Rubberized plastic, wood or silicone are used to make handles. Any of the materials has good performance qualities that do not allow the tool to slip even when working with wet or oily hands. High-quality ceramic knives are distinguished by a special way of attaching the handle to the blade; they are securely welded to it, so they are practically monolithic. The ergonomic curve of the handle fits perfectly in the hand, ensuring pleasant and comfortable work with this tool.
For convenient and reliable storage, knives are equipped with special protective covers that protect the cutting edge from damage. For recruitment ceramic knives The kit includes a special stand in which each knife occupies a specific place.
Advantages and disadvantages
Based on numerous reviews from users of ceramic knives, it is difficult to draw an unambiguous conclusion about their quality characteristics. Some express enthusiastic opinions and talk about the excellent cutting properties of the products. Users whose experience was negative and their knife quickly became unusable have an absolutely opposite opinion.
!
This article will be of interest to everyone who is partial to knives and their varieties. In it, John, the author of the YouTube channel "John Heisz - I Build It", will present to your attention the process of making a knife from ceramic floor tiles.
I’ll say right away that this is not a simple matter and greatly depends on the chosen ceramic tile. Even porcelain tiles come in very different grain sizes.
Materials.
- A piece of ceramic tile of the required size
- Container with water
Tools used by the author.
- Belt sanding machine
- Bulgarian with diamond blade
- Diamond-coated needle file
- Marker.
Manufacturing process.
So, is it possible to make a knife out of tiles? John suggests that the short answer to this question is yes, you can make a knife out of floor tiles. However, it is very difficult to make it sharp enough to cut. But even if you manage to make it sharp enough, the edge of the knife will not hold up for long because the tiles are too fragile. Yet the author has been wanting to do this for quite some time, and today is the day.
So, he has a piece of tile from the set that he has in his kitchen. This type of tile is known as porcelain tile. It is more solid, whereas ceramic tile It is only hard on the outside, but on the inside it is soft.
And then the author began to cut the workpiece using an ordinary grinder with a diamond blade, which perfectly cuts stone, tiles and concrete. As you can see, the disc makes a rather rough cut; when turning, parts of the tile break off.
The disc easily removes the tile material from the side. This is the most quick way do the initial shaping of the knife's slopes, and here you can see that the author removes the slopes from both sides, trying to make them thin enough.
John tried sharpening the blade using a file and wetting it with water. Moreover, you cannot take one that is too narrow, because the edge will be cut off too easily and there will be unevenness. You can see that the author ended up with a pretty big chip, which could be a problem later, so he changes strategy.
John quickly ran out of patience with the needle file, especially since it was a bit worn out, although it is also used for tiles. The author will try to do the rest of the blade sharpening on his homemade belt grinding machine, with tape dimensions 2X72 inches. He has silicon carbide belts and they are used to grind glass or tile and the author has used this method before to make a stone ring and it worked really well.
But ceramics is much more complex. It took about twenty minutes just to straighten the edge of the blade, bevels and remove chips. As a result, the required sharpness of the blade edge was obtained, although the author was worried that chipping would begin again.
This gave John the confidence to work on the rest of the knife. Therefore, he smoothes the spine of the knife, the back and belly of the handle. Also, by slightly tilting the edge of the butt and other parts towards the surface of the tape, I got rid of small chips.
Then the author decided that he would imprison him for fresh air diamond file with water. But as soon as he started doing this, the chips started instantly again. The tool is clearly not suitable for this.
Therefore, the author returned it back to the workshop, and chose for further processing blades another grinder. This is a smaller designer loom with a 1" x 30" ribbon. And there is a very thin diamond belt for it, which the author purchased to sharpen tungsten carbide cutters. As you can see, it works very well, the author is actually surprised that the blade can be sharpened.
The author's opinion is that it is indeed very difficult to work with ceramics using a needle file. Everything happens for one simple reason - you automatically work with it like a saw, and during the return movement you get chips. Perhaps you are not adjusting the pressure very well. But on a grinding machine, the belt moves in one direction, and the contact area with it is larger.
In general, this is the control paper cut that John achieved.
