This is a great video, very informative. My grandpa broke a small 4" by 2" piece off a ceramic tile, he smoothed it out with by rubbing it against the rest of the tile i guess and made a little leather pouch for it. He carried that around and used to touch his knife up while camping, fishing, hunting etc. His knives were always crazy sharp. It was his secret tip he wouldnt share with just anyone lol all the guys were like 'how the hell you get your knives so sharp dale?' Hes since past and all the men it my family still carry pieces of tile around lol ceramic is #1 when it comes to honing in my opinion.
Awesome tale, thanks for sharing! Those old timers could put an edge on a pocket knife that practically screamed. Helping castrate hogs when I was about 13 was terrifying, watching my friend's grandpa go to work with his Old Timer...
Great video Sir! That's a Cook's 12" ceramic rod! I use one on my wife's fancy pants kitchen knives. I sharpen them BEFORE they get all dull. It only takes a few strokes to keep them razor sharp, and doesn't seem to put any wear on the blades. I've got a KO WS and a Harbor Freight belt sander with a lot of belts. But for keeping something sharp by touching up the edge, the rod rocks! My wife's kitchen knives will all push cut paper. Also, use a light touch. You don't need to push against the rod unless the knife is dull.
For those new to honing rods, there's a sound and vibration feel in the grip when the alignment is right. Start with the blade edge on the rod, use the pad of your thumb to make sure the edge is touching, then draw or push, in relation to your body, your knife down the rod. You'll know the moment you're off the correct alignment and can readjust. Push or pull are personal preference, and honestly, the blade size/shape also changes which way you'll like. If you're going to push, I recommend stabilizing the tip of the ceramic rod so you don't get that pop up that Chris got at the end of his strokes. He's experienced, you're not. :) The trick I recommend is tip straight down on a dish towel or wash cloth and slice down onto a cutting board. Hold the rod vertical in an ice pick grip. If you want speed, and to hold it aloft, draw the edge towards you to avoid the top pop off. If you hone every other or every third time you use your knife, you really only need to sharpen it once or twice a year, depending on your decapitation rate or orc invasion frequency.
When I first got my Fiskars X7, the coating on the edge wouldn't do the old paper cut test. I did 7 light passes on a small ceramic sharpener, and it had no problem slicing the paper. Unless your blade is damaged, a ceramic works great.
I heard a tip a while back,, use the same amount of pressure as you would when shaving your face with a normal razor, works for the ceramic rod and the strop,, hope this tip helps someone ,,,.
I’ve got some kitchen knives that have never touched sharpening stones. A few back and forths on the ceramic rod each time I use them and they have always been crazy sharp
After butchering for years, not full time, we have been using diamond rods and ceramic rods for our knives. I have dropped one of our rods and it definitely breaks. Ugh! Go point about not letting the knife get dull. Though we will wipe and wash the rods, we also have a rod eraser. Where we got it, I don't know. We also have some ceramic rods with different grits (if that's what you call it). We do the swipe of the knife towards ourselves. Though some people go crazy about that, it's still the quickest way once using it is learned. I don't recommend it. When I first starting using one, someone said something to me and I overshot the rod and made a very nice cut on the web of my hand. So, pay attention, eh! Much needed video! There are some field versions that we have that you can carry in your pocket. Some of them are nice, some junk.
David - did you get any chance to use a *polished* (shiny) steel? A lot of butchers like them. I'm trying to decide on the differences between ceramic and high polished for effectiveness, if especially for general butchering.
Never liked sharpening stones, always thought they were garbage. Now that ceramic rod looks beast. I love using ceramics especially on any type of Stainless it works beautifully. I to used to hate ceramics until I found my feel, groove and sound. Now I just go by feel and sound 👍
As a professional chef, I've been using ceramic honing rods to maintain my knives at work and at home for years. I'm glad to see you espousing the benefits of using a honing rod for non-kitchen blade edges. I keep one on me when out camping or on day hikes. You're absolutely spot on about the matter of the honing rod not being able to bring a dull edge back to sharp since that's not what a honing rod does. That's a common misconception even among professional cooks, including a certain famous Mr. Ramsay who has a video here on TH-cam on the topic of "sharpening" knives using a honing rod...
