# Ceramic Knives. Opinions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624 "2011-08-05T19:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/1 "2011-08-05T19:11:17Z")
MY neighbor has a few ceramic knives and I’m curious how popular they are. They are very cool looking but I’m wondering how long they hold an edge? Can you sharpen them with a standard sharpener if at all? Do you prefer them to steel? If so why? Are they more expensive? Tell me about them if you have them. Also, why does these blades at Amazon look metallic in some of the customer pics but white in others? My neighbors knives are white. > **[Amazon.com: Kyocera Revolution Series Paring and Santoku Knife Set, Black Blade:...](https://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-Revolution-Paring-Santoku-Knife/dp/B00170X2U2)** > > Online shopping for Kitchen Knives & Accessories from a great selection of Cutlery Sets, Specialty Knives, Sharpeners, Cutting Boards, & more at everyday low prices. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/2 "2011-08-05T19:27:13Z")
Everyone I know that has them loves 'em. I don’t think you can sharpen them with a regular steel, but they supposedly hold an edge for a very, very long time…unless you drop it on a tile floor. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/3 "2011-08-05T19:29:39Z")
I do not have extensive experience with them but I did take a “knife skills” class where you had an opportunity to learn various techniques with kitchen knives. One benefit of the glass is you got to use a variety of knives, for example german steel chef’s knives, japanese steel chef’s knives, ceramic knives, etc. Personally I did not like the ceramic knives. Something about the weight, or lack thereof, of the knife i my hand just felt strange to me. I preferred the heavier feel of steel. It was hard for me to believe this white ceramic knife that just looked junky and fake could actually be sharp. My thumb quickly learned differently! Super-duper sharp! MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![TheTerribleTako](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@TheTerribleTako](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTerribleTako)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/4 "2011-08-05T20:05:05Z")
The nice thing about ceramic knives is that the grip is perfect for someone with small hands. Compared to my regular chef’s knife, my ceramic knife is much lighter which makes chopping less strenuous on my wrists. Personally, I love mine, although I can understand why people would find it kind of cheap and fussy. You can’t sharpen it yourself. You need to send it in to be sharpened by the company, and if I recall correctly, shipping costs around $8-10 each time. Depending on how often you use the knife though, you probably don’t need to send it in very often. I’ve had mine for about 2 years now, using it around 5 times a week and it’s only now getting dull enough for me to consider sending it in. One of the nice things about ceramic is that you can have various colors for the blade just like you have different colors for your ceramic cups and plates. If I do get another ceramic knife, I’d consider the lime green one. Cost wise, it’s a little cheaper than a forged-blade knife, but on par with stamped-steel knives. Whether it’s worth it is up to you. I certainly wouldn’t use a ceramic knife as my main knife in the kitchen since I never use mine to chop meat, but it’s a nice supplemental knife. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/5 "2011-08-05T21:22:26Z")
One of the advantages is that they won’t cause vegetables such as cabbage or some greens to turn brown after you cut them. Or so I’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/6 "2011-08-05T21:59:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One of the advantages is that they won’t cause vegetables such as cabbage or some greens to turn brown after you cut them. Or so I’ve been told. Including lettuce? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/7 "2011-08-05T22:15:59Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Including lettuce? Yeah, pretty sure. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/8 "2011-08-06T20:59:34Z")
I have a cheapie ‘As Seen On TV’ type. It’s sharp, all right (always good to get that first accidental gash on the thumb out of the way!), slices meat and cheese OK. There’s a list of stuff NOT to do with it, though - no chopping hard things, no cutting into bones. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/9 "2011-08-07T03:18:50Z")
I bought one and thought it sucked. Then it broke the 2nd time I used it. Wasted money. I’ve never had a steel knife break, tho. I wouldn’t buy another ceramic knife unless I needed to hijack an airplane or something. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/10 "2011-08-07T03:29:04Z")
I got one for Christmas; I have no idea about its relative quality. I do know that about three months after getting it it was duller than my steel knives, dull enough that I haven’t taken it out of the knife block since then. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/11 "2011-08-07T03:44:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One of the advantages is that they won’t cause vegetables such as cabbage or some greens to turn brown after you cut them. Or so I’ve been told. Isn’t that a myth? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/12 "2011-08-07T03:54:19Z")
IMHO they’re over priced and don’t do anything better than a good sharp steel knife. The only reason I could see buying one is if youlive somewhere remote where you can’t get you knives sharpened. Personally I use [Dexter Russel](http://www.dexter-russell.com/Universal_Prod_Display_2.asp?Line=SS&Type=12) knives and have them professionally sharpened twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/13 "2011-08-07T14:50:08Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Isn’t that a myth? Don’t know, but that’s what they used to advertise. That’s why the qualifier. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/14 "2011-08-08T01:18:09Z")
We love ours. We have two paring knives and a chef’s knife. Use them all the time. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/15 "2011-08-08T01:56:09Z")
Never had a chance to use, but they’ve always seemed like a great solution for a home cook. Simple, sharp, (usually) comfortably designed, and mostly maintainance-free. The big downside is that they need to be handled carefully to prevent chipping and cracking – that said, all good knives SHOULD be handled carefully to prevent damage. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/16 "2011-08-08T03:32:15Z")
ceramics are usually harder than steel and require very fine grit of either aluminim oxide or diamond. they have some use in EOD where non-magnetic tools are needed. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/17 "2011-08-08T19:26:32Z")
I’ve always been afraid of dropping one on a ceramic floor. What happens then? ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/18 "2011-08-08T20:37:29Z")
Pro - They hold an edge better than steel Con - They will break with very little sideways pressure applied. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/19 "2011-08-08T21:32:12Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > I’ve always been afraid of dropping one on a ceramic floor. What happens then? They probably break or chip. I am not the carefullest person with my tools I have had ceramic knife for 6 plus years and have not broken it which is more that I can say for wine glasses. I love my Kyocera knife I use it for almost every thing from cutting up a whole chicken to slicing tomatoes. I have given them to 5 different people and they all love them. It takes a fair amount of time and skill to keep a steel knife as sharp as these knives. After about 2 years ago I sent my first ceramic knife back to Kyocera for sharpening. It was still very sharp but not as sharp as the recently purchased paring knife. Now it is sharp again. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624/20 "2011-08-09T01:34:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Don’t know, but that’s what they used to advertise. That’s why the qualifier. To my knowledge, that’s not ceramic knives, it’s those plastic lettuce knives with the sort of inverted serrations - bumps instead of points. Those are dull enough to tear the lettuce rather than cutting it, which keeps individual cells intact (since the connections between cells are weaker than the cells themselves), thereby leaving you with an intact cell wall along the ‘cut’. And since broken cells oxidize faster, the lettuce stays green. I wouldn’t think a sharp ceramic knife would do that, but I don’t have any firsthand knowledge. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceramic-knives-opinions/591624.md?page=2)