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Ceramic knives appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, but quickly gained popularity, despite their relatively high cost and fragility. A ceramic knife is made, as the name implies, from hard ceramics, usually based on zirconium dioxide, using the method of dry pressing and long-term firing. Ceramics for the production of knives can be used either white or black. In both cases there are certain features. For example, knives made from black ceramics have better strength and are more wear-resistant than knives made from white ceramics. This is explained by the fact that when black dyes are added to ceramics, products made from this composition take longer to fire than knives made from white ceramics. Accordingly, their strength increases (however, the cost also increases due to higher energy consumption).
The main material for the production of ceramic knives is the mineral zircon, which is quite rare. Colorless zircon is mined in Australia, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, India, and the USA. Zircon, intended for the manufacture of both Japanese and European ceramic knives, is sent to Chinese factories, where it is used to produce white powder - zirconium dioxide. In knife factories, finely dispersed zirconia powder is pressed into blade-shaped plates under pressure of about 300 tons. The resulting blanks are fired in a kiln at a temperature of 1400-1500 degrees Celsius for 48 hours (two days is the minimum period). At the exit of the furnace, the fragile plates are transformed into light and durable ceramics, which in terms of hardness can be compared with and even surpass the hardest steel. Thus, the hardness of Damascus steel is 6.3 points on the Mohs scale, and the hardness of ceramic blades is in the range of 8.2-8.5 points. On last stage Ceramic knives are sharpened. Expensive products produced in factories in Japan and Switzerland are sharpened by hand on a diamond-coated wheel. This is a very lengthy and expensive process. It is obvious that the quality and high performance characteristics ceramic knives depend, first of all, on the composition used and careful adherence to production technology.
Zirconium dioxide knives have a super-sharp blade that does not require additional sharpening for a long time; resistance to external physical influences (they are very difficult to scratch); chemical neutrality when used (do not react chemically with acids). In addition, they are easy to use and do not require special care. However, ceramics are still enough brittle material, which is contraindicated for blows, bending of the blade and falls from great heights. A ceramic knife should not be used to cut hard, tough or very dense foods. It is not recommended to use them for slicing fruits and vegetables with hard and durable skins (watermelon, melon, cabbage, etc.). It is not suitable for chopping or cutting on hard surfaces as these can damage the blade.
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Today the largest and well-known manufacturers zirconium dioxide knives are from Japan and China. These countries in the eastern region are home to hundreds, if not thousands various production– from semi-handicraft to the largest factories. The most popular in the entire market are two Japanese brands - Samura and Kyocera. Ceramic knives are produced in much smaller quantities in Switzerland and Germany. However, they are “produced” in in this case not quite the right word. Even well-known European companies that own the brands Franc Muller, Bergner, Kelli, locate their production in the People's Republic of China, which is famous for its cheap labor force. At the same time, European managers exercise strict control over the quality of products. It is in Chinese factories that almost all orders under third-party brands for domestic markets are fulfilled various countries peace.
What is the difference between Japanese and Chinese made knives? Leading Japanese companies are constantly working to improve the quality of their products and their performance properties, experimenting with materials and improving the technology used. However, due to the high cost of modern production equipment, as well as the use of various innovative materials The retail price of Japanese products turns out to be an order of magnitude higher than the market average. If previously the high cost of ceramic knives was explained by their novelty and small selection, then as competitors appeared (primarily from China) and prices for ceramic knives dropped, products from Japanese brands ceased to be very popular. Chinese manufacturers focus primarily on the mass buyer. Of course, a reduction in price inevitably leads to some deterioration in quality. Blades of Chinese-made products require more frequent sharpening than their Japanese counterparts. In addition, it does not have a reliable handle fastening. And despite all this, affordable prices and compliance with quality standards have ensured that ceramic knives from China are highly popular among Russian consumers.
