Wüsthof 10-inch Ceramic Sharpening Rod J800

When a honing steel no longer brings a knife back, the edge needs a little steel removed, and the Wüsthof 10-inch ceramic sharpening rod does that without a whetstone or an electric sharpener. Wüsthof recommends it for dull to moderately sharp knives; the ceramic surface removes a tiny amount of metal with each stroke and leaves a fresh edge.

Use it the way you use a steel, drawing each side of the blade down the rod with light, even pressure. Ceramic is harder than knife steel, so a few passes per side are enough. It works well on hard Japanese knives with high Rockwell ratings and on German knives that have lost their edge. Between sharpenings, Wüsthof suggests a regular honing steel for daily or weekly maintenance.

Customers ask us whether they need both. A ceramic rod sharpens; a steel maintains. Together they keep a knife sharp for years without sending it out. Pair this rod with the Wüsthof 10-inch honing steel. For a fixed-angle option, see the two-stage hand-held sharpener. The difference between honing and sharpening is set out in our guide to honing steels.