How to Use Sharpened Knives With Ceramic Rods

To maintain that sharp edge on your kitchen knife, you should always hone it before use. When you use a knife on a regular basis, the edge will start to turn and no longer be completely straight all the way along the blade. Honing corrects this by straightening the knife edge back out. Since ceramic rods are harder than knife steel, when you use one to hone your knife, the rod will actually remove some of the weakened steel, as well as realign the edge. This helps keep your knife sharper for a longer period of time.

Things You'll Need

• Towel

Instructions

1. Hold the ceramic rod vertically, with the tip resting on a towel or on other non-slip surface. Place the heel of the knife blade against the rod, at the same angle you used when sharpening the knife. If you are unsure of the angle, somewhere around 15 degrees is probably a safe bet. The most important thing is to maintain the same angle throughout the honing process.

2. Stroke the knife slowly down the rod, starting at the heel of the blade and finishing at the tip. Keep your wrist still while moving your elbow back. Apply just slight pressure to the rod.

3. Now stroke the other side of the knife along the rod. Alternate from side to side for four or five strokes.

4. Rinse the knife and wipe it off before use, as the ceramic rod may remove tiny bits of steel from the knife, which you will not want in your food.

References

• The Complete Guide to Sharpening; Leonard Lee; 1995
• Knife Maintenance and Sharpening