Kyocera is best known for its phones, cameras, printers and other consumer electronics. But around here, we tend to ignore that stuff and focus instead on their knives. Their knives are a pretty interesting proposition, so read on to find out more.
Kyocera is a global behemoth of a company that makes a ton of different products. Their product lineup is quite diverse, though most of it falls in the area of consumer electronics and electronics components. What many people do not know about Kyocera, though, is that they originally specialized in the design and development of products using high-end ceramics. In fact, the name Kyocera derives from the city where they were founded — Kyoto, Japan — and from the word “Ceramics”. That expertise led them to develop knives that are quite distinct from what most other manufacturers are making.
Ceramic knives are nothing short of revolutionary. Ceramic blades can be given an edge that is sharper than many commercial steels and will hold that edge for a very long time. For many cooks used to a well-worn and infrequently-sharpened steel knife, a ceramic blade can feel like a pleasant surprise.
Ceramic blades are also naturally pathogen-resistant and do not rust. This means that ceramic edges do not need to be cleaned immediately after use as do high-end steel knives.
Finally, ceramic blades do not impart any metal taste upon food being prepared. All this adds up to an attractive proposition in kitchen knives.
The caveats? Well, there are really three. First off, Ceramic is fragile. Drop a ceramic knife and it may chip or break. Steel knives will never do that. Second knock on ceramic knives is that they are impossible to sharpen by a home user. So, while ceramic knives will hold their edge for a long time, when it comes time to resharpen they will need be sent to a professional. And finally, since ceramic knives are brittle, they can not be made as thin or as sharp as a harder high-end steel knives.
These downsides, taken together, mean that professional chefs do not generally opt for ceramic knives. But many a home cook is comfortable with these trade-offs and swears by their ceramic blades.
Kyocera’s high-end line is called the ‘Kyotop’ series. These blades have a damascus steel patterned blade and pakkawood handles. The Revolution series is the more mainstream line – it’s intended to bring the benefits of ceramic blades to the avid home chef.
Kyocera also offers a full line of shears, peelers, sharpening tools and a mandolin.
