Honing Rods & Sharpening Steels

Honing rods and sharpening steels keep kitchen knives performing optimally between whetstone sessions. Traditional honing steels realign the edge for quick maintenance, while ceramic and diamond rods remove a small amount of metal to truly sharpen and refresh a duller blade. These tools are often defined by their grit or finish—fine for gentle polishing, medium for regular edge maintenance, and coarse for a faster bite and minor repairs. Match the rod type to your chef knife, Santoku, or paring knife, and use light, consistent strokes for safe and effective control.