Kyocera Ceramic Knives

A 4.5-inch utility knife covers the in-between jobs where a paring knife runs short and a santoku feels oversized. Kyocera suggests this one for slicing sandwiches and smaller fruits and vegetables, and it is just as handy for sectioning an orange or cutting a block of tofu into cubes.The Innovation Black blade is solid ceramic. Citrus and tomato acids have nothing to react with, and the blade cannot rust if it is left wet in the rack. Kyocera’s testing puts the edge life of its Innovation blades at double that of its earlier ceramic knives. The trade-off with any ceramic edge is brittleness. Keep the tip out of bones and frozen food, and do not use it to pry.Customers ask us whether we are an authorized Kyocera dealer. We are, and it matters here, because Kyocera’s warranty only covers knives bought from authorized resellers. Knives from unauthorized sellers are excluded.
Where the 4.5-Inch Size FitsFor peeling and other in-hand work, the 3-inch Innovation Black Paring Knife is easier to steer. For thin slices of cooked meat, step up to the 5-inch Slicing Knife. This utility knife also comes in the Innovation Black 2-Piece Set and the 4-Piece Set, and the Innovation White 4.5-inch Utility Knife offers the same length with a white blade. Learn More

Cooked chicken breast, roast pork loin and smoked salmon slice most cleanly when the blade is long and narrow enough to finish each cut in a single draw. Kyocera designed this 5-inch Innovation Black knife for thin slices of boneless meat, and the extra length over a utility knife also lets it cross a wide melon or a bell pepper in one pass.Because the blade is ceramic, it leaves no metallic taste on fish or fruit and never needs drying to prevent rust. Kyocera reports that its Innovation ceramic keeps its edge for double the time of the company’s earlier blades. Ceramic does not flex, so use a steel knife for carving around bones or anything frozen.Knife Merchant is an authorized Kyocera dealer, a point customers ask us to confirm before ordering. Kyocera extends its limited warranty only to purchases from authorized resellers.
Comparing the 5-Inch SlicerThe 4.5-inch Innovation Black Utility Knife is half an inch shorter and easier to use in the hand. The Innovation White 5-inch Tomato Knife has a micro-serrated edge that bites into tomato skin and crusty rolls, where this plain edge is better for meat. You will also find this slicer in the Innovation Black 4-Piece Ceramic Knife Set. Learn More

At 5.5 inches, this is the smaller of the two Innovation Black santoku knives we carry, sized for preparing a few vegetables at a time with close control. The flat edge suits push cuts, so slicing scallions, dicing an onion and mincing parsley all happen with a straight down-and-forward stroke.Kyocera’s figures show this ceramic holding its sharpness twice as long as the company’s older Z206 material. The blade will not brown a cut apple or pick up a metallic taste from vinegar, and it cannot rust. Ceramic is also brittle, which is why Kyocera recommends steel for boning and frozen food.Customers ask us how to sharpen a ceramic santoku. A honing rod will not restore this edge, and Kyocera specifies diamond for the job. The Kyocera Diamond Wheel Sharpener is the home option. For a worn edge or a chipped tip, Kyocera sends owners to EVERSHARP, its authorized service provider (details on Kyocera’s sharpening service page).
5.5-Inch or 6-Inch Santoku?The Innovation Black 6-inch Chef’s Santoku gives a little more length for larger vegetables and a full cutting board. The same knife comes in the 4-Piece Set. With a white blade, it is the Innovation White 5.5-inch Santoku. Learn More

Kyocera calls this shape a chef’s santoku. It has the flat edge of a santoku and a 6-inch blade, enough length for chopping a head of broccoli or slicing a cucumber end to end on a full-size board.Kyocera lists chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing among its jobs, and the ceramic blade earns its keep on fruit and vegetables. It cannot rust and does not react with acidic ingredients. In Kyocera’s paper-cutting tests, Innovation blades lasted twice as long before dulling as the brand’s traditional ceramic. Since ceramic chips under twisting or impact, keep a steel knife nearby for bones, frozen food and hard cheese.Knife Merchant sells Kyocera as an authorized dealer, which customers ask about before buying. The answer affects coverage, since Kyocera’s limited warranty excludes knives sold by unauthorized dealers.
Chef’s Santoku or Chef’s Knife?The Innovation Black 7-inch Chef’s Knife adds an inch and a pointed tip. For a smaller hand or a short prep list, the 5.5-inch Innovation Black Santoku is easier to manage. It is also the larger of the two knives in the Innovation Black 2-Piece Ceramic Knife Set. Learn More

