Sharpening Steels

Polished / Smooth Sharpening Steel A polished sharpening steel is much like a regular sharpening steel, but is used to achieve a much finer edge. When used on a knife that is in good condition you can bring up a razor sharp edge.

Regular Sharpening Steel A regular sharpening steel is used on a knife that is in good condition but could use just a bit extra sharpness. It doesn’t actually remove any material from the edge but it realigns the microscopic metal parts at the edge. Therefore a regular sharpening steel can be used frequently without causing much wear.

Diamond Coated or Ceramic Sharpening Steel In contradiction to a regular sharpening steel, a diamond coated or ceramic sharpening steel does remove some material from the edge of the knife. Therefore it can be used on knives that can not be sharpened using a regular sharpening steel anymore. Diamond coated sharpening steels give the quickest result, provided that they are used the right way.  They will give your knife an edge in just a few strokes, but remember when using a diamond coated steel you are removing material.  This method will eventually remove enough material to make the edge too thick to sharpen with a steel, requiring the knife to be reground.