Just realized my knife got way sharper after switching to a ceramic rod instead of steel

I used a honing steel for about 2 years on my Wusthof and thought it was fine until a coworker in Chicago let me try his ceramic rod last Tuesday. The edge held up for a whole 8-hour service without needing a touch up, which never happened before with the steel. Has anyone else noticed a big difference switching between rod types, or am I just late to the party?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnflores1mo ago

Steels just polish, ceramics actually remove metal for a real edge.

bennett.patricia1mo ago

That "whole 8 hours without needing a touch up" part really got me, because I used to think steel was all you needed but now I'm not so sure.

stella_baker4d ago

Nagged my neighbor about his dull kitchen knives for months, finally brought him over to use my ceramic rod. He spent 20 minutes trying to get a tomato to slice without smushing it, gave up, and went back to his steel. Next week he shows up at my door with a bag of bruised peaches asking if he can borrow my rod again. The man learns, just slowly.