Wusthof 10" Ceramic Steel

I have used many methods over the years to sharpen knives. Since the word sharp is subjective first then let me clarify what the term sharp means to me. The ability of the knife to cut thin slices from a tomato or to shave the hair from your arm easily. I have found that if I achieve that level of sharpness I have a knife that is a pleasure to use in the kitchen or in the field. The Wusthof has a grit of 800 and is coarse enough (and is so much harder than a steel) that it has the ability to put an edge on a knife rather than just straighten an edge as a steel would do. I have found it to be so easy to use I have stopped using any other method.of sharpening.

I own two sets of Chef Knives. Cutco and Wusthof. Both are fine instruments but, neither hold an edge worth a darn. I've tried several "steels", including the "V" type ceramic sharpening blocks and the sharpening systems recomended by both companies.I recieved a gift certificate for Christmas so I thought what the heck I'll buy the Wusthof 4455 10 inch sharpening Steel/Ceramic. It is the best investment I have made in a long time. This Ceramic steel works like a champ. I have used it on every knife I own including my bread knives. This Ceramic puts a factory edge on knives with little effort. A few swipes and you are good to go.No Cons about it. I would recomend this to anyone. In fact I dumped my other steels and this is the only one in my kitchen.Enjoy and watch your fingers.Mark

I have a few very good knives, that I keep up after every use. This sharpening rod, has kept my knives razor sharp. I was even able to revive a good knife that I had let go too long.Pro's:Very easy to sharpen my knives, and keep them sharp.Cons:1. Metal tends to wear off of the knife and onto the ceramic, making the ceramic less coaese, and therefore not able to sharpen anymore. You have to wipe down the sharpening rod each time you use it, or it will become less useful.2. No instructions to tell you about the best way to use the rod, or how to care for and maintain the rod.Suggestions:1. If you don't know how to sharpen a knife properly (I just learned myself), go to youtube and watch some how to's.2. Practice on a knife you do not care about at first to get the feel of a ceramic sharpenning rod, especially If you have expensive knives and do not want to ruin them.

Works good! Broke mine with in a few weeks make sure you don't drop it. It's hard when you have a million things going and you have to be extra careful with the steel. Because one wrong move and it falls from the table to the ground and it's all over!!!

This sharpening steel is Wusthof quality, and is what it's advertised to be. I thought all steels were only for honing, and was unaware that some, such as this one, are specifically for sharpening. This steel will put a decent edge on a stainless steel knife, but I found the edge to be a bit rough and difficult to hone with my Wusthof 12" honing steel. If I were going for a sharpener, I don't think I would go with this. Because of my confusion, I've begun researching specific sharpeners and ceramic honing steels.To clarify, I originally purchased this steel to finely hone high-carbon steel blades. This steel is most definitely not for that, but the mistake was mine.

For convenience and safety, I like to keep my knives at their sharpest. This ceramic sharpening "steel" does more than a traditional metal steel. It contains abrasives that will sharpen your knife as well as re-align the rolled edges of the blade.Don't overuse it though as its mildly abrasive surface does remove tiny portions of the blade with each use, unlike its metal predecessor.One more precaution... being ceramic, it is fragile and will shatter into pieces if dropped onto a hard surface such as a tiled floor or granite countertop. I keep mine in a drawer with only soft neighbors such as pot holders and oven gloves, in a trimmed back version of its soft surfaced shipping cradle.

So far...so good. Sharpening steels are generally "...just about the same". This tool is not what I would refer to as a "steel" (for obvious reasons), but is very effective at honing a knife edge...it's a bit aggressive, but when your knife needs a bit more than a 'polishing', I find it a very good alternative to the stone or "Chefs Choice" application. I also find that after using the ceramic, a few additional swipes on my actual steel (pretty old and worn, but still effective) produces a decently refined edge. I apply my steel after each use of my knives before putting away...I will use the ceramic a little less frequently, but find it a good addition to my arsenal.

I was very impressed with my Wusthof knives when I purchased them several years ago. Recently they were getting very dull and the steak knives were practically useless. I didn't want an electric sharpener as I don't like the thought of grinding away significant amounts of metal to get a sharp edge. This ceramic steel was an excellent solution. It took 10-15 strokes per side for most knives, but they were sharp once again. I even used it quite successfully on some older high carbon butcher knives. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this item.