I got a fairly expensive Kramer/Zwilling knife as a present and so now I am forced to learn how to at least hone a knife (or keep it on a shelf and never use it). I think for now I'll let a pro actually sharpen the knife since the knife sharpening sets are fairly expensive and I don't want to ruin the knife.
Anyhow, I was wondering if i should go with a ceramic or steel honing rod? If it makes a difference the blade is damascus steel. Any other considerations I should look at when honing this blade?
Best Answer
It depends on how often you want to hone, what steel and edge geometry your knife uses, and how you use it.
Generally, for the vast majority of kitchen knives -- even Kramer knives -- the following apply:
If these conditions are true, I would recommend using a ceramic hone and honing frequently.....ideally before every session with the knife. Failure to hone will cause the edge to soften, fold or burr in a way that a hone cannot restore, which is when you'll need to send it on for sharpening.
Some notes: