How to Sharpen Ceramic Kitchen Knives

Ceramic kitchen knives can stay sharp for years.

Ceramic knives are popular with many home cooks and professional chefs because of their razor-sharp blades, light weight and resistance to odors and rust. The durable ceramic used in these knives also holds up well to daily use and does not need to be sharpened as often as stainless steel. A high-quality ceramic knife probably won't need to be sharpened for several years or until chips develop in the blade.

Things You'll Need

• Ceramic knife
• Silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper
• Mouse pad

Instructions

1. Place a strip of course sandpaper on top of the mouse pad. This will allow you to control the angle of the blade better and maintain steady, direct pressure between the sandpaper and the blade.

2. Hold the knife by the handle and press the blade firmly against the sandpaper without pressing too hard.

3. Elevate the back of the blade slightly and draw the blade back across the sandpaper toward your body and away from the edge of the sandpaper.

4. Repeat the motion 20 times in the same manner, careful not to cut into the sandpaper, until all chips appear to be gone.

5. Place a strip of finer-grit sandpaper on the mouse pad and repeat the process.

6. 

   Test the blade on common foods.

   Test the sharpness of the blade on foods you normally cut with your ceramic knife. Repeat sharpening if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Take ceramic blades to a knife shop or return to the manufacturer for professional sharpening, if you don't feel you can achieve a sharp cutting edge. Ceramic knife manufacturers will sometimes sharpen these knives for free, or for a small fee. A professionally sharpened ceramic knife will remain sharp for several years.

• Choose sandpaper with a larger grit of up to 600 grit to smooth out small chips and a finer grit, up to 2,000, for sharpening.

• Do not push a ceramic knife across sandpaper blade-first. This motion can cause the blade to catch on the sandpaper, which can damage or dull the blade.

• Do not attempt to operate a sharpening wheel unless you are well-versed in its use. Injuries can result from knives that are broken or dropped on the spinning sharpening wheel.

References

• My Ceramic Knives: Ceramic vs. Metal
• Ceramic Knife: Sharpening Advice

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish