Sharpening steels

A sharpening steel is often enhanced with either a ceramic or diamond-coated sharpening surface. Because of this material a sharpening steel produces faster and better results than a [Wüsthof honing steel.](/en/ct/wusthof-honing-steels.htm)


## Honing steel or sharpening steel?


A honing steel removes any burrs off the cutting edge. Burrs are the first indication of a blunt knife. They are difficult to see at first. When burrs become larger you can see a glittering on the edge. A honing steel removes the rougher burrs and lifts the small burrs. That improves your knife edge.


A honing steel only removes burrs, and no material from the knife. The knife thus still becomes round and blunt on the edge. A sharpening steel, diamond or ceramic, does sharpen the edge. They remove a layer of steel from your knife which shapes the cutting edge of the knife back into a V-shape. A diamond or ceramic sharpening steel is also quite a lot harder, which means you can actually sharpen any knife on it.

Wüsthof sharpening steels are the perfect companion to your Wüsthof knife. In time each knife will (slowly) become blunt and needs to be sharpened. With a Wüsthof sharpening steel you can make sure your knife stays in great shape for a really long time.

Wüsthof sharpening steels: for the quick touch up