Thread: knife sharpening rod

I was wondering is it ok to use a knife sharpening rod as a hone, its prestty smooth and does not have a lot of grit like knife sharpening blocks

I am not an expert but I'm going to say a definite no.

Knife rods or Steels are not for sharpening or honing a knife. It is simply used to straighten (push back and align) the edge of a knife. The steel does not remove metal such as a hone does which is required to hone/sharpen a knife or razor.

I'd imagine concentrating all the pressure onto one point along a razor's edge is about the last thing you'd want to do if you were intent on honing it. If you want to make a jagged edge with lots of micro-chips.. go to town!

Abrasive honing rods, be they diamond encrusted smooth metal rods or ceramic ARE capable of putting an edge on a knife (think double or triple bevels). I've taken a few nice kitchen knives from cutting nightshade fruit skins comfortably and safely to too smooth an edge to dig in safely (lacking the micro-serrations).

I was thinking steels, not sharpening rods, my bad (long day) however even with the rods as AlexH stated the pressure on the edge of the razor blade (at the contact point) would destroy a blade. Remember you are touch a large area of the blade on a hone while a rod has very little contact.

one last question I have a double edge razor hone how would that work on a straight

Originally Posted by cowboy559

one last question I have a double edge razor hone how would that work on a straight

I have a DE blade hone as well and if yours is like mine (hollow ground) then I don't think you could get your str8 blade flat enough to get the edge.

thanks for all your help guys. I'm just going to break down and buy a hone I saw a nice hone from the 1800s at antique store for 40 bucks

Originally Posted by CTKnife

Knife rods or Steels are not for sharpening or honing a knife. It is simply used to straighten (push back and align) the edge of a knife. The steel does not remove metal such as a hone does which is required to hone/sharpen a knife or razor.

I have a steel that can put an edge on a dull blade very easily. It's a very old unit, no abrasives, but with tiny ridges running the length of the rod and it works very well. Given the marks it makes on the blade I have to say it most certainly removes material, just not lots of it. Must get it back from Mum's place now that I think of it.

It depends a lot on the steel/rod/hone whatever you want to call it.

I would only even consider using a slick (i.e. ungrooved) rod. Grooved rods are simply a round file, so it has to be a glass, ceramic or smooth steel rod to get to the starting line.

Even then a strop will align the edge better and a stone will hone the edge better.

So whilst it wouldn't be impossible there are better practical alternatives.