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Ceramic knives have a purpose in this world. If you are unsure of what purpose it holds in your life–or if it even holds a purpose–and need help deciding, below are most of the relevant properties of a ceramic blade. A ceramic knife may or may not be a good fit for you, but it’s nice to know all the facts before making that decision.

• Does not corrode in harsh environments; resistance to strong acids and caustic substances.

Ceramic is a very hard and tough substance. Zirconium Dioxide (zirconia) is often the material used to produce this hard ceramic: A blade is produced by dry pressing zirconia powder and firing them through solid-state sintering, an atomic diffusion process. The resultant blade is non-porous and hard. The molecular structure of processed zirconia makes it a non-porous material. In layman terms,  it does not corrode or stain and has a resistance to strong acids and caustic substances.  You can take it scuba diving or drop it in water and not have to worry about rust and corrosion. It ranks 8.5 on the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness compared to an average of 6.25 for hardened steel (1 for talc and 10 for diamond).

• Non-magnetic and will not conduct electricity.

Ceramic knives are not seen by conventional metal detectors. Many manufacturers include some kind of detectable metal to ensure that they are seen by standard metal detecting equipment.

• Retain their edge much longer than their metal counterparts

Ceramic blades rarely (emphasis on the rarely) need sharpening. The hardness of the ceramic  allows the blade to keep its edge almost indefinitely. You get ‘everlasting’ sharpness, but you loose durability of the blade. The harder a knife, the more brittle it becomes. A softer knife needs to be sharpened more often, but it can survive misuse, abuse and a bit of hard love. Ceramic blades are very brittle. They may break when dropped on a hard surface. Cannot be used for chopping through bones or frozen foods, or in other applications which require prying, which may result in chipping or catastrophic failure. Ceramic blades a better suited to culinary uses: cutting boneless meats, vegetables and fruits.

• Easy to clean.

Due to its non-porous and rust-free like qualities, cleaning a ceramic blade is easy. Bacteria, germs and the like cannot bind to the surface of the blade, making sanitation almost hassle-free. Use warm water and a tiny bit of detergent, and gently clean the blade.

You can find ceramic knives (from folding knives to kitchen knives) for great deals at BladeHQ.com!

It can be difficult to choose whether or not a ceramic knife is right for you. There are many things to consider when purchasing a ceramic knife; whether your main goal is to get an efficient, always sharp, lightweight pocket knife, or getting the ultimate long lasting kitchen knife. It’s very easy to get enthusiastic over a great ceramic knife, but you must also be aware of the disadvantages of owning such a knife.

Why Would You Want One?

There are basically two main purposes for a ceramic knife. One is a lightweight, every day carry pocket knife that is used mostly for simple tasks. Ceramic blades are non-magnetic, and extremely sharp, so there might be certain types of people who can take advantage of a ceramic EDC. The second is for every day use in the kitchen. Ceramic kitchen knives are extra sharp, and don’t need to be sharpened as often because they hold their edge extremely well.

The Downsides

Most all ceramic knives are made from a compound called zirconium oxide. No need to review your chemistry notes; this material is one of the hardest material compounds in the world and could be considered second to diamonds. Similar to diamonds, ceramic blades can be sharpened razor sharp and last a long time. However, being the hardest knife doesn’t mean toughest. Ceramic blades are fragile, brittle, and easily breakable or chipped if not used properly. They don’t bend like metal knives. Ceramic knives are not good for cutting hard things like chopping bone, or frozen food, and other ceramic or glass materials. If you decide that a ceramic blade is right for you, then you will have to be careful what you use your ceramic knife on.

Another downside is that ceramic knives can be more expensive when compared to metal knives. That is because you are paying for one of the sharpest knives you can get with little to no maintenance.

The Benefits

You can find great quality ceramic knives that for the cost can retain a sharp edge for an impressive amount of time. Many owners claim that these knives will stay sharp 10 to 15 times longer than their steel counterparts. Considering the overall life of the blade and cost, an owner can justify replacing a ceramic knife at cost rather than shipping it to get sharpened.

Ceramic blades are very light, so many do not need that much compensation in material to balance the knife. That leaves durability and grip to be the focus of the handle.

Ceramic blades are also very hygienic. They are extremely safe and clean to use the blade on fish then meat since the material used is so dense that it does not have pores to carry odor or bacteria.

The best part about ceramic blades is that because they are not metal, they are 100 percent rust free.

When purchasing a ceramic knife, in fact almost any knife, there are several things I like to consider. One blog post that I came across that I feel organized all my thoughts and worded it simply and clearly was on the site for “Ceramic Knife Reviews.”

The link is:

http://www.ceramicknifereviews.com/8-tips-you-must-know-before-buying-a-ceramic-knife/

Ceramic knives are one product where it is not as necessary to purchase the highest priced model to receive a high performance knife. The purpose and use I feel is limited, but if the shoe fits, it will be a great shoe that you can put a lot of miles on.