Ceramic Sharpening Rods

If you are asking which honing rod to use with MAC knives, MAC’s answer is ceramic. Many Japanese manufacturers recommend a ceramic rod over a steel honing rod because of the hardness of Japanese steel, and the SRB-84 is MAC’s own 8.5-inch black ceramic rod.MAC rods offer two levels of cutting aggression depending on which sides you use, grooved or smooth, and the extremely hard black ceramic works on all brands of knives. Black ceramic honing rods do not show metal build-up as easily as a white rod, but it still occurs. Should you find your MAC ceramic rod is not performing as well as when new, just clean it with Bar Keepers Friend or a ceramic eraser. Its 8.5-inch length suits knives up to an 8-inch chef’s knife. For longer knives, choose the 10.5-inch SRB-104; for a smooth rod only, the white ceramic SR-85.See all our ceramic sharpening rods. Learn More

The SR-85 is MAC’s smooth white ceramic rod, the simplest way to keep a MAC knife sharp between sharpenings. MAC describes its ceramic rods as harder than typical steel rods, with a finer grit for a finer edge, and intends them for touch-ups between sharpenings rather than as a replacement for sharpening.A smooth rod gives a fine finish on the edge and suits light, frequent use: a few strokes before a prep session will restore a slightly dull chef’s knife. When an edge is duller, the grooved faces of the black ceramic SRB-84 remove metal faster. For long knives, choose the 10.5-inch SRB-104.See all our ceramic sharpening rods. Learn More

Global recommends ceramic or diamond rods for honing its knives rather than conventional honing steels, which can damage the thin, hard edges. The G-45 is Global’s ceramic rod, made to keep Global and other Japanese edges aligned between whetstone sharpenings.A thin edge rolls slightly to one side with use, and the knife starts to feel dull even though little steel has been lost. A few light strokes on the ceramic rod straighten the edge and remove a trace of metal, which brings back the bite. Global notes that, with regular use, a ceramic rod produces a finer edge than a diamond rod. The 24 cm length gives a chef’s knife enough room for a full stroke from heel to tip. It also works on other brands of straight-edged knives.
Ceramic or Diamond?The Global 10-inch Oval Diamond Sharpening Steel is harder than ceramic and restores an edge faster, and it will not break if dropped. Choose ceramic for routine maintenance and a finer edge. For dull knives that need full sharpening, see the Global 2-Stage Ceramic Water Sharpener. Learn More