Kyocera recommends its 4.5-inch Innovation White utility knife for basic everyday cutting. It slices a sandwich, halves a lime and cuts an apple into wedges without the bulk of a larger knife.The straight blade is long enough to work on the board and short enough to handle in the air. Kyocera puts its weight at about half that of a comparable metal knife, and Yohei Kuwano’s handle tapers toward the blade with a rounded underside that holds steady in a wet hand. Citrus and tomatoes cannot discolor or corrode the ceramic.Is Knife Merchant an authorized Kyocera dealer? Customers ask, and the answer is yes, which keeps this knife eligible for Kyocera’s limited warranty, since Kyocera does not cover knives from unauthorized sellers.
Where the Utility Knife FitsThe Innovation White 3-inch Paring Knife is better for peeling, and the Innovation White 5.5-inch Santoku takes over for dicing vegetables. Shoppers who color-code can choose a blue or red handle, and the Innovation Black 4.5-inch Utility Knife pairs the length with a black blade. Learn More

Ceviche is a good test of a knife, because the fish is cut into small cubes and then soaked in lime juice. This blue-handled Innovation White utility knife has a 4.5-inch ceramic blade that slices raw fish cleanly and leaves no metallic taste in the cure.Blue handles conventionally mark the knives reserved for seafood in kitchens that color-code their tools, which makes this one easy to keep on task. Kyocera rates the zirconia and alumina blade at double the edge life of its older ceramic. Pin bones and frozen fillets are jobs for steel, since ceramic chips under that kind of stress.Sharpening is a question customers bring to us before they buy ceramic. The answer is diamond, either the Kyocera Diamond Wheel Sharpener at home or EVERSHARP, the shop Kyocera authorizes for repairs, for chips and heavy wear (Kyocera’s sharpening service page explains the process).
Building a Blue-Handled SetThe 3-inch Paring Knife and 5.5-inch Santoku share this handle color. Outside seafood work, the black-handled utility knife suits general prep, and the red-handled one is the raw meat choice. Learn More

Cubing chicken breast for skewers or trimming a pork tenderloin goes faster with a knife long enough to slice through in one stroke. A 4.5-inch ceramic blade fits those jobs, and the red handle follows the common kitchen convention of marking the knife used for raw meat.The ceramic blade slices boneless meat cleanly and cannot rust from the moisture of raw protein. Kyocera’s own figures show the Innovation ceramic holding its edge twice as long as earlier Kyocera blades. Bones and joints are another matter. Use a steel knife there, because ceramic chips if it strikes something hard.We hold authorized Kyocera dealer status, a point buyers raise with us before ordering ceramic. Kyocera’s limited warranty applies only to purchases from authorized resellers.
Red Handle Sizes and Other ColorsFor smaller trimming, the red-handled 3-inch Paring Knife is easier to steer. For slicing larger cuts thin, the red-handled 5.5-inch Santoku adds length. Other handle colors are black and blue. Learn More

A ripe tomato has a slick skin over soft flesh, and a plain edge tends to slide across the skin and press the tomato flat before it cuts. This 5-inch Innovation White tomato knife has a micro-serrated ceramic edge that catches the skin on the first stroke, so slices come away clean. Kyocera also recommends it for other tough-skinned fruits and vegetables and for bread, which makes it a natural choice for plums, peppers and dinner rolls.Ceramic does not react with the acid in tomatoes or citrus, so the cut surfaces keep their color and taste. The handle, designed by Yohei Kuwano, tapers toward the blade and is shaped to stay put in a wet hand.Before ordering, customers check that we are authorized to sell Kyocera. Knife Merchant is an authorized reseller, and Kyocera’s limited warranty excludes knives from unauthorized sellers.
Serrated or Plain Edge?For thin slices of cooked meat or fish, a plain edge such as the Innovation Black 5-inch Slicing Knife leaves a smoother face. For general prep, the Innovation White 4.5-inch Utility Knife is the plain-edge option in this line. Learn More

Push cutting is the santoku’s specialty. The flat edge meets the board along its length, so each stroke goes down and forward through an onion or a stack of zucchini rounds without rocking. At 5.5 inches, this Innovation White santoku is the compact version, sized for cutting boards and prep lists that do not call for a full chef’s knife.Kyocera lists slicing, dicing and mincing as its work on produce and boneless meat. The double-beveled ceramic edge cuts cleanly through produce and will not rust or react with acidic ingredients. Ceramic is brittle, though, so leave frozen food and bones to steel.How do you sharpen a ceramic santoku? Customers put that question to us, and the answer is diamond abrasive. The Kyocera Diamond Wheel Sharpener handles regular maintenance, and EVERSHARP, which Kyocera authorizes for service, grinds out chips and restores dull edges (details on Kyocera’s sharpening service page).
Santoku Sizes and ColorsFor a longer blade with a flat edge, see the Innovation White 6-inch Nakiri or the Innovation Black 6-inch Chef’s Santoku. This santoku also comes with a blue handle or a red handle, and the Innovation Black 5.5-inch Santoku has a black blade. Learn More