Which Type of Honing Steel is Right For Me?

houseofknives.ca - Picking out a honing steel can be confusing. Especially since some honing steels aren't even steel! Not only that, but they come in different shapes, sizes and grits. That's why we've put together a quick video to guide you through all of this and how to match it up with the right knife.
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[@foobarfuubar2295]

As often when I start to learn more about a topic I have more questions than before the video.

[@nAndy416]

Correct me if I’m wrong but considering knives that have a Rockwell hardness of 60+ it’s best to use a leather strop. When using a regular steel to hone a knife it can cause micro chips in the blade further hindering its performance. Now I own a set of Miyabi birchwoods and it comes with a tungsten steel which I’ve used but after switching to leather strops I’ve noticed that the edge retention of my knives is much much better. It’s been almost a year since I last sharpened on a whetstone and they’re still incredibly sharp.

[@HouseofKnives1979]

In general terms a strop is best for any blade for finishing providing it has an good edge already. Typical chromium (regular) steels come in different grits and qualities but in general with very fine edge knives (Handmade Japanese) some don't suggest using a chromium steel for the reason you suggest but it depends on the grit of the steel. Many knives like Shun and Miyabi that have a HRC of 60+ you can use any type of steel but it all comes down to what you prefer for a finished edge. Shun's very own steels have dual grits on them and they are chromium plated and the quality of them exceeds 60+ HRC. Ideally we suggest for all blades (especially ones higher than 60+ HRC) to use the Edge Logix Impact Resistant steels in fine (1600 grit) or xtra fine (2000 grit) as they won't wear out like a chromium steel can and they finish the edge to a much finer polish similar to using a strop. Ultimately using a strop to finish any quality of knife will yield a finer polish. And for the knife nerds you have different types of leather quality to choose from as well which also yields different results. houseofknives.ca/edgelogix-impact-resistant-ceramic-steel-11-knife-sharpener-white-16273wht/

[@labrat7357]

The cheap chrome plated steels with coarse serration can cause micro chipping of the edge on hard blades. A friend used to ask me to sharpen his Global kitchen knives and every time I did, I had to reprofile the edges as they were all chipped. I gave him an old DMT diamond steel, threw away his chrome steel and never saw the chipping again.

[@mjremy2605]

Thank you! Very good information.

[@willieboy3011]

Good, basic and concise information. Honing is not sharpening; it is alignment of the edge. Closest I can explain it. Question: At what hardness rating would you suggest using ceramic or aluminum rods?

[@lukegaillard4146]

Smooth or ridged honing steel? I have a victorinox fibrox chef knife (HRC 55) in a home kitchen, with annual professional sharpening? Thank you!!!

[@fialee8]

How do you know if your chromium plated or diamond embedded honing steel is "worn out"? What are the signs of it being worn out?

[@dman8174]

thanks you answered my question ive been woundering about Japanese knives and which honing rod to use

[@James-ke5sx]

I bought a large Chinese kitchen knife about 25 years ago along with a long Steel. I use it almost everyday and I have never sharpened it on a stone only with the steel and it's still as sharp as brand new almost

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Chinese cleavers are definitely one of the original do it all workhorses. Many are still made with carbon steel which does rust if not cared for. But they do sharpen and hone quite effortlessly due to the characteristics of the steel. They are quite the heirloom in many Chinese kitchens.

[@flextha]

I have a hard time working at my new job. I do separate head lord or bone top. My knife dull very much and have hard time.. please tell me more about how to clean or smooth a diamond steel.

[@efrenbarraza4314]

use a ceramic honing, i work a beef plant and use it to de bone rib. I use the ceramic then i sharpen it with my mousetrap. Very efficient trust me.

[@ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣΠΑΠΑΔΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ-ψ6ν]

I want to buy a honing rod for my shun premier should I buy the one that shun syggested or a ceramic, because shun premier is a gyotu?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Hi @ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΠΑΠΑΔΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ. The one made by Shun for the Premier series is a good match and easy to use. It's just the right hardness and the angle guide is useful in helping you get your strokes right. However, we do notice that once you can consistently hit those angles on your own, the ceramic honing rods are much more efficient and gets that edge aligned a little quicker in our experience. Just make sure you buy one with a higher grit so you are honing without removing material.

[@raishahi4727]

Hello sir sharpening stell price pllz

[@mikevollei]

I use blue steel japanese knives except the sharpening stones which is the best honing steel to sharpen in case of ? many thanks in advance

[@pangdogmichael]

can you clean a diamond steel with water? first head chef i worked with told you you can't get a diamond steel wet or wipe it, but online forum said i should clean it...

