A honing steel, or sharpening rod, is a ridged metal rod that helps push the edge of your knife back into its original position. Honing is a gentle, non-toxic way to help a dull blade stay sharp in between professional sharpening treatments.
Many knives come with honing rods already installed, but you can also buy one if your knife set didn’t include it. A honing rod can cost as little as $40 or as much as $100 (check local stores for pricing).
How to Hone a Knife with a Steel
A honing steel or rod (which is also known as a sharpening steel) is an inexpensive tool for keeping your knives in optimal condition. It’s not a replacement for professional sharpening, but it does help to keep your knife’s edge as smooth and well-aligned as possible.
Honing a knife with a honing steel is easy, safe and quick. These tools come in a variety of styles and materials.
The most common is a rod made of steel that ridges along its length. Scraping the blade over the ridges on both sides of the rod nudges the edge back into alignment, returning your knife to its sharpest point.
It’s best to use a honing steel at least once per day, or more frequently if you cook often. This will help to keep your blade’s edge as smooth and sharp as possible, prolonging its life.
You can also hone your knife freehand. It’s not as fast, but it works just as well.
Using a Honing Steel
Honing your knife with a steel is one of the most important things you can do to maintain its sharpness. It is often overlooked because it can be so time-consuming and complicated, but it really is an essential part of keeping your knives cutting well and as good as new.
Hone your knife with a honing steel when you feel like the edge of the blade is starting to regress a bit or isn’t as sharp as it was when you first got it. It’s also a good idea to hone before you use your knife as it can sometimes bend back out of shape if too much time has elapsed between the last time it was sharpened and when it was used again.
To hone your knife with a steel, place the blade at a 15-20 degree angle to the tip of the honing rod and begin by gliding it down the length of the rod, from heel to tip. Apply light pressure as you do this. Performing these motions three to six times on each side should be enough for you to hone your knife’s edge to the perfect angle.
Honing a Knife with a Straight Edge
Honing a knife is more of a process that re-aligns the edge rather than sharpening it. The blade edge can dull over time as microscopic pieces get bent over to either side of the cutting edge and this makes it harder to cut food.
The best way to keep your knives in a sharp condition is to hone them regularly with a steel, or honing rod. This is a simple and fairly easy way to maintain your knife’s cutting edge without having to invest in lots of expensive equipment or tools.
A steel or honing rod is a metal rod that comes with most kitchen knife sets, often with fine ridges running its length. These are the most traditional type of honing rod and work to realign the edge of your knife.
Using a honing steel is quite simple, but you do need to select the right angle. For most knives this is a roughly 20 degree angle.
Honing a Serrated Edge
A serrated edge is an advantage in survival situations as it can help you cut through tough materials that would otherwise be too difficult for a straight knife. However, a serrated edge is also more intimidating to look at than a plain edge and may scare people when you’re in the middle of a battle or in a remote wilderness.
A serrated blade’s curved teeth are designed to carve into the material you’re cutting, much like a saw would. They also hold your cutting momentum until they “bite” into the item, allowing you to cut more quickly and efficiently than a plain edge.
Sharpening a serrated knife is more complicated than sharpening a straight blade because it requires each curved tooth to be sharpened individually. This process is best done with a special sharpening rod that is shaped to fit inside each serration of the knife.
Then, you can gently grind away the knife’s teeth until the grooves disappear and a smooth, uniform pattern results. Repeat the process several times for each serration. This will remove any burrs that were left behind by the sharpening process and give your knife a polished, sharp appearance.