Shun Kanso 9-inch Combination Honing Steel

Honing gently realigns the edge of the blade, prolonging the knife’s sharpness, as Shun puts it. The 9-inch Kanso combination steel has two surfaces, a smooth one for regular honing and a micro-ribbed one for less frequent, more thorough realignment.

Hold the knife at Shun’s 16° angle and draw each side lightly along the rod. Its handle is finished to match the Kanso knives, and the steel is included in the Kanso build-a-block and 6-piece sets. Ceramic rods can be brittle and may break if dropped in a commercial kitchen; this steel is rugged, and with two finishes on one tool it is more versatile than a standard smooth steel. A steel maintains an edge; it cannot restore one that has gone completely dull. A truly dull knife needs a whetstone.

Learn to Hone

Our guide to honing steels covers technique.