Sharpening Rods

Even the best knives eventually lose their sharpness. So-called sharpening rods allow you to keep your cutting tools sharp for as long as possible. The tools, also known as honing steel or sharpening steel, provide a simple and convenient solution to ensure the optimal cutting ability of your knives.

Sharpening rods for kitchen knives and more are available in the online shop of Meister Messer. We also offer knife sets that include a honing steel. The following buying guide explains how to find the right sharpening rod.

What is a sharpening steel?

A sharpening steel is used to maintain the sharpness and sometimes also to sharpen knives. The rod-shaped tool is traditionally made of very hard steel. Nowadays, sharpening steels are also made from other materials, such as ceramic. Sharpening steels are usually equipped with a non-slip handle and a finger guard to improve handling.

You should also know that there are both aligning and abrasive sharpening rods. The former realign the cutting edge. Their surface is bent slightly to the side over time due to use - albeit only in the microscopic range. An abrasive steel, on the other hand, removes material from the blade, so it is sometimes also suitable for sharpening. However, for a basic edge, you should rather use sharpening stones.

Why is it useful to sharpen knives regularly?

There are essentially two reasons for this. On the one hand, knife blades wear out over time, creating unevenness that causes the cutting tool to lose its sharpness. As a result, you have to exert more force when cutting fruit, vegetables, and meat. On the other hand, there is an increased risk of injury when working with a dull blade. Since more pressure is required to break down the food, there is a higher risk of slipping.

The different types of sharpening rods

As already indicated, sharpening rods can be made from different materials. The following overview illustrates the characteristics and advantages of the various materials:

• Steel sharpening rods are among the honing steels. With a hardness level of 60 to 70 HRC, their hardness is significantly higher than that of ordinary kitchen knives. However, steel sharpening rods are not suitable for grinding.
• Ceramic sharpening rods are also used to realign the cutting edge. Unlike steel sharpening rods, they always remove a little material, giving them a grinding effect. A ceramic sharpening rod can significantly extend the time until the next major sharpening.
• Diamond sharpening rods have a stainless steel core, but feature a surface with diamond grit. Since this surface is relatively rough, a diamond sharpening rod removes a comparatively large amount of material, allowing for very effective leveling of unevenness. Such sharpening rods are not very suitable for simply straightening the blade, but they serve as an alternative to sharpening stones.

What criteria you should consider when buying a sharpening steel

The material from which the sharpening rod is made is an important purchasing criterion. The choice of material depends mainly on whether you just want to straighten the blade with the tool or also sharpen your knives. Many professional chefs opt for ceramic sharpening rods, as these models are also suitable for Japanese knives - which is not the case with steel sharpening rods.

The length of the sharpening rod or steel is also relevant. The tool must be at least as long as your longest knife if you want to use it for all cutting tools in your household.

The handle should be ergonomically shaped to ensure that the sharpening rod for knives fits comfortably in your hand. The choice of handle material is largely a matter of personal preference. While wooden handles look very high-quality, handles made of metal or plastic are considered particularly durable.

Sharpening rods cheaply buy online at Meister Messer

Whether it's a sharpening steel, whetstone, or knife sharpener: At Meister Messer, you will find all the tools you need to sharpen, maintain, and hone your knives. In addition, our product range also includes a wide selection of cutting tools – So explore the range now and order your personal desired item.