Moreover, some Russian manufacturing companies enter into agreements for the supply of ceramic knives together with Japanese manufacturers and place most of their orders in China. Such trilateral cooperation allows us to maintain product quality at a sufficiently high level. high level, adhere to global quality standards and at the same time maintain affordable prices. It is not profitable to set up the production of ceramic knives in Russia, since one equipment will cost several tens of millions. At the same time, the cost of one ceramic knife when manufactured in China in the simplest version is about 30-35 rubles per piece. Cost more expensive models can be 10 times higher due to the use quality materials, manual labor when sharpening blades and energy costs for additional firing of workpieces. For example, a ceramic knife from one of the Japanese brands with a universal blade 5 inches long can be purchased from the manufacturer for 500-600 rubles in our money. The exact cost of one product depends on the volume of the purchased batch.
At the same time, the same knife will cost 900-1200 rubles from domestic wholesale companies. In retail stores, the same knife is sold at a price of at least 2,500 rubles and more. Thus, when working with Japanese knives it is more profitable to purchase them in large quantities directly from the manufacturer and sell them in Russia through retail chains. To organize such a business you will need at least one million rubles. These funds will be used to register individual entrepreneurs, purchase the first batch of goods, customs clearance, obtaining all necessary documents, organizing sales. When ordering ceramic knives from an unnamed Chinese factory Wholesale price will be 30-150 rubles per product with a minimum batch of 300 units. You can also purchase them at retail (often even with free shipping around the world) at a price of 300 rubles per piece (in a set it will be even cheaper - from 150 rubles per knife).
Ready ideas for your business
Depending on the capital you have, you can either order the production of knives in China under your own brand, or purchase ready-made products and register everything for it Required documents. The first option, of course, is more cost-effective and suitable for long-term work, since you can not only determine the volume of the purchased batch, assortment, etc., but also brand your products, giving them individuality and developing your own brand. The only drawback – high costs. You will need to register your own trademark, track changes in demand, collaborate with designers, organize sales, engage in pricing and perform many more functions. For efficient work you will need a whole staff of employees - from a purchasing manager to a marketing specialist. In fact, it will already be real production company, placing orders in China (as most domestic and Western enterprises do).
If you have a small amount, then it would be more expedient to purchase batches of knives from Chinese manufacturers and wholesale companies and sell them in Russia through your own and third-party online stores and retail chains. This option is no less promising, although the level of competition in this case will be much higher. It is best to focus on products of a low price category, for which you can set a large markup (it can reach up to 300%), and even in this case it will still cost much less than Japanese knives.
Ready ideas for your business
There is a third option, which is less profitable, but attracts entrepreneurs with a low level of competition. You can purchase ceramic knives made in Europe, made in China with the same European quality and from Japanese materials. They will cost 1.5-2 times more than Chinese knives due to the presence of one more link in the chain. You will have to pay extra for a well-known and resonant brand. In general, this segment is quite promising. But you will have to spend a lot of time and money promoting your products: domestic consumers associate ceramic knives with Japan, and you will have to convince them that European products are in no way inferior in quality and durability to Japanese ones.
Please note: although this direction still remains promising, the market is already close to saturation. Therefore, if you want to succeed, you need to carefully monitor the quality of your product, invest money in advertising and promotion, organize sales and plan further business development (creating a network of branded stores, expanding the product line, entering the federal level).
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Hi all! I've recently developed a kind of mania - when I come to visit, I pay attention to what kind of knives the owners use. So, I noticed a trend that people are increasingly buying ceramic knives. You've probably seen such knives with a white or black blade in the store, or maybe you use one like this.
I wondered why people buy them? After all, if we discard all marketing slogans, they have only shortcomings. Therefore, I decided to conduct, let’s say, a little research on the topic: “Does it make sense to buy a ceramic knife?” Why did I go shopping, hold knives from different brands in my hands, look at the geometry, and I even managed to sharpen such a blade. True, it was already old, but that didn’t stop it from being ceramic.
But, let's take it in order. First, let's define what kind of animal this is.
What is a "ceramic knife"?
In a nutshell, this knife is really made of ceramics, but in order not to repeat myself, I will give an excerpt from Wikipedia
The raw material for the production of ceramic knives is the mineral zircon, from which zirconium dioxide is produced. The powder is pressed into molds, after which the workpiece is fired at a temperature of 1500C for a long time (at least 2 days). The blades of ceramic knives can be white or black. Added to knives with a black blade special dye and they are baked for a longer time and therefore are more wear-resistant and expensive.
