Maintain the edge with a honing steel

Hold the steel vertically with its tip on a non-slip surface. Draw the knife down and across at 15-20 degrees, alternating sides for 5-10 strokes per side with light pressure. Hone before each cooking session to keep a sharp knife performing at its best.

Why It Works

Regular cutting bends and misaligns the thin cutting edge at a microscopic level. A honing steel straightens these metal fibers back into alignment without removing material. It maintains an already sharp edge between true sharpenings.

Tips

• Hone frequently -- before each use or at least weekly; this is maintenance, not repair
• A honing steel cannot restore a truly dull knife -- that requires a whetstone or sharpener
• Ceramic rods do light sharpening in addition to honing and suit harder Japanese steels
• Use very light pressure -- the goal is alignment, not metal removal