Utopia Kitchen 10 Inch Honing Steel Knife Sharpening Steel Sharpening Rod, Black

This equals honing rods that I've spent double on in the past. I bought this as part of a gift for a friend and got to use it a few times, it's perfect. Great length, nice and sturdy, and will likely last a lifetime. It doesn't feel as cheap as I imagined it might when I purchased it. I showed my friend how to use it and he is enjoying it.For those who might not be aware - this is not a sharpener, so it will not actually sharpen your knife, which is a big misconception because honing rods like this often advertise as "sharpeners". Yes it will realign your blade and make it perform better, but it's not actually sharpening it. When you use a knife the very edge of your blade will fold over and make it feel dull, this tool really just realigns the folded edge, it doesn't really make it sharper. That being said, if you use this after every time you use your knives then they will stay sharper for much longer because if you continue to use a knife with a folded edge then you'll develop warps and chips, which will actually dull your knife faster.My rule of thumb is to use this tool after every single time I use my knives, I do between 4-8 passings on each side and my knives stay sharp for much longer than if I didn't hone them regularly. I would look up videos on how to use this tool properly, it's easy to use but if you do misuse it then you will end up damaging your blade rather than honing - though don't be too afraid of using it, even if you damage your knife then it very likely can be fixed. I've fixed some seriously rusted out dull knives that most people would throw away.

Used a few times then it went smooth.

The item description is misleading since a honing steel is not for sharpening a dull knife. It's used after you sharpen a knife (like with a whetstone) in order to align the tiny imperfections along the edge, and periodically to maintain a knife. My freshly sharpened chef knife was sharp, but after a few strokes on each side with this steel, I could feel the improvement. If you take good care of your sharp knives (no abuse, hand wash, dry immediately, maintain the edge) you won't have to sharpen them very often. I'll give the product 5 stars because it's solid and performs just as I expected, but the product description should be updated.Also, 12" refers to the exposed steel portion. With the handle, the overall length is over 17"!

My Dad had a sharpening steel for 30 years which he used daily in his market. This one here must be made of softer steel because the treads are already wearing down and I may have used it10 times.

Been using it for about a year and every time I straighten my blade I feel the difference. Feels good while handling.

Larger than the ones I have been using. This steel is about 18 inches long with the handle. At first I was a slightly perplexed because it would not fit freely in my knife drawer and stuck out like a sore thumb when I put it in my knife block. I then decided to hang it from the pot rack over our kitchen island. It has a hook to do so. Problem solved. As far as the quality, ease of use and ability to put a razor sharp edge on a knife, outstanding, wonderful. Keep in mind a steel is not designed to sharpen a dull knife, they are designed to put a razor like edge on a already sharp knife, you may need a two or three stage knife sharpener to get any nicks and dings out and straighten the edge of any knife you have that is very dull, THEN use the steel. But of course I use good quality knifes like J.A Henckel, Wusthofs, Giesser, and believe it or not some of my favorites for maintaining a really sharp edge with the ability to slice a soft tomato easily,, Chicago Cutlery. Anyway you will not be disappointed with this steel. I recommend.

I use this all the time. I have gotten a few as gifts too. I love it

Been using this on an almost weekly basis for about 2 years now and it my knives are sharp enough to cut paper every time I use them on this.

Does the job well, very satisfied. I grew up on the countryside and my mother had a sharpening rod just like that, that she used every time before making her classic porkbelly soup with chicken tartare. It really takes me back, I can almost hear the sound again, metal against metal.

If I could give it 0 stars I would,rubbish cheap plastic handle, honing surface has nicks through it, and it wasn't 30cm of honing surface. the whole rod was 30cm not the honing surface

Good quality heavy. I coulda done with a 10 Ing instead cause my longest knife is only 8 inches

Quite soft. Doesn't work well as a shapener.

Like the product. Don't know what sheerness refers to.