Just like that, they poured the powder into the mold and under the press. The handle was stuck on and sold. Now it’s clear, friends, what kind of product is this?
But still, because people use it, it means it has advantages. Let's look at them a little, and at the same time consider the disadvantages.
Advantages
While looking at ceramic knives in the store, I also read the instructions for them. Let's follow these instructions. Here it is, by the way (sorry for the photo quality). So, the advantages...
Hygienic- a rather dubious advantage; in my opinion, any knife will be hygienic if it is washed and wiped dry on time. The only thing, to be fair, is that folding knives can be considered not entirely hygienic (dirt gets stuck in the gaps), but again you just need to periodically disassemble and wipe the folding knives. And besides, we don’t seem to use folding knives in the kitchen.
Chemically neutral- there’s no arguing that they are truly neutral, but this is true when it comes to highly acidic foods (lemons, limes, etc.) and a carbon steel knife.
Reference. Without going into the metallurgical jungle, a carbon steel knife is a knife whose blade is made of steel containing less than 13% chromium. It is the presence of at least 13% chromium in steel that allows it to be stainless.
Do you have a carbon knife in your kitchen? Oh, I doubt it, why do you need a knife in the kitchen, which needs to be washed and wiped dry after each (!) use, otherwise it will rust? Well, perhaps this is some rare copy left over from my grandfather. And so, almost everywhere in kitchens knives are used from of stainless steel. And stainless steel is no less neutral than ceramics.
By the way, I saw an experiment somewhere on the Internet: they cut an apple with a stainless steel knife and a ceramic one. So, an apple cut with a ceramic knife darkened fifteen minutes later. This is just for information.
Does not leave any foreign odors on the product- well, this is absolutely... Friends, you don’t need to cut apples with the same knife you just used to cut up the herring, then there won’t be any foreign odors.
Although this may mean that the smell of iron remains on the products, but this again comes from the use of carbon knives. Yes, indeed, there is a certain aftertaste from such knives, but this aftertaste is absolutely absent when using stainless steel knives.
Not subject to corrosion and rust- you can’t argue with that, they really aren’t susceptible. There is nothing in ceramic knives to rust, but let's be fair - what should you do with a stainless steel knife for it to start rusting?
So, it’s no less dubious a virtue than all of the above, but we haven’t finished with the virtues yet... Let’s continue.
Do not magnetize and do not accumulate electric charges - cool dignity... We're talking about kitchen knife, which is used to cut onions and sausage, and not to change plugs on wires. Or do you polish your knives on a wool hat?
Lightweight and easy to use- Are steel knives difficult? Does a person have to have a degree to be able to cut bread? Some kind of nonsense, not dignity... Like the last of them.
Retains color and is pleasant appearance - this is just from the area of “sucked out of thin air”. I don’t even see the point in commenting.
Acute- yes, there is nothing to say here. Indeed, ceramic knives are very sharp when new, but after long-term use... But I will talk about this in the disadvantages
Let's look at the disadvantages, the advantages seem to be over.
Flaws
There are few disadvantages to a ceramic knife, but they are so huge that I don’t understand why people buy them. So
Fragility- this is ceramics, moreover, it is also pressed and thermally very highly processed, which, in my opinion, leads to the occurrence of internal stresses. After all, even ordinary ceramic plate falling on the floor it may not break, while a ceramic knife will surely break.
Storage in specially designated areas- this, in principle, also applies to steel knives, but for them it is not as critical as for ceramic ones. Try throwing a ceramic knife into a drawer with forks and spoons. I think after a while I will have to throw this knife away.
Price- the price tag for ceramic knives varies from 200 rubles and more. It all depends on the length of the knife. Although in the same price category you can buy a good steel knife that can be dropped and can be easily sharpened.
Difficulty sharpening- It is possible to sharpen a ceramic knife, but it is problematic. Yes, now there are special machines for sharpening ceramic knives, but what if there is no such machine and the knife has become dull?
Sharpening a ceramic knife
As part of this research, I borrowed a ceramic knife from my sister, not new, quite hackneyed and just so dull.
