| Proper Care For Ceramic Knives |
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The majority of questions we receive from this site seem to have a common theme. Most of our readers are looking for instructions on how to properly care for their ceramic knives. Most manufacturers will include a set of instructions with their knives, but in all honestly, the care instructions are the same across all knives. Here is our officially, unofficial guide on how to care for your ceramic knives. PROPER USE:
CARE:A quick rinse with a mild detergent is all that is needed to keep your knife clean. After cutting non greasy food such as fruits or veggies, I sometimes just give it a rinse in warm water, no detergent. Since the surface is non-porous, cleaning is a breeze. Never put your ceramic knives in the dishwasher. The high pressure water can cause the knife to rattle against other items in the machine, causing it to chip. STORAGE:Store your ceramic knives in a knife block or knife tray. When storing or removing the knife, be careful not to damage the edge or tip. WHY DO I HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL WITH CERAMIC KNIVES?After reading this, I know what you're thinking, "This knife needs to be treated like a princess!". Think about it a bit and you'll realize that ALL nice knives (metal or ceramic) should be treated with these same instructions. I decided to dig up some care instructions for some popular steel knives on the market. You will see some similarities. "Please do not use Shun knives other than the Ken Onion meat cleaver on bones or joints. These knives are designed for precision slicing rather than chopping through bones."
"One key to keeping a Shun (or any other knife) sharp is to use an appropriate cutting surface. These include wood, bamboo, and polypropylene, all of which are softer materials and will "give" under the blade." "Technically, yes. Both the blades and the PakkaWood® handles can stand up to the rigors of the dishwasher. However, we generally recommend against it. Here’s why: The dishwasher can be hard on all your dishes, but it can be especially hard on knives because they tend to get knocked around during the cycle. " "It is recommended that you wash your Global knives by hand using a mild dish washing liquid and water. After washing, rinse with water and dry thoroughly with a towel. Global knives should NOT be put in the dishwasher"
"Global recommends the use of the Global knife blocks, magnetic wall racks, knife docks or knife rolls/cases." "DO NOT attempt to cut through frozen foods or bones." "DO NOT use these knifes for any purpose other than for what they were intended, i.e., the preparation of food. Under no circumstances should they be used as a screwdriver, crowbar or wire cutter" "DO NOT cut on a marble, stone, tile or glass surface" "Safety is the biggest concern of storage, both to the user and to protect the knife edge itself. Choices include a knife magnet, knife block, drawer insets, and also individual knife protectors."
"Quality knives should not go in the dishwasher. The heat and the agitation are not good for the edge" As you can see, you were right, TREAT YOUR KNIVES LIKE A PRINCESS! Comments (17)
MJ
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... I am a culinary student and everything said here is exactly what my professional chef instructors have said. This is spot on great advise. |
Luna
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... Yes good advice and good points. Also throwing knives in the dishwasher can be dangerous. Imagine reaching in and slicing your hand open! |
Paul And Susan Howard
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... Any quality product has simple precautions and your recommendations are completely clear and logical. |
Dennis
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... Just want to emphasize that the blades ARE delicate. I broke one with the least bit of pressure, while prying at something. I've also heard someone say that they chipped one when cutting open a peach (on the pit). The blades are amazing, but strictly for cutting fleshy foods. |
bob baumann
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... Well, so much for my buying a new ceramic knife!! I'll just stick with my 'chain saw'! |
Jose
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... This is an awesome blog, really helpful :D I have a question though, I recently bough the Kyocera gift set with the Santoku and the pairing knife but I was wondering if there was any case that could work for carrying the knives around? I mean, like moving from classroom to classroom, commuting and stuff like that. I am a bit concerned, because I spent the equivalent to 200 USD to buy them because Kyocera doesn't ship to my country and I don't want to chip them or anything. Thanks for the tips :D |
SITE ADMIN
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... Jose, The set should have come with a box. Each knife should have also come with a plastic shipping sleeve on it. We usually recommend keeping that plastic sleeve in case you needed to move the knives from location to location. If you've already thrown that sleeve away, you may be able to find some knife sleeves that were made for steel knives. Those would work just as well. |
TariL
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... I was given a ceramic pairing knife, and it's the one I'll reach for before any other knife I have. It's by far, the sharpest blade in the drawer, and a sharp knife is a much safer knife than a dull blade. I found out the hard way exactly how sharp it IS when it sliced so easily through my thumb!!! Not the knife's fault, just a clumsy move on my part. So now I respect this knife above all others I have. And I hope to eventually own a set of them. |
Tom W.
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... Jose, yes you CAN buy a knife case. My cooking teacher had one for his good knives, the blades slip in, the flap flips down ond it rolls up and ties.. Also it has a handle to carry with.. |
Paul Marsh
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... Anyone who enjoys working in their kitchen has one main pre-requisite to follow;,,,,,,,respect for all the tools you use, especially knives and all other cutting implements,,,!!! And,,,,always remember, a dull knife is more dangerous that a properly sharpened one,,,,!!! |
SITE ADMIN
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... Rene, tap chop is fine with ceramic knives. When manufacturers warn against chopping with ceramic knives, what they mean is that you should not chop with it 'butcher' style. |
KarenB
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... Wish I'd read this BEFORE I squished a clove of garlic with my (now broken) ceramic knife ;-( I'm lucky that it is being replaced for free! One question: How does one sharpen a ceramic knife or don't they blint? |
Judy H
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... Am I able to chop things like carrots, cabbage etc or are these just for slicing and drawing the knife through the item to be cut? I received a set of 5 knives (Keramicos Kitchen brand) from my mom a month ago and I have tiny chips in everyone of the knives. I am not a professional chef and use the knives for salad and meal prep. I always use bamboo or plastic, never in the dishwasher and I don't put them in a sink of water (only once with bad results that required a bandaid). I would say I "treated them like a princess" and I know they were expensive. So if I can't chop with them, they may all go back for a refund. Any suggestions? |
SITE ADMIN
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... Judy, Yes you can chop with them. Some people rock their knives when they cut, being sure the tip always touches the cutting board. Others use a chopping motion, that's fine too. Just remember that not all ceramic knives are equal. If you get a nice set of ceramic knives you shouldn't have the chipping problem that you experienced. |
