
Kyocera Cuts Above the Grade:
The
Ceramic Edge
If
Diamonds are ForeverThese Knives are Close Cousins
by
Louis Charles
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The
new Kyocera Sashimi Knife
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Years
ago high-tech ceramics were hailed as a replacement for
steel and other alloys, from car engines to watches. The
process has been slower than expected but it is indeed happening
and here's another application in daily life: ceramic cutlery.
Leader in premier advanced ceramics, Kyocera, has launched
a new Sashimi Knife that sushi chefs won't be able to live
without. It only takes a few cuts to be convinced how sharp
it is. The lightweight, 8.25" single-edge knife is
made of a highly advanced ceramic (zirconium oxide) that
is close to diamonds in hardness and fifty percent harder
than steel. It will never rust and keeps its cutting edge
ten times longer than regular steel blade knives.
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Ming
Tsai and the KC-80-WH Santoku Chef's Knife
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The
product received high marks from chef Ming Tsai who uses
the full line of Kyocera products on his cooking shows and
at his restaurant, Blue
Ginger:
"The
beauty of this knife is only surpassed by its unparalleled
performance. And considering it will stay sharper than any
other sashimi knife out there proves that beauty may be
more than just skin deep."
The
handcrafted knives go through a laborious creation process
that includes being vacuum-sealed for 24 hours at 20,000
tons of pressure, diamond-belt grinding and precision polishing.
As a result, the knives will last years without sharpening
and when they do require a tune-up, Kyocera offers complimentary
re-sharpening services with a nominal fee for shipping and
handling.
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Double-edged Slicer Mandoline
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There
are other benefits to using ceramic blades. The blades are
truly razor sharp, ground to a microscopic precision by
diamond wheels. The lighter weight sort of makes the tool
an extension of your own hand. Ceramic blades also do not
transfer metal ions to food.
In
addition to knives, Kyocera offers an array of other kitchenware
items. We like the vegetable peelers. Again, the handle
is extra lightweight and they will lose neither their good
looks nor "cutting edge" due to rust.
Such
high-tech knives come, of course, at a price. The sashimi
knife is around $800, but all other products are within
a reasonable price range. The only drawbacks are that they
cannot be used in certain cutting tasks where flexibility
is required, such as deboning a chicken or carving squash,
and that they might break under some extreme circumstances.
But then again, beauty always has a price.
Call 800-537-0294 or visit www.KyoceraAdvancedCeramics.com
to find a local retailer in your area.
(Updated:
01/26/07)
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