Arriving home, I began to carefully examine the knife. What I saw...
Firstly, the geometry of the blade is quite inconvenient - the spine is thick, the slopes start from the second third of the blade and the knife itself is somehow too light. Although lightness is rather subjective, I’m just not used to such knives. It was not convenient for me to cut bread with such a knife, and my wife was not delighted.
Secondly, the tip is well chipped, as if they tried to tighten the screws with a knife.
Thirdly, I looked at the cutting edge, wondering why he was so stupid... Dear Mom! How can this be - there are gouges along the entire (!) length of the cutting edge.
I ran my fingernail along the cutting edge (friends, if you don’t understand some knife terms, please read here) and I had the impression that I was not running along the edge of a knife, but along the edge of some kind of saw...
I can explain this wear only to one reason: ceramics is a very hard material and therefore the edge simply cannot curl, like on a steel knife, and so it crumbles. But such gaps...
I think we should try to sharpen this blade, it’s interesting. There are rumors that ceramic knives don't sharpen, so I'll check...
In general, you can sharpen a ceramic knife, but you will need diamond stones and a lot of patience.
conclusions
So, does it make sense to buy a ceramic knife? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. In my opinion, a fan of good steel knives, ceramic knives have no advantages other than sharpness. But all my knives are sharp and for me this is not an advantage.
By the way, I asked my sister why she uses a ceramic knife. Do you know what the answer was? It's spicy! That is, sharpness is the main advantage, but again, in my opinion, this only means (I don’t want to offend anyone, friends, but the fact remains) that people cannot or do not know how to properly sharpen simple steel knives and nothing more.
Here, everyone chooses friends for themselves. Let me give you another example. I recently watched the program “Culinary Duel” (I have a sin, I like to cook sometimes), you know, where a professional chef and some famous amateur compete. So, I noticed that professionals use only expensive steel knives, while amateurs use ceramic ones. Although maybe it was just a marketing ploy...
With all the shortcomings of a ceramic knife, I found him good use- there will be such a knife a great gift for a housewarming party! It’s been tested, I’ve already given away a dozen ceramic knives and everyone I gave it to was invariably satisfied...
With this I say goodbye and remember: The knife must be sharp! Good luck to all!
The search for ways to create better cutlery used in the process of preparing and consuming food has been going on for many centuries and will continue in the future. At the dawn of humanity, as cutting tool sharpened stones and shells were used. Later copper-bronze knives appeared, then iron ones. Iron knives are quite reliable, but have significant drawbacks, one of which is their instability to corrosion.
This problem was practically solved with the advent of stainless steel, but stainless steel also has its drawbacks: it is quite soft, and knives made from it do not hold an edge well. Therefore, the search for a more perfect knife did not end there, and ceramic knives appeared. Ceramics has proven to be the most promising material for the production of non-metallic knives. Experiments on making ceramic knives began in the 80s of the 20th century in Japan.
Japanese ceramic knives have become the pinnacle of knife art, which was achieved thanks to the skillful combination of centuries-old traditions and application latest technologies one of the most highly developed countries in the world.
Buying ceramic knives is now very easy - they are cheap and sold everywhere. But just recently, buying a ceramic knife was a serious blow to the wallet.
In 1985, the Japanese company Kyocera began producing knives made of zirconium dioxide ceramics. Zirconium dioxide has a high hardness, which is measured using the Mohs hardness scale for materials. Thus, the hardness of zirconium dioxide on the Mohs scale is about 8.5 units, while the hardness of steel on this scale is 5.5 - 6 units, corundum - 9 units, diamond - 10 units. Thus, the material from which ceramic knives are made is close to diamond in hardness. Zirconium ceramics is used not only for the production of knives, but also in jewelry, in the aviation industry and mechanical engineering, and in dentistry. The wear resistance of zirconium dioxide is more than 80 times greater than that of steel: high-quality ceramic knives made from it can last a very long time while remaining sharp.
