Tea knives were not commonly seen in Taiwan in earlier years. It wasn’t until the recent increase in Pu-erh tea consumers that they became widespread in the market. The function of a tea knife is to cut open tea cakes and tea bricks, separating the leaves for easy brewing. It is an essential tool for these types of tea.
Pressed teas like Pu-erh are usually shaped into tea cakes or tea bricks for quality preservation and easy transportation, and they need to be broken apart before brewing. A tea knife is the tool used to break down these tea cakes and bricks. Although called a knife, a tea knife is generally not sharp and is relatively thick. Since tea cakes are difficult to break apart by hand and regular kitchen knives are too sharp, a tea knife can be considered an absolute must-have for enjoying this style of tea.
How to Use a Tea Knife
Pry a tea brick: Hold the tea brick down with one hand, insert the tea knife from the side with the other hand, and gently pry upwards.
Pry a tea cake: Insert the knife into the central indentation on the back of the cake, then pry upwards. This helps keep the surface of the tea cake intact.