Mercer Culinary M14512 Sharpening Steel

This is a honing steel, designed to realign the edge of your knife blade rather than remove metal to create a new edge. It is intended for frequent maintenance to keep your knives sharp between professional sharpenings.

The rod measures 12 inches in length, which provides ample surface area to hone the full length of standard chef's knives and slicing blades efficiently.

Yes, you should hold the steel vertically with the tip resting on a stable surface and draw the knife blade down the steel at a consistent 20-degree angle. It takes a little practice to maintain the angle, but it is a straightforward process once you get the rhythm.

Standard honing steels like this one are designed for straight-edge blades. Using them on serrated knives can damage the teeth, so it is best to avoid using this tool on bread knives or other serrated cutlery.

The handle is ergonomically designed with a secure grip, making it comfortable to hold even if you are honing multiple knives in a busy kitchen environment.