Are you the kind of person who enjoys cooking while camping and you are searching for the best honing rod for knives? If so, you understand that a sharp knife is necessary.
One of the easiest ways to achieve a blade that is always in good condition is with a honing rod. Usually made from steel, ceramic, or diamond-coated steel, a honing rod realigns blade edges.
If you are serious about ensuring that your knives stay sharp at all times, you will want to invest in a honing rod to maximize your knife’s potential. Here are the best honing rods available in the market.
8 Best Honing Rod for Knives
1) Utopia Kitchen 12 Inch Honing Steel Knife Rod
If you use this tool to sharpen your knife, you are certain that you will spend less time in the kitchen. This is because it is perfect and strong, made from carbon steel and plated with nickel-chrome.
The fine surface of the steel rod prevents the cutting edge from damage while you sharpen it. It is ideal for everyone, whether you are left-handed or right-handed.
It is very important to note that it is recommended that you use a non-woven cloth soaked with cooking oil to wipe the body and dry it. If you wash it with water, wipe the rod dry after washing and hang it in a cool place to air dry.
Highlights
- Ergonomic handle that fits all handles, ensuring comfort and control during use
- Quick and Easy to use
- Works on steel and ceramic blades
- Sharpens both standard and serrated-edged knife blades
- Durable handle for safe sharpening
- Available in different sizes 8/10 and 12 inches
2) Wusthof- 10” Knife Sharpening Steel with Loop
A sharpening steel is a tool you cannot use if you desire to keep our knife collection in its best cutting shape. This tool is perfect for the job with a sturdy non-slip handle and magnetic steel.
It has a square handle that provides a good grip, allowing easy steel revolution to spread the work around its surface.
Highlights
- 10-inch sharpening steel
- Loop on the handle for hanging
- Square handle that prevents a good grip and ensures easy revolution of the steel so that it spreads the work around its surface
- Magnetic steel attracts metal fibers as you sharpen
- Non-resistant handle that fits comfortably in the hand
3) Winware Stainless Steel Sharpening Steel
This 12-inch sharpening steel has a plastic handle with a hanging loop. It is a quality honing rod that ensures you spend less time in the kitchen sharpening your knife.
Highlights
- 12-inch sharpening blade
- 5-inch handle length
- Plastic handle that has a hanging loop
- Easy to use
- Measures 17.5x 0.5x 1 inches
4) Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Swiss Classic Fibrox Honing Steel
This honing rod maintains your knife’s sharpness so that they handle every kitchen task imaginable. Designed with a comfortable handle, brushed industrial-plated steel, superior weight, and balance, this knife ensures that your knives increase in sharpness and strength.
Highlights
- Great handle design that reduces wrist fatigue
- Textured handle for safe and comfortable grip regardless of the hand size
- Easily wipes clean
- High-quality, industrial brush-plated steel
- Maintains sharpness as it helps roll the knife’s edge into the original position
5) Noble Home & Chef Honing Rod
A sharper knife is safer as a dull knife tempts us towards bat habits while cutting. This knife rod is made of high-quality, hardened carbon steel. It is also designed to ensure that it is rust and corrosion-resistant. It is a professional knife steel magnetized for safety.
Highlights
- Excellent weight and feel
- Oval handle that allows a sturdy, firm grip for added safety.
- Chromium plated to ensure that it is rust and corrosion resistant
- Designer handle adds class to your kitchen
- Made of hardened carbon steel for strength and durability
- Dishwasher safe
6) Green Elephant Ceramic Sharpening Rod
Quick sharpening of your knives has never been so easy. With this honing rod, you will be worry-free, and all you will get is happily cooking in your kitchen. Always be careful not to drop the rod since it is fragile and can shatter when dropped.