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Hi @Michael Pang . You can definitely clean a diamond steel. It helps get the grease off and remove the metal debris allowing you to maintain its performance. What you have to do is use a soft brush (an old vegetable brush or similar would do) and hot soapy water. A cloth will get "stuck" and may leave behind its own mess of fibres. Just make sure it's dried well with a towel. Some diamond steels can rust if not dried well after cleaning. It's less of an issue with aluminum based diamond steels. But in either case, thorough drying is never a bad idea. Hope this helps.

[@pangdogmichael]

thank you

[@MARTIN201199]

House of Knives wick rod would you recommend me for a wavy bread knife?

[@mikehaga8292]

so how often should i use my wet stone, versus using a rod?

[@Chris____.]

Everything depends on the material and type of knife, the average time for using a wetstone is 3-6 months meanwhile honing rods can be used after the end of every day of use, pass the knife 8 times on each side lightly and _voilà_ the knife will be the same/better as when it started. Now keep in mind there are a lot of variables but thats just the average, if you think the knife is dull sharpen it.

[@foodpoint3255]

You've got some good advices here but it doest fill what i want to know...Could you please tell me wich honing steel i need for my damascus vg10 SETO santoku knife?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Hi +Food Point. You'll want to review the ceramic honing steels from 0:42 in the video. They are hard enough for most Asian knives and come in a range of grits.

[@foodpoint3255]

So i have a ceramic sharpening stone already....Should i buy a ceramic honing steel too?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+Food Point - Sharpening stone are used to remove material to create a new edge. A honing rod, by design, is for maintaining the edge you already have. So you'll definitely want to buy a honing rod so you don't accelerate the wear on your knife by running it across your sharpening stones all the time.

[@gregmccarter2176]

I filet alot of fish..i love my steel hone then finish with ceramic...i hit the ceramic every third or so fish...my knives stay scary sharp...i own lots of stones

[@jue28]

Should I go for fine cut or regular cut honing steel? I’m confused between this two

[@godcore223]

should i get a diamond steel and a ceramic? im a second year apprentice also im looking at getting either a wushof classic ikon or a mac mth-80 but cant choose both seem to have good reviews cant find much on the mac thought

[@HouseofKnives1979]

A diamond steel removes a lot of material and is useful for cases where the speed of edge is more important than longevity. If you are going to invest in the two knives you mentioned, our strategy would be to remove as little material as possible between sharpening, thus preserving the edge. The ceramic steel would be the best choice because it is both hard enough to tackle milder German steels and hard enough to work with Japanese steels.

[@godcore223]

House of Knives thanks for the reply, what do you think is a better knife yhe mac or the wushof alsp I spoke to my head chef and he told me if I am rough with the ceramic it will shatter is this true?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Your head chef isn't incorrect. If you catch yourself banging your Japanese knife against a ceramic honing steel, then all you need to do is adjust the way you use it by placing the edge on the steel, and reducing the speed. Many chefs that have limited experience with Japanese knives tend to do this, not on purpose, but because they've been used to doing this with German or European steel knives that use softer steel. So use the correct technique and you should be OK.

[@godcore223]

what do you think is better the mac mth-80 or the wushtof classic ikon? and oh alright so how i sharpen my knife is put the steel facing up on a bench and bring the knive down i saw the guy who is on burrfection or cutlery and more do it.

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Check out our video on honing technique. The stroke down method is what Shun endorses so you can check out our Shun Knife Care video as well. In terms of which knife is better, they are too different to compare. Japanese knives are fine slicing knives and are meant for soft meats and vegetables. German knives are your workhorse and can go from chopping to breaking down a chicken. In an ideal world, you'd own both. If you only had ONE choice to get you through chef school, we'd go for the WUSTHOF because of its durability. You can always buy a Japanese knife as a graduation present to yourself.

[@junyeopjohnnykim5471]

I would like to buy a honing steel for Bob Kramer Euroline Essential (FC61 steel). should I get ceramic?? or do you think Shun Kanso combination hoing steel is fine for my knife??

[@HouseofKnives1979]

If you have a bit more to spend, a ceramic honing steel is capable of honing pretty much everything. You can learn more at around 0:42 on in the video.

[@lyontracks1]

Thank you for your brief overview of the abrasive qualities of each steel. I can appreciate that, as I am a sales rep for a German industrial abrasives company. I am considering replacing my 9” steel that came in my Wusthöf set. I’ve lost the edge on my pairing knife and the steel seems to be worn out…I just can’t get the edge back. I’ve had the set for a while now, so I figure it’s worn out. Thanks to your video, I think I’ll look for a ceramic steel…unless you think I should just stick with a replacement like what came in the set?