The process of making ceramic knives is complex and lengthy. To obtain a ceramic blade, zirconium dioxide powder is first pressed under a pressure of 300 tons per square centimeter, then subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 1600-2000 degrees Celsius in special furnaces for a long time (from two to six days). In this case, sintering of zirconium dioxide crystals occurs and the process of forming blanks occurs. Moreover, the longer the product is kept in the oven, the stronger it becomes. Then the ceramic plates (future blades) are sharpened.
Depending on the features technological process The result is black or white ceramics. Black ceramics is obtained by adding a special black dye and keeping the pieces in ovens for a longer time, as a result of which they become stronger. Therefore, knives made of black ceramics are more wear-resistant, but they are also more expensive than knives made of white ceramics. The quality of ceramic knives differs greatly from each other, since it entirely depends on the technological equipment of the manufacturer and on his compliance with the technological process.
Ceramic knives are popular among both professionals and culinary enthusiasts. Truly Japanese ceramic knives have a one-sided sharpening, which is due to the traditions of the samurai heritage and the influence of Japanese national cuisine. For export, the Japanese, as a rule, produce knives with the double-sided sharpening familiar to Europeans. Among the most famous brands One can distinguish knives from Hatamoto, Kasumi, Samura, Kyocera, Shinoda, Bergner, and Swiss Home.
What are the advantages of ceramic knives over conventional knives made of steel?
The first advantage is the sharpness of the knife and the ability to maintain sharpness for a long time: they are sharpened once every one and a half to two years, and with intensive but careful use of the knife, such a knife can maintain sharpness for up to three years.
The second advantage is the chemical neutrality of ceramic knives, which is reflected in their inability to retain odor. A ceramic knife does not affect the taste and quality of the prepared food, since it is made of an extremely dense, low-porosity material. It is enough to rinse it with hot or cold water after meat, and you can already cut fruit with it. Ceramic knives do not leave an unpleasant aftertaste, as they do not enter into chemical reactions with products.
The third advantage of ceramic knives is their low weight, which makes them easy to use. With a ceramic knife you can cut for a long time and quickly without feeling tired.
The fourth advantage of ceramic knives is their absolute resistance to corrosion. Ceramic knives have no metal components, so they are not subject to rust, do not change color, do not become stained, and are not afraid of hot water and aggressive detergents.
The fifth advantage is their resistance to scratches on the blade. Thanks to its exceptional hardness, a ceramic blade is almost impossible to scratch, which means it will last a long time and retain its attractive appearance.
The sixth advantage of a ceramic knife is that ceramic surface smoother than steel. This ensures an easier cut.
TO negative qualities ceramic knives should be attributed to their relative fragility: as a result of strong bending, the blade can be broken. A steel knife is much stronger in bending, since the metal has greater viscosity. When cutting meat with bones and other very hard foods, the cutting edge of the ceramic knife may become chipped. Before you buy a ceramic knife, decide how you will store it. Many manufacturers offer special stands in which the knives do not touch each other.
Another, conditionally negative, property of a ceramic knife can be considered its lack of versatility, characteristic of metal knives. Ceramic knives are very convenient in the kitchen, but are completely unsuitable for use as a tourist knife, or a knife “for all occasions.”
Let us dwell on the features of using ceramic knives.
So, these knives are ideal for cutting soft, juicy foods: fruits, tomatoes, meat. Hard foods (for example, pumpkin, watermelon, zucchini) should be cut with care, using sliding movements. It is not recommended to cut frozen foods with ceramic knives due to the danger of breaking the blade. When cutting with a ceramic knife, use cutting board made of plastic or wood, you should work above the table, since if the knife falls and hits a hard surface ( tiles) the ceramic knife may burst. You should also not use such a knife for chopping. Ceramic knives can be washed hot water no worries, but it is not recommended to wash them in dishwasher, since the knife may hit cutting edge O metal surfaces. These knives must be stored carefully, separately from other utensils. Perfect option- use of special stands with “noodles” - these can be bought in our store.
In conclusion, it should be said that sometimes it is advisable to buy a set of ceramic knives: this will allow you to cook more efficiently and quickly. It is important that a set consisting of several knives will cost you less than purchasing each knife separately. The standard set includes knives with blades various sizes and shapes. The choice is yours!
