Q: How do I sharpen Kyocera ceramic knives?
A: Unlike traditional steel cutlery, ceramic knives generally do not need to be sharpened at all. However, if you would like to have your Kyocera knives sharpened, they can be sent to the manufacturer for sharpening.

Q: Will a Kyocera knife shatter if dropped?
A: Ceramic knives will not shatter if dropped. As with any knife, however, the delicate tip can break if the knife is dropped on its tip.

Q: How can I damage a ceramic knife?
A: You can break the tip (and possibly snap the blade off the handle) if you use a ceramic knife to pry, rather than slice. You can also chip the edge if you cut into bones.

Q: Are Kyocera ceramic knives dishwasher-safe?
A: We do not recommend putting your Kyocera knives in the dishwasher for several reasons. Violent motion against other objects, especially hard plates, could chip the knives and damage the plates. If you have Kyocera's wood-handled Ming Tsai knives, dishwashing can ruin the wooden handles. And, of course, it can be dangerous to reach into a dishwasher tray and accidently grab the knife by the blade. Ceramic knives are very easy to clean with a quick wipe, since food does not stick to the blades, so we do not recommend using a dishwasher.

Q: Do Kyocera knives come with a warranty?
A: Each Kyocera knife comes with a five year manufacturer warranty.

Q: How should I store my Kyocera ceramic knives?
A: You can store your ceramic knivese in a conventional wooden knife block, in an in-drawer tray, or in their original package.

Q: Why are ceramic knives so expensive?
A: Zirconium oxide is a relatively new, advanced material which costs more than steel. In addition, the U.S. government charges an unusually high import duty on advanced ceramic products.

Q: Where are Kyocera knives made?
A: Kyocera produces ceramic knives in Sendai, a small city in southwest Japan on the island of Kyushu.

Q: How are Kyocera knives made?
A: First, ceramic powder is molded into blade "blanks" with special high pressure presses. Special binders in the powder allow the blanks to retain their shape before sintering (or firing), which takes several days at extremely high temperatures (in excess of 1000 C). The knife blanks are then ground and polished on a diamond wheel to form an edge before the handle is attached.

Q: Which Kyocera ceramic knife is sharpest?
A: The Ming Tsai Chef's Knife 130. Most Kyocera ceramic knives have an edge formed by one vertical side and one angled side. Ming Tsai Chef's Knife 130 has edges formed by two angled sides.

Q: Why are some of the knives black?
A: The hot-pressed Kyocera KYO-TOP knives have a special blade made of zirconium carbide, which turns black when fired. Zirconium carbide is even more resistant to damage from misuse or dropping.