Sharpening Steels

Edge Maintenance Matched to Miyabi Black Steel The Miyabi Black Tungsten Honing Rod is the maintenance tool for owners of Miyabi Black knives and other hard Japanese blades. Regular honing realigns the edge between sharpenings, which keeps a knife cutting cleanly and reduces how often it must go to the stones. Miyabi designed this rod specifically for the steel used throughout the Black series.
Construction and Performance Tungsten rod. Tungsten is hard enough to work on high-hardness Japanese steels and keeps a consistent surface for honing over years of use. Light, efficient maintenance. A few strokes per side before or during prep restores the edge’s alignment without removing appreciable metal. Matched handle. The handle uses the same dyed maple burl, mosaic pin and D-shaped profile as the Miyabi Black knives, so the rod belongs with the set on the counter or the block. Protective bolster. A stainless steel bolster separates the hand from the rod during each stroke.
Best Uses Routine honing of Miyabi Black knives Maintaining other hard Japanese kitchen knives Restoring a clean cut midway through a long prep session Pair it with any knife in the series, such as the Miyabi Black 8-inch Chef’s Knife. When honing no longer restores the edge, sharpen on whetstones. Learn More

Victorinox 12 in. Helical Cut Steel is to be used for removing burrs and setting an edge. This is a coarse steel and is most often used on hunting knives, cleavers or in conjunction with a finer or ceramic rod. As an example, we use one as part of our knife sharpening process. On a damaged knife, we would grind the blade to remove chips, or reshape a broken tip. This rod will remove the heavy burr prior to next phase sharpening. It would not be used as part of normal edge maintenance where you would want a finer steel. Learn More

This smaller length sharpening steel is marketed by the manufacturer as a "household" steel. It is a hard chromed rod that works extremely well for renewing the edge on standard German and American steel blades. It is also used extensively by our poultry processors who use 5 and 6 inch boning knives. This is also a good choice for a hunter's field kit as they are small, lightweight and easier to pack than a standard 10 or 12 inch rod. Learn More

Victorinox 12 in. Round Solid Core Diamond Steel is a great way to sharpen your knives quickly on the go. At 600 grit, this is a fairly aggressive steel to be used for removing metal and establishing an edge on a dull knife. The Diamond particles are well-adhered to the solid stainless rod, making this a product that should last for many years. We suggest a fine ceramic rod as a secondary sharpening tool to smooth and refine an edge sharpened with Diamond steels. Learn More

The WÜSTHOF 10" Ceramic Sharpening Rod J800 is best for dull to moderately sharp knives. The ceramic surface ensures exceptional sharpening of the blade: with just a few steps you can achieve the desired result. As this sharpener removes a tiny amount of metal from the knife, we recommend using a WÜSTHOF Honing Steel for daily or weekly edge maintenance. JIS800 (Japanese Industrial Standards) Grit 800 this Ceramic Sharpening Rod is intended to put a small bevel on either side of the kitchen knife. (NOT Honing) This rod will put a good ruff edge on your knife with just a few passes, an edge that is ideal for cutting through vegetable skin (tomato, bell pepper) and making thin more even slices. This ceramic rod works very well with Japanese knives that are hard with high rockwell hardness scores but also works very well on German knives that have lost their edge.    Learn More

The Master Grade ST-3700 receives our top recommendation for a ceramic honing rod.

Please note that a steel honing rod is used to straighten the edge of a knife that has "burred" or rolled over. Ceramic rods are used to remove metal and restore an edge. Knives with a Rockwell hardness of 61 or greater tend to not roll the edges, but will abrade and dull. Ceramic may be the best choice for these knives.

Not all ceramics are equal: At 9 mohs of hardness, the Master Grade ST-3700 is significantly better than others. (Diamonds are 10 mohs). The vast majority of ceramic rods on the market are 8 mohs.

Impact Resistant. Handle is square, so it is less likely to roll off the table. Rubber tip and metal core also help to make this rod more likely to survive a fall. The level of abrasiveness on a ceramic rod is anecdotal as they are textured ceramics that lack a grit that has been sieved to a particular grain size. These are roughly equivalent to a 2000 grit stone. Learn More

The Messermeister 12 in. Ceramic Honing Rod is a nice, consistently smooth ceramic rod 1200 grit, that features a slight abrasive that actually sharpens your knifes while it aligns the edge. The soft-grip ergonomic handle makes it easy to get a secure grip. Learn More

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

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