[@mjremy2605]

PARING knife, not PAIRING. PARE - to peel PAIR - a set of two. 'a replacement like THE ONE in the set', not 'like WHAT CAME in the set'. Correct grammar.

[@dannyleung9448]

have you ever seen a smooth honing steel?

[@joswearingen3507]

I have both Shun and Wusthof knives (I prefer santoku style, the Shuns were a gift). Can I use the same honing steel on both?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+Jo Sweringen As a general rule of thumb, you'll want to hone a knife using a steel that uses a harder material than the blade. Shun along with many Japanese knives tend to use a harder steel than most European knives including WUSTHOF. If the steel you have, is made to work with the softer steel of a European knife, it may not be as effective on a Japanese knife, but will still work. It may just wear out the steel a little quicker. When it's time to replace it, look at a ceramic honing rod. The material is harder than steels used in most knives, thus able to hone German and Japanese knives equally well.

[@MaZEEZaM]

House of Knives Thanks for that as I already own a few Shun knives and am considering buying some Wusthof ikon knives. Btw regarding these two brands, I really like how light shun knives are to use and don’t really like heavy knives such as Scanpan knives, how much heavier are wusthof knives than shun knives?

[@jamestyrer6067]

Thank you for the info

[@hamzaawan2343]

I have a round Rod with lines on it most probably Japanese, I can't figure which type is it? And how to stroke a Steel Knife on it? Can any expert guide me on this?

[@Krcutb]

Make sure u keep the same angle when you change side of the blade if your not keeping the same angle the knife won’t get any sharper

[@hamzaawan2343]

@@Krcutb Okay thanks

[@luishumala3931]

I have a damascus steel knife. Which hoaning steel is best for damascus

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Simply depends on the hardness of the blade. The honing* rod's material must be harder than the blade steel. Ceramic or diamond should probably do the job.

[@lckgilmo43]

I use a ceramic rod. Honing steel cant match it.

[@robertmunguia250]

Does that black ceramic sharpen? I hear it only hones?

[@originalgameri2325]

It sharpens real good, i work at a slaughter house.

[@owenconnell6953]

Which steel for sharpening and maintaining an io Shen Japanese knife

[@KnifeCrazzzzy]

If I were to use on for an over all purpose bushcraft and survival blades to kitchen cutlery what would you suggest?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Hi @KnifeCrazzzzy. Thanks for the question. Andre would suggest going with the diamond steel due to the thickness of Bushcraft knives. This is useful especially if you're using it in the field and need something that is good at putting an edge back on quickly, and you may not have time to sharpen on a stone or system. If budget permits though, having a second that is less aggressive like the ceramic would allow you to maintain the edge in between uses with the more aggressive diamond steel.

[@KnifeCrazzzzy]

Thank you sir I will hopefully invest in both in the future!

[@zeddpilsner4]

@@KnifeCrazzzzy look into a work sharp field sharpener

[@jimibush1909]

these also weapon

[@MerajAhmad-wv4zd]

I have bought shun honing rod...in India which place

[@johnnyhockley8731]

Hi I work in a a meat plant cutting beef and fat all day flat out what is the best steel for me !!! Please help !!

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+Johnny Hockley Meatpacking plants use a smooth steel. The reason for this is because it tends to maintain the fine edge of your initial sharpening better by removing the absolute minimal amount of material from your blade. Which is a good thing seeing as you don't want those particles in your product. However, this does not replace sharpening so you'll still need to do that as your knife wears down from the rigors of production line use.

[@johnnyhockley8731]

thanks buddy

[@elite2freak10]

hi i have a global knife and i have a honing steel by victorinox its extra fine but it makes it worst my global knife it works with all my other knifes should i have a ceramic or a diamond steel???

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Japanese knives have a very acute angle that is in the range of 15 - 16 degrees. If your other knives are not sharpened at this angle and you hone them with the same angle, it may do more harm than good. Check out this video to make sure you're using the right technique and hitting the strokes at the right angle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaLal6ivpZ2sbM0 It could also be time to sharpen your knife. Especially if the above video reveals that it's been honed at an angle that isn't correct. You can check the sharpness using the technique in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZO2fn5tr7B3Zsk Once you get the edge back with a sharpening, continue to use the steel as needed and hone at the appropriate angle to ensure long life. The fineness of the honing steel shouldn't matter as long as it is the correct length and the hardness of the steel is appropriate for the steel of the blade. But even a softer steel in a honing rod should be OK. It will just wear out the rod more quickly.