Ramsay. Will never ever touch my knives or be in my kitchen. Food is ment to be enjoyed, not screamed about like a mashed cat. Yes he's on tv because hes loud and obnoxious and likes to draw attention to himself.
Ceramic rods are sharpening rods. Most ones of decent quality remove a good bit of steel and can repair dull edges easily. They can't reprofile an entire bevel or fix severe damage, but they can certainly bring a dull edge back razor sharp. They do a lot more than just realign the bevel.
Ceramic rods are for sharpening not honing. That's why a gray line appears on it when you drag the edge across. That's metal being removed. Honing steels aren't *supposed* to remove metal, just realign the edge. But on cheap knives like dollar store kitchen knives my steel will have metal dust all over it after I'm done "honing" the knife. So they are able to remove metal and sharpen as well if the blade is poor.
@@agagagagagyo Yeah, pretty amazing how what you said is somehow considered a misconception. You are not mistaken. A large portion of the knife community is. They thing anything shaped like a steel is a honing rod that doesn't sharpen, and they are dead wrong.
1) Yes. To all of this.2) The introduction for me was actually a simple Lansky 4-(ceramic)-rod turnbox. I actually strongly recommend that tool for portable sharpening, for a bunch of reasons - very compact, packable, lightweight, idiot proof, rods are protected, turns knives into little lasers, and it's dirt cheap (like $20). After I saw how effective that was, I got my hands on a couple of large ceramic rods for free-hand work, and I'm sold on them. Must have items.
Couldn’t agree more Chris a 10” plus ceramic honing rod will be fine and as good as any method. Easy to use also. I have been using them for some time and using chefs steels before ceramic. They too are pretty good. The key is as you say “don’t wait for your knives to be blunt”
@@dougjohnsonbushcraftandbjj5561 There's a difference between honing and sharpening. How aggressive you are has nothing to do with which method you are using. Honing does not involve any metal removal. If you are using a ceramic Rod you are removing metal which means you are sharpening.
@@glbwoodsbum2567 You don't make any sense. You are talking to someone who sharpens and hones every day, if you BARELY drag a blade across a ceramic rod you aren't removing practically any steel, just removing a burr or straightening the edge. Learn some technique.
Has anyone ever used both ceramic rods AND diamond rods? I was wondering how they compare. The diamond rods I'm talking about look identical to the ceramic rod in every way except with diamond abrasive instead of ceramic abrasive. I have decided I need a "rod" style sharpener because I am struggling with getting recurve blades sharp. I was thinking MAYBE the diamond rods would have a slight advantage because they wouldn't shatter if dropped accidentally, but I have never used either one... If anyone prefers one over the other, I would love to hear your opinion. Thanks!
It doesn't matter if they look similar, it's all about the grit. The lower the grit number, the more aggressive the sharpener is. If your blade is really dull, you need a low grit like 320 or 400 to create a new edge. Then you can take it through higher grits like 600, 800 or 1000 to refine the edge. 1000 grit is plenty high enough for most people, but some people take it up to 10 000 grit and beyond to get incredibly sharp (but also fragile) edges. Ceramic rods are for fine sharpening, i.e. around the 1000 grit mark or above. If you want one single sharpener that will do the entire process, it doesn't really exist, but you can get serviceable results with a 600 grit diamond rod. And yes, a rod is the way to go with recurve blades. Hope this is helpful.
I have one that I bought for my mom in 1975. They are great. To keep it cutting well, wash it a couple of times a year with water and dish soap. It will help clear the micro shavings out of the pores.
I have a ceramic hollow cone approx. 20” tall I got at the paper mill I used to work at they replaced the cones on the hi density centrifugal cleaners . The heavy grit after many yrs would wear the inside hole to a bigger size reducing the header pressure, so I took one of the old cones for sharpening , I put it away and forgot about it until I read this I’ll have to get it out and use it again , I just stand it up on big end and hold knife straight up on strike cause the angle is just right . If u have any friends in the paper industry try to get one they are perfect, the best way to clean ceramic is with acid, the ceramic is impervious to acid
I use a ceramic rod in the kitchen and in my game butchering set. I actually made a Kydex holster for it. I do same hand, one stroke on top, one stroke on the bottom. I go faster. I can tell that I'm using the same angle on each side by listening to pitch of the scraping sound. If it sounds the same for the top side and bottom side of the rod, it's going to give you the same bevel on each side. Try it on something soft, envision a Chef, and start going. I love the strop too. I like leather, rough side out for black compound, smooth side out for green. Great video!
