Gear guide
Best Knife Sharpening Rods: Steel, Ceramic and Diamond Compared
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Honing rod, honing steel and sharpening steel are names for one tool, but the three materials do different jobs. A steel rod realigns an edge that has rolled over. A ceramic rod and a diamond rod are abrasive: they realign the edge and also take off a little metal. So a steel keeps a Western kitchen knife going between sharpenings, while hard Japanese knives usually call for ceramic: Global, for one, tells owners not to use traditional steels, only a ceramic or diamond rod. Apart from material, rods differ in length (8 to 12 inches here), in the grit the listing states, and in extras such as a hand guard or angle guides. Hold any rod at the knife's own sharpening angle. This guide compares seven rods by what their Amazon listings state: two steels, three ceramic and two diamond. Nothing here was tested, and where a listing gives no grit the table says not stated.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Length | Material | Grit | Action | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Green Elephant ceramic honing rod, 11 in, 1500 grit | 11 in | Ceramic, 9 Mohs | 1500 | Also removes metal | - | Amazon |
 Sharpeak 110R diamond sharpening rod, 12 in, 1200 grit | 12 in rod | Monocrystalline diamond | 1200 (12 micron) | Also removes metal | - | Amazon |
 Kimura ceramic honing rod, 10 in, 1200 grit | 10 in | White ceramic | 1200 | Also removes metal | - | Amazon |
 Shenzhen Knives ceramic honing rod, 12 in, 1000 grit | 12 in | Ceramic alumina, HRC 68 | 1000 | Also removes metal | - | Amazon |
 Utopia Kitchen honing steel, 12 in, plated carbon steel | 12 in | Nickel-chrome plated steel | not stated | Realigns only | - | Amazon |
 TUO honing steel, 8 in, high carbon steel 62 HRC | 8 in | High carbon steel, 62 HRC | not stated | Realigns only | - | Amazon |
 Kota Japan diamond sharpening rod, 12 in, oval | 12 in | Diamond plated steel | not stated | Also removes metal | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobGreen Elephant ceramic honing rod, 11 in, 1500 gritThe listing states the surface plainly: grit 1500, ceramic with a hardness of 9 Mohs
- Most for the money on paperUtopia Kitchen honing steel, 12 in, plated carbon steelRod is carbon steel plated with nickel-chrome, with what the listing calls a fine surface
- Most complete listingSharpeak 110R diamond sharpening rod, 12 in, 1200 gritGrit is given two ways: extra fine 1200 grit, 12 micron monocrystalline diamond, electroplated in three passes
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Green Elephant
Green Elephant ceramic honing rod, 11 in, 1500 grit
See price on AmazonAn 11 inch ceramic rod stated at 1500 grit, the finest stated grit among the ceramic rods here. Being ceramic it realigns the edge and removes a little metal, which suits harder kitchen knives that a plain steel does not.
What the listing offers
- The listing states the surface plainly: grit 1500, ceramic with a hardness of 9 Mohs
- A silicone seal between handle and rod and a plastic end cap are described as absorbing shock if the rod is dropped
- 11 inches long with a lightweight handle, for regular honing of kitchen knives
Limits to know
- Hand wash only, according to the listing, and the handle material is not stated
- The listing does not say whether 11 inches is the ceramic rod alone or includes the handle
Pick 2 · sharpeak
Sharpeak 110R diamond sharpening rod, 12 in, 1200 grit
See price on AmazonA 12 inch diamond rod with a stated 1200 grit (12 micron) coating and built-in angle guides. Diamond removes metal, so this is a rod for touching up and sharpening an edge, including knives in very hard materials.
What the listing offers
- Grit is given two ways: extra fine 1200 grit, 12 micron monocrystalline diamond, electroplated in three passes
- The 12 inches is the rod alone, excluding the handle, which the listing makes a point of stating
- Built-in 20 degree angle guides and a hexagonal hand guard that stops the rod from rolling
Limits to know
- A diamond rod removes metal on every pass, so it suits touch-ups more than realigning an edge every day
- The only guide angle is 20 degrees: a knife sharpened at a lower angle per side has to be held by eye
Pick 3 · Kimura
Kimura ceramic honing rod, 10 in, 1200 grit
See price on AmazonA 10 inch white ceramic rod finished to 1200 grit, with a polypropylene handle and a hanging loop. Ceramic realigns the edge and removes a little metal, and the listing aims it at kitchen knives of various sizes.