[@josephcaceres8473]

@@HouseofKnives1979 I I’ll cvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvchchhch

[@ChristianRamirez-pr8xn]

I got a shun knife and a enso knife should I get ceramic or diamond cut

[@HouseofKnives1979]

It depends on how you use your knives and how much you value a fine edge over speed of edge. Keep in mind, a diamond cut honing rod will always remove much more material each time it is used, so longevity of your knives is reduced accordingly. But, if you are in a professional kitchen where you are slicing for 8 hrs a day, then diamond might be a good option for you until you are able to get your knives sharpened properly. You may still want to use a ceramic after using the diamond to refine the edge and maintain it until it becomes too dull. Review from 1:28 in the video for more details.

[@ezrabrooks12]

Good Video.

[@mrdjtoday]

Good video and thank you

[@tblogs7461]

What is the difference between honing steel and wet stone ? do i need both ?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+THE BLOGS The simple answer is that a honing steel is meant to re-align an existing edge and remove as little material as possible. It's not meant to sharpen. A wet stone sharpens a knife edge by removing material and creating a brand new edge on the blade. This is why we would want to use a honing steel as often as possible because it will preserve the edge between sharpening. So you would need both if you plan to maintain AND sharpen knives yourself. Check out this video for more info on the topic - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJW1o6puad9gmZo

[@tblogs7461]

thanks! I have one more question I've got Mayabi 5000 MCD Japanese chef knife and I am searching for the best honing steel What honing material do you recommand? Stain steel Chromium coated Ceramic Diamond coated

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+THE BLOGS Any honing rod that uses material harder than the knife is a good fit. Ceramic steels are very popular for this purpose because Japanese knives are forged using some of the hardest steels. See around 01:00 in the video for details. However, we have heard of damage caused by some users that aren't "smooth" when they free hand sharpen with ceramic rods. The "Gordon Ramsay" method if you will. Users end up banging the knife against the ceramic rod instead of gliding across the blade with even pressure causing chips. But they are still the all around best pic. Here's a video on the difference between the two honing steel usage methods: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2WpaJ58eLOdpKs Any diamond coated rod will remove material. It's popular in places where "speed of edge" is more important than "fine-ness" of edge. Like a slaughterhouse or outdoors where you just need to get it sharp quickly and are willing to sacrifice lifespan of the blade somewhat.

[@icemaglite]

House of Knives it's whetstone by the way :-)

[@MdSalam-tk3dq]

Hi

[@1giveme]

great video

[@MaZEEZaM]

Thanks for this 🐨

[@fansmmosharma2273]

Could you explain "compromising fondness of the edge with the speed of the edge" .didn't quite get it..plz

[@fansmmosharma2273]

*fineness

[@DarpenexGaming]

Not sure if you'll read this but hope it helps. The coarser the grit, the worse your edge will be, but it's much easier to get to that edge. If you use a very fine steel, your edge can be very sharp, but takes a lot more skill, and usually requires you to move a bit slower to ensure you don't damage the edge. So if you have very little time to steel your knife/are learning, a coarser steel would be better (although I work in an abattoir on a production line and time spent honing is time you create by working faster. Not having time to hone your knife is a weird concept to me).

[@JohnWick-ut4nc]

Honing Steel was My First Baton 😆

[@oceanwaves83]

If it removes any steel at all, it is a sharpening rod, not a "honing" steel.

[@massarjono9959]

cantek

[@leadengineer4105]

Is that the Burrfection guy?

[@YouFeudTV]

Wüsthof for the win

[@mencken8]

Answer: E: None of the above. No steel, no how, no way.

[@rickbear7249]

A knife that only needs Honing shouldn't be Sharpened, as you'll wear it out quicker. You really need to understand the difference, as well as the When and Why we Hone versus Sharpen a blade before buying any of these tools.

[@dsigetich]

Thanks for de-mystifying honing “steels”. I’m off to buy a ceramic one.

[@jallu9211]

no victotinox?

[@HouseofKnives1979]

+Kashif Jamal We focused on the types of steels rather than brands. Victorinox does offer some similar styles to what we have shown.

[@KnuckleChin]

Polished steel is all you need. Honing steels are horrible for your knives.

[@davidfalgout7304]

The video should be longer and more informative. There was just enough info given to wet the appetite for more. What was said did help...thx

[@HouseofKnives1979]

Hi David. Was there a particular aspect of the video you were looking for more depth in? If you can't find what you're looking for in this playlist let us know - kzbin.info/aero/PLfF1IaGRaet3SQpJnSczxeaMxk9Y9qc2e

[@naturestrail2296]

Thumbs down cause this is just cheap quick basic info that's found anywhere. Doesn't even do the work to compare them. Different steels put entirely different usable edges on a knife. Should at least compare them in some form or fashion