edges of black and white color. Edges of black color stronger and therefore cost is higher than them.
Plus is also that these knives keep the sharpness longer and do not need sharpening in the first 3-4 years after purchase. It is possible to carry to minuses that such knives should be sharpened on the special equipment with diamond sputtering.
Undoubted advantage is also the resistance to any chemical influences, including lack of oxidizing reactions and absorptions of smells – to cut fruit after fish, it is rather simple to rinse knife in warm water.
Use of ceramic knife allows to keep all vitamins and useful substances in the cut products.
But, despite numerous advertizing crash tests, even the good knife can break, having fallen to stone tile or porcelain tile. On it there can be chips and are erose in case of careless handling, it is not intended for cutting of the frozen meat and the cabin of bones. However, if to use it according to the operating manual, such knife will serve long.