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Sharpening Steels
Sharpening Rods, also called Sharpening Steels and Honing Rods, are handheld tools used to hone or sharpen cutlery. They come in a variety of materials (mainly Steel, Ceramic and Diamond), a range of shapes (Round, Square, Oval and Flat), and varying degrees of courseness (smooth, polish, course, etc). We carry a very large selection of honing and sharpening steels and offer a breadth of information regarding the appropriate application of each tool. Please let us know if you need help selecting the proper honing steel for your cutlery or intended purpose; we are happy to offer our expertise.
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Idahone 12-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle
The Idahone 12-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for cooks whose knives have dulled past the point a fine rod or honing steel can recover, but who would rather not set up a whetstone each time an edge fades. Its coarse high-alumina ceramic removes steel faster than Idahone’s fine rods and restores a working edge in a few strokes. The long rod gives a chef’s knife or slicer room to travel its full length without running off the end.
What It Does for Your Knives Coarse ceramic abrasive: Cuts a fresh edge on knives dulled by regular use. A honing steel only straightens a rolled edge. Measured metal removal: The grit is somewhat finer than the coarse rods in Idahone’s V-type sharpeners, so the rod reworks an edge without the heavy stock removal of a sharpening system’s first stage. Long working surface: Accommodates 10-inch chef’s knives and slicers, so each stroke covers the edge from heel to tip. Wood handle with hanging ring: Provides a secure grip for steady strokes and keeps the rod within reach at the prep station.
Using the Coarse and Fine Rods Together The coarse rod does the corrective work, and a fine rod refines the result. Cooks who keep both on hand use the coarse rod when a knife no longer responds to honing, then finish on the Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod for a smoother, more refined edge. For routine maintenance of a knife that is still sharp, the fine rod alone is the better choice because it removes less steel. Learn More$38.25 -
Idahone 10-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle
The Idahone 10-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for cooks who want to bring a dull knife back without setting up a whetstone. Its coarse high-alumina ceramic removes steel faster than Idahone’s fine rods and restores a working edge in a few strokes. The compact length is easy to handle and fits a drawer or a smaller kitchen.
What It Does for Your Knives Coarse ceramic abrasive: Restores sharpness to knives dulled by regular use. A honing steel only realigns the edge. Measured metal removal: The grit is somewhat finer than the coarse rods in Idahone’s V-type sharpeners, so the rod corrects an edge while removing less steel than a sharpening system’s first stage. Compact length: Suits paring knives, utility knives and shorter chef’s knives, and stores easily. For longer blades, the Idahone 12-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod allows a full stroke from heel to tip. Wood handle with hanging ring: Provides a secure grip and convenient storage near the cutting board.
Using the Coarse and Fine Rods Together The coarse rod restores the edge, and a fine rod refines it. Use the coarse rod when a knife no longer responds to honing, then finish on the Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod. For routine maintenance of a knife that is still sharp, the fine rod alone removes less steel and is the better choice. Learn More$36.45 -
Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle
The Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for cooks who rely on long knives and want to keep them sharp between full sharpenings. A honing steel only pushes a rolled edge back into line. This high-alumina ceramic rod removes a small amount of steel with each stroke, so it sharpens and polishes the edge at the same time. Its finish is comparable to a fine Japanese whetstone, which makes it a maintenance tool between full sharpenings rather than a substitute for them.
What It Does for Your Knives Long working surface: Gives 10-inch chef’s knives, slicers and sujihiki room for a full stroke from heel to tip, so the entire edge receives even contact. Fine ceramic abrasive: Refreshes a working edge in a few light strokes and leaves a smooth, polished finish. Suited to harder steels: Because the rod abrades the edge rather than bending it, it suits the harder steels of many Japanese knives, which tend to wear or chip rather than roll. Fewer whetstone sessions: Regular use keeps an edge in service longer, so full sharpenings are needed less often.