Highlights
- Highly durable as it is made of high-quality ceramic
- Has a unique vibration-absorbent design that protects it from shattering when dropped
- Extremely easy to use
- Easy to clean as the regular detergent can be used
- Lightweight and comfortable handle that ensures an effortless and safe sharpening experience
7) ARCCI 12 Inch Diamond Knife Sharpener Rod
Honing your blade with the right tool is one of the main aspects of good knife care. This tool is of great quality and is sold at a reasonable price.
Highlights
- Suitable for a range of materials as it diamond made
- Safe and easy to use as the ergonomic handle ensures a comfortable grip making you’re sharpening easy and efficient
- Rust proof as it has a nickel plating to prevent rust
- Accurate
- Smooth and subtle grinding layer which extends the service life of the tool
- Easy to use
See Also
- Best Honing Steel for Japanese Knives
- 5 Best Retractable Self-Defense Batons
- Best Hip Waders for Fly Fishing
Factors to Consider When Purchasing the Best Honing Rod for Knives
Length
The length of your knife determines the length of your honing rod. You will need a small one 8 to 9 inches if you have small knives. Long knives need a long hone. A 10”-12” hone is a good size for most kitchen knives.
Handle
This is a very important part of a honing rod. Keeping a firm grip on the hone is essential to keep it from slipping. Slipping while honing cause damage to both you and the knife. While purchasing a honing rod, look for an ergonomic grip that will fit your hand comfortably and is made from a non-slip material. Also, ensure that it has a guard to protect your hand.
Material
Honing rods are made from three main materials: stainless steel, ceramic, and diamond. Stainless steel hones are the most common ones. They are excellent and ideal for most knives. Ceramic hones are harder than stainless steel. They are a bit brittle, though. Lastly, there are diamond hones which are the hardest of them all. They may be expensive but right for you if you don’t want to hone your knife often.
Budget
Different honing rods are available at different prices depending on the features, quality, and material. It is always important to stick to your budget. Spending more than you can lead to financial runaways.
Warranty
Before purchasing your honing rod, read and understand the warranty terms.
Maintenance
Lack of proper maintenance of your honing rod leads to clogging with tiny metal practices, thus affecting its effectiveness. Proper maintenance enhances the tool’s performance. The type of maintenance is dependent on its material. Ceramic honing rods are harder to maintain than steel and diamond.
Advantages of Best Honing Rod for Knives
Save money
Investing in honing steel helps you save a lot of money. Instead of buying a new knife as an alternative, you can sharpen it in your kitchen whenever it gets blunt.
Easy to use
Honing is easy with minimal effort. Restore and renew the sharpness of your dull knives with a few strokes and then enjoy your cooking time.
Save time
Honing your knives is quick as you will be done in a matter of seconds so that you can continue with your tasks.
Useful
Owning a honing rod helps you maintain your knives more effectively. Furthermore, honing your blades upgrades your cutlery for many years for ultimate cooking.
Lightweight
This ensures that you are comfortable and in control as you use them. This also means that they are easy to carry around.
Disadvantages of Best Honing Rod for Knives
Require regular maintenance
Honing rods require maintenance every year, and this could be tiresome
Require extra caution when being used
Failure to do this could cause serious damage to the user and the knife.
FAQs on the Best Honing Rod for Knives
1) I take good care and hand wash my knife, but little chips are still missing. What could be the problem?
The incorrect cutting technique or prolonged exposure to moisture may cause chips on the knife blade. A back-and-forth slicing motion is the most suitable knife use. Moisture promotes micro-corrosion, which leads to tiny chips or missing pieces in the knife’s cutting edges. To prevent this, wash and dry immediately after every use.
2) How do I clean my knife?
Wash by hand with water and mild dish soap. Then, rinse and dry with a dishcloth immediately.
3) What kind of cutting surface should I use?
Use your knife on soft-cutting surfaces such as wood, plastic, or bamboo cutting boards. Do not use it on hard surfaces such as granite, stone, marble, or ceramic, as these will chip the blade’s edge.
Conclusion
Best honing rods always ensure that your knives stay sharp. All you need to do is get any of the honing rods mentioned above, and your blunt knives will be a thing of the past.