How to sharpen a ceramic knife: scheme and sharpening rules

Most users who prefer ceramic knives choose them for their convenience, a sharp blade, and the absence of the need for frequent sharpening. This type of knives dulls more slowly than their metal strip counterparts.

Ceramic knife sharpening rules

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

Despite the lack of the need for frequent sharpening, it still occurs 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! Do not use ceramic or glass boards to cut food with a ceramic knife. If it falls onto a tiled or stone floor, it may chip or split completely.

Ceramic blades are used for precise cuts, so most models are sharpened from one side. Universal blades with two wedge-shaped slopes 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, obtained at temperatures above 1500 ° C, is used. In terms of hardness, zirconium ceramics are close to 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 using the same or higher hardness index.

Only diamond-coated attachments are suitable for ceramic knives. Today there are several ways to sharpen zirconia ceramic blades:

1. A special sharpener with diamond dust is a bar, the sides of which are covered with crumbs of different grain sizes - large and small.
2. A manual sharpener is a device in which sharpening is performed using discs. The tilt angle adjusted by the manufacturer protects the blade from damage.
3. Electric Diamond Emery Sands - the professional tool for fast sharpening with two sharpening wheels. An adjustment option is available to adjust the strip thickness and slope. Operates on rechargeable batteries or conventional batteries.
4. Grinding machines - can be used by replacing the conventional abrasive wheel with a diamond-coated disc.
5. Musat is a device in which a diamond-coated hard metal rod is inserted into the handle. The rods can be cylindrical or polyhedral.
6. Diamond paste is an abrasive paste with a diamond grain size not exceeding 5 microns. Not suitable for initial sharpening, used for final grinding.

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

Ceramic knife sharpening diagram

The scheme depends on the chosen method.

1. Grindstone:
2. Moisten the stone well 30 minutes before starting work;
3. Perform basic sharpening on the side of the coarse-dusting bar without pressing hard;
4. Position the blade perpendicularly, but taking into account the sharpening angle;
5. In the presence of two wedge-shaped descents, turn the blade over and make movements in the opposite direction;
6. Turn the block over to the reverse side with a fine dusting and fine-tune the blade to a perfect state.

Reference! A diamond-coated sharpening stone must necessarily have a handle, without which the process for a user without skills is almost impossible.

Manual disc sharpener:

1. Place the blade in the slot;
2. Move it forward and backward several times with progressive movements;
3. If you need to sharpen both sides, turn the knife to the other side. Do the same manipulations.

Electric sharpener:

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

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

Musat:

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

Reference! Musat is not suitable for sharpening dull blades. It is suitable for regularly keeping the knife in perfect working order.

Grinder:

1. Install a 80 micron sputtered 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 imperative to work at a low speed, taking into account the manufacturer's degree of sharpening;
3. Turn the blade over when sharpening on both sides. Repeat the operation.
4. Change the disc to another - with a sputtering of 40 microns. Finish and grind.

Reference! The sharpening machine allows you to eliminate small chips on the blade.

Diamond paste:

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

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