What the listing offers
- Made from a single piece of white ceramic with a full tang, smoothed to a stated 1200 grit finish
- Non-slip polypropylene handle with a hanging loop for storage
- The stated length and grit are both in the title: 10 inch, 1200 grit
Limits to know
- At 10 inches it is the shortest ceramic rod here, with less spare length for a long slicing knife
- The listing mentions no tip cap or shock protection for the ceramic, unlike the Green Elephant rod
Pick 4 · Shenzhen Knives
Shenzhen Knives ceramic honing rod, 12 in, 1000 grit
See price on AmazonA 12 inch ceramic alumina rod stated at 1000 grit and HRC 68, with a reinforced guard between handle and rod. The longest ceramic rod here, for a full heel-to-tip stroke on most kitchen knives.
What the listing offers
- States both hardness and grit: ceramic alumina at HRC 68 with a 1000 grit surface
- 12 inches long, which the listing says covers most kitchen knives in a single heel-to-tip stroke
- A zinc-alloy-reinforced rectangular guard keeps the hand away from the rod
Limits to know
- 1000 is the coarsest stated grit of the three ceramic rods in this guide
- The listing says it is designed for straight-edge knives, and it is hand wash only
Pick 5 · Utopia Kitchen
Utopia Kitchen honing steel, 12 in, plated carbon steel
See price on AmazonA 12 inch honing steel in carbon steel plated with nickel-chrome. As a plain steel it realigns the edge and does not grind it, which suits regular upkeep of Western kitchen knives between sharpenings.
What the listing offers
- Rod is carbon steel plated with nickel-chrome, with what the listing calls a fine surface
- Handle is shaped for either hand, with a slip-resistant rubber bottom and a hanging loop
- 12 inches long, and the listing covers standard and serrated edge knives
Limits to know
- No hardness or grit is stated, so it cannot be checked against hard Japanese blades: use ceramic for those
- Care takes attention: the listing asks for wiping with an oiled cloth, drying fully and no dishwasher
Pick 6 · TUO
TUO honing steel, 8 in, high carbon steel 62 HRC
See price on AmazonAn 8 inch honing steel in high carbon steel with a stated 62 HRC hardness and a thicker 0.48 inch rod. A steel realigns the edge only, and the short length is meant to fit a drawer, knife block or knife roll.
What the listing offers
- States the hardness, 62 HRC, and the rod thickness, 0.48 inch, which the listing calls wider than most
- 8 inch length chosen to fit kitchen drawers, a woodblock or a knife roll
- Non-slip handle in stabilized PakkaWood, and the listing states a lifetime guarantee against defects
Limits to know
- The shortest rod in this guide at 8 inches, which leaves little spare length for a long chef knife
- The listing does not say whether the surface is smooth or ridged, and gives no grit
Pick 7 · Kota Japan
Kota Japan diamond sharpening rod, 12 in, oval
See price on AmazonA 12 inch oval rod in carbon steel with diamond electroplating. Being diamond it removes metal, so it works as a sharpening rod for dull kitchen or hunting knives, but the listing gives no grit.
What the listing offers
- Diamond electroplating on a carbon steel rod, 12 inches long according to the title
- Oval shape, which the listing says is designed for higher sharpening efficiency
- The listing says it needs much less force than most sharpening steels, and states a lifetime guarantee
Limits to know
- No grit or micron size is stated, so how coarse the diamond is cannot be compared with the Sharpeak rod
- The listing describes neither the handle material nor a hand guard, and does not say if 12 inches is the rod alone
Read before you buy
- Leather Strop vs Honing RodA steel rod realigns the edge and removes no metal. A strop polishes it and removes very little. See which suits your knives and where honing ends.
- Factory Sharpening Angles by Knife BrandFactory sharpening angles for 9 knife brands, each taken from the maker's own page: Wusthof 14 per side, Shun 16, Benchmade 30 to 35 inclusive.
- The Right Sharpening Angle for Kitchen KnivesWestern kitchen knives sharpen at 14 to 20 degrees per side. See what 15 and 20 each give up, what the makers state, and when to keep the factory angle.
- Sharpening Angle for Japanese KnivesDouble-bevel Japanese knives sharpen at 10 to 17 degrees per side. Maker figures for Shun, Global and Miyabi, plus the rule for single-bevel knives.
Stone and Strop chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.