Other Sizes and Grits For shorter knives or a smaller kitchen, the Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle offers the same ceramic in a more compact length. The same fine rod is also available with a natural maple handle as the Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle. When a knife no longer responds to the fine rod, the Idahone 12-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod removes steel faster to restore the edge. Learn More$38.25 -
Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle
The Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for cooks who want to keep a sharp knife sharp with a few strokes before each use. A honing steel only pushes a rolled edge back into line. This high-alumina ceramic rod removes a small amount of steel, so it sharpens and polishes the edge at the same time. Its finish is comparable to a fine Japanese whetstone, which makes it a maintenance tool between full sharpenings rather than a substitute for them.
What It Does for Your Knives Fine ceramic abrasive: Refreshes a working edge in a few light strokes and leaves a smooth, polished finish. Suited to harder steels: Because the rod abrades the edge rather than bending it, it suits the harder steels of many Japanese knives, which tend to wear or chip rather than roll. Fewer whetstone sessions: Regular use keeps an edge in service longer, so full sharpenings are needed less often. Compact length: Handles paring knives, utility knives and shorter chef’s knives. For longer blades, the Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle allows a full stroke from heel to tip.
Choosing a Fine or Coarse Rod The fine rod is the right tool for routine maintenance of a knife that is still sharp. When a knife no longer responds to it, the Idahone 10-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod removes steel faster to restore the edge, and the fine rod then refines it. The same fine rod is also available with a natural maple handle as the Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle. Learn More$36.45 -
Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle
The Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for home cooks who want a simple, daily way to keep their knives sharp. A honing steel only pushes a rolled edge back into line. This high-alumina ceramic rod removes a small amount of steel, so it sharpens and polishes the edge at the same time. Its finish is comparable to a fine Japanese whetstone, which makes it a maintenance tool between full sharpenings rather than a substitute for them.
What It Does for Your Knives Fine ceramic abrasive: Refreshes a working edge in a few light strokes and leaves a smooth, polished finish. Suited to Japanese and Western knives: Because the rod abrades the edge rather than bending it, it maintains softer German steels and the harder steels of many Japanese knives, which tend to wear or chip rather than roll. Compact length: Handles paring knives, utility knives and shorter chef’s knives, and fits a kitchen drawer. Natural maple handle with hanging ring: Provides a secure grip for steady strokes and keeps the rod within reach near the cutting board.
Other Sizes and Grits For longer blades, the Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle allows a full stroke from heel to tip. The same 10-inch rod is also available as the Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle. When a knife no longer responds to the fine rod, the Idahone 10-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod removes steel faster to restore the edge, and the fine rod then refines it. Learn More$36.45 -
Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle
The Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod is for cooks who maintain a full knife block, from paring knives to long slicers, and want one rod that serves all of them. A honing steel only pushes a rolled edge back into line. This high-alumina ceramic rod removes a small amount of steel, so it sharpens and polishes the edge at the same time. Its finish is comparable to a fine Japanese whetstone, which makes it a maintenance tool between full sharpenings rather than a substitute for them.
What It Does for Your Knives Long working surface: Accommodates 10-inch chef’s knives and slicers as readily as short knives, so one rod covers the whole block. Fine ceramic abrasive: Refreshes a working edge in a few light strokes and leaves a smooth, polished finish. Suited to Japanese and Western knives: Because the rod abrades the edge rather than bending it, it maintains softer German steels and the harder steels of many Japanese knives, which tend to wear or chip rather than roll. Natural maple handle with hanging ring: Provides a secure grip for steady strokes and keeps the rod within reach at the prep station.
Other Sizes and Grits The same rod is available in a shorter length as the Idahone 10-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Hard Rock Maple Handle, and with a black handle as the Idahone 12-inch Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod, Black Wood Handle. When a knife no longer responds to the fine rod, the Idahone 12-inch Coarse Ceramic Sharpening Rod removes steel faster to restore the edge, and the fine rod then refines it. Learn More$38.25
