Snow-white and blue-black ceramic knives are made from one composite - from zirconium crystals.
The color of the blade depends on the characteristics of the production technology. Zirconium is pressed under a pressure of three hundred tons, and then fired at a temperature of +1600 ºС for two hours. The crystals are destroyed, the material turns into a uniform finely dispersed structure. Then the blades are pressed into the handle and sharpened according to a special technique on a diamond-coated grinding disc.
- Black knives are made from zirconium carbide.
- The white ones are made of zirconium dioxide. The Chinese consider this material to be the younger brother of diamond.
Ceramics are harder than steel and do not react with acids and alkalis. This prevents the ceramic knives from rusting.
Advantages of ceramic knives and their disadvantages
| "Pros" | "Minuses" |
| Do not be blunt for years | To sharpen, you need a diamond-coated stone |
| The blade is not scratched | Break off from blows and falls |
| Smooth, pleasant to the touch | You cannot cut frozen meat and chop bones |
| Leave no aftertaste on food | Dull quickly when cut on ceramic, glass and stone surfaces |
| Lightweight, easy to cut |
How to choose a ceramic knife
There are 4 requirements to choose a good kitchen knife.
- Blade color: uniform, without iridescent color and blotches.
- Blade surface: smooth, without chips, roughness and scratches. Otherwise, at one "perfect" moment, the blade will split when falling.
- Price: not small, because the extraction of zirconium and its minerals, coupled with their processing, is not a cheap pleasure.
- Cutting edge: thinner than a steel blade. Look at the sharpening to distinguish a ceramic knife from a fake. The fake has a thick border and an uneven spray that peels off quickly.
Cutting with a ceramic knife is a pleasure, and cleaning is easy and simple. If you are ready to use it with care and protect it like crystal, such a tool is worth buying.
Useful article: "3 ways to sharpen knives correctly"
Watch the video review of Victorinox ceramic knives
