# Best Knife Sharpening Rods: Steel, Ceramic and Diamond Compared Source: https://stoneandstrop.com/best/best-knife-sharpening-rod Publisher: Stone and Strop. Picks are chosen from what each Amazon listing states, not from hands-on tests. Method: https://stoneandstrop.com/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. ## Picks ### 1. Green Elephant Ceramic Honing Rod for Kitchen Knives, 11-Inch Fine 1500 Grit Shatterproof & Durable Ceramic Sharpening Rod for Professional Chefs & Home Cooks Length: 11 in; Material: Ceramic, 9 Mohs; Grit: 1500; Action: Also removes metal An 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 ### 2. Sharpeak 110R 12-Inch Diamond Sharpening Rod with Built-In Angle Guides Length: 12 in rod; Material: Monocrystalline diamond; Grit: 1200 (12 micron); Action: Also removes metal A 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 ### 3. Kimura Professional Ceramic Honing Rod, 10 inch Honing Steel, Ceramic Knife Sharpener, 1200 Grit Finish, Ergonomic & Balanced Polypropylene Handle, Ideal for All Chef Knives, Japanese Gift Box Length: 10 in; Material: White ceramic; Grit: 1200; Action: Also removes metal A 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 ### 4. Shenzhen Knives Ceramic Honing Rod - 12 Inch, HRC 68, 1000 Grit Length: 12 in; Material: Ceramic alumina, HRC 68; Grit: 1000; Action: Also removes metal A 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 ### 5. Utopia Kitchen Knife Sharpener Rod 12 Inch Honing Rod for Sharpening Length: 12 in; Material: Nickel-chrome plated steel; Grit: not stated; Action: Realigns only A 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 ### 6. TUO Honing Rod, Sharpening Steel with Larger Diameter for Kitchen Knife Daily Honing Maintenance, High Carbon Steel 8" Knife Sharpener Rod, Ergonomic Handle Length: 8 in; Material: High carbon steel, 62 HRC; Grit: not stated; Action: Realigns only An 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 ### 7. Kota Japan 12 in. Diamond Carbon Steel Professional Knife Sharpener Rod | Kitchen, Home or Hunting | Master Chef, Hunter or Home Gourmet Blade Sharpening Rod or Stick Length: 12 in; Material: Diamond plated steel; Grit: not stated; Action: Also removes metal A 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 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.