How to sharpen a ceramic knife

Most users who prefer ceramic knives choose them for convenience, a sharp blade, and the absence of the need for frequent sharpening. This type of knife is dulled slower than its counterparts with a metal strip for cutting.

Rules for sharpening a ceramic knife

Ceramics require careful treatment due to the possibility of chips, after which it is impossible to restore the blade. The ceramic knife cannot be used for chopping ice or frozen foods in the freezer. It also does not withstand bends that may occur, for example, when opening cans.

Despite the lack of the need for frequent sharpening, it nevertheless arises from time to time. As a rule, this happens 1-2 times a year. With a careful attitude to the blade, it can last up to two years without sharpening.

Attention! For cutting products with a ceramic knife, do not use ceramic or glass boards. If it falls on a tiled or stone floor, it may cause chips or complete cracking.

Ceramic blades are used for precise cuts, so most models are sharpened on one side. Universal blades with two wedge-shaped descents are less common. Sharpening them is a more laborious process.

How to sharpen a ceramic knife

For the manufacture of strips for cutting, an alloy of ceramics with zirconium dioxide is used, obtained at temperatures above 1500 ° C. In terms of hardness, zirconium ceramic approaches diamond. This big plus becomes a problem when choosing a knife sharpening method. According to the laws of physics, a solid material can be sharpened with the same or higher hardness index.

For ceramic knives, only diamond-coated tools are suitable. Today, there are several ways to sharpen blades made of zirconium ceramic:

  1. A special diamond-ground sharpener is a bar whose sides are strewn with crumbs of different grain sizes - large and small.
  2. Manual sharpener - a device in which sharpening is performed using discs. The manufacturer's angle of inclination protects the blade from damage.
  3. Diamond-coated electric emery tools are a professional tool for quick grinding with two wheeled wheels. To adjust the strip thickness and tilt, there is an adjustment option. Operate on battery or conventional batteries.
  4. Grinding machines - can be used by replacing a conventional abrasive wheel with a diamond-coated blade.
  5. Musat is a device in which a core made of hard metals with diamond coating is inserted into the handle. The rods may be cylindrical or multifaceted.
  6. Diamond paste is an abrasive paste with a diamond grain size of not more than 5 microns. Not suitable for initial sharpening, used for final fine-tuning.

Attention! When choosing a sharpener, you should pay attention to three indicators: the type of processed knives, the angle of sharpening, the maximum thickness of the processed blade.

Ceramic knife sharpening pattern

The scheme depends on the selected method.

  1. Grindstone:
  2. 30 minutes before starting work, moisten the stone well;
  3. Make basic sharpening on the side of the bar with a large spraying without strong pressing;
  4. Position the blade perpendicular, but taking into account the angle of sharpening;
  5. In the presence of two wedge-shaped descents, turn the blade over and make movements in the opposite direction;
  6. Turn the block to the back with fine spraying and fine-tune the blade to perfect condition.

Reference! A diamond-grinding whetstone must always have a handle, without which the process is practically impossible for the user without skills.

Manual sharpener with discs:

  1. Place the blade in the slot;
  2. With forward movements, move it “back and forth” several times;
  3. If it is necessary to sharpen both sides, turn the knife in the other direction. Do the same manipulations.

Electric sharpener:

  1. Set options for tilt and blade thickness;
  2. Insert the blade into the slot on the device shaft;
  3. Turn on the device and hold it with a knife 3-4 times in the "forward-backward" direction.

Reference! An electric sharpener guarantees complete safety of the user from possible cuts and reduces the risk of damage to the knife to zero.

Musat:

  1. Set musat perpendicular to the table or with a slight slope;
  2. Without sudden movements, gently lower the blade from top to bottom and vice versa;
  3. Repeat the movement repeatedly.

Reference! Musat is not suitable for sharpening blunt blades. It is suitable for regularly maintaining the knife in excellent working condition.

Grinder:

  1. Install a 80 micron dusting disc for primary sharpening;
  2. Press the blade against the disk and carefully move it several times from the handle to the end of the knife. It is obligatory to work at a low speed taking into account the degree of sharpening of the manufacturer;
  3. Turn the blade over with double-sided sharpening. Repeat the operation.
  4. Change the disk to another - with a spray of 40 microns. Finish and grind.

Reference! The grinding machine eliminates small chips on the blade.

Diamond paste:

  1. Cut a piece of dense fabric (leather, tarpaulin) or cardboard;
  2. Apply a layer of paste on it;
  3. Sand evenly for a long time until the ceramic strip is perfectly smooth.

With an absolute lack of skills, the process of grinding a ceramic knife is best done in a service workshop.

Watch the video: How to sharpen ceramic knives at home (March 2024).

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