ZWILLING J.A. Henckels Professional 12" Sharpening Steel

For most home chefs the sharpening steel will realign the edge and remove any niche or burr. This honing steel serves a vital role by realigning, or "resetting," kitchen knives' edges, which bend this way and that when contacting a cutting surface. (Often called a sharpening steel, or "butcher" steel, a steel doesn't actually sharpen a knife--unless it's a "diamond" steel.) Consisting of a rod of hard steel-alloy with a tough synthetic handle and a steel finger guard, this steel works well and looks better than most hanging close at hand, where you can employ it frequently—ideally each time you use a knife. That prevents a blade from becoming dull and prolongs intervals between professional sharpenings. The rule is that a steel should be at least as long as the knife blade being drawn across it, and this steel's 12-inch rod hones all household knives. The steel carries a lifetime warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

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