I just got the Arkansas ceramic rod off amazon. For some reason it has small bumps near the tip. I’m sure I can sand them off. But for the most part the rod works. I love ceramic. I have almost an obsession with it. I bought a 12 cent ceramic tile from lowes, and flattened the bottom of it, believe it or not it works perfectly for honing, makes my bevels razor sharp and makes them polished and shiny.
You gave great advice about maintaining knives before they get dull. If you hone and/or strop after each use you won't have to sharpen on a stone or diamond sharpener except to remove chips. I had a sharpening steel and several years tried it. I was skeptical, but proven wrong. It just works.
I fly a lot and I always have my two ceramic rods with me. I have two triangular rods from Spyderco, one medium and one fine. One thing you pointed out that I learned when I first got mine is to listen for the sound. It changes when you find the right angle. When I'm home, I finish with a strop. When I'm on the road, the fine stone gives me a great edge. Keeping a knife sharp is easier than sharpening a dull blade.
Yes, you'd use a butchers steel then/or a ceramic rod, I was taught to draw it towards you (thats why theres a guard at the top of the handle) but that method takes time to learn and will cost you a few cuts on your hand/fingers.
My Grandmother did that too. I totally forgot about that until I saw your post. She kept a couple pieces of what I always thought was broken glass on the window sill and would rub them down the knives whenever she cooked.
Yep plates and coffee mugs work well. I like to take my coffee mug and clean the bottom ring off with sandpaper first, helps it cut a better and clean off any glazing that might be there.
A ceramic bowl was the inspiration for the original spyderco sharpmaker. The sharpmaker mimics the motion of sharpening along the inner upper rim of a ceramic bowl. Turns out granny knew a thing or two! Cheers everyone!
I do like to use whetstones on my clad VG-10 Japanese kitchen knives. They work a treat on very hard stainless steel. They do take practice to master though Saying that, I also have a fine ceramic sharping rod. In between whetstone use, a couple of passes each side for double beveled knives on the rod, brings my knives back to atom splitters. The rod reduces the amount of time using a whetstone for sure. You're quite right too, a small amount of practice with the rod pays off big time. If an ultra fine edge can't be maintained with a ceramic rod, it generally means the wrong technique is being used. I recommend to always buy the best rod you can afford. Avoid using ones with coarse grits, go for fine, or extra fine grits. It's well worth shopping around. A decent ceramic rod should be part of any knife user's maintenance kit; whether you're cook or a woodsperson, it's an essential tool. Oh yes one more thing, avoid dropping ceramic rods like the plague. They're very susceptible to sharp lateral shocks. I've done it and it's bloody annoying when they snap or shatter.
Chris I'm glad you have discovered ceramic. I'm a big fan myself. Order yourself a gray ceramic rod. They are slightly more course than the white so when someone doesn't catch the edge before it's real done then the gray will take off more material. Also while I'm thinking of it try a little experiment, listen closely to the noise it makes when ur sharpening. Then change your angle a bit and listen. You will be able to hear when u have the right angle after so practice. I have been sharpening knives for more than 25 years and can almost do it with my eyes closed. Obviously i don't because i still have all ten fingers. Let me know what you hear and i will tell a few more things to try. Thanks for all the great vids.
You can actually reform the angle of your edge with the ceramic rod. Use it like a slip stone on the edge. It will easily reshape the edge and form a bur. You can strop off the bur with the ceramic. Then you can use the rod the way you demonstrate.
I carry a small rod for recurves, but never use it because I don't really like recurves. I do carry a flat piece of ceramic procured from a floor tile rip that I use for all of my knives.
Stones and bands of various grits remove material. Rods help straiten the bevel (very efficient against ceramic plate damage on edge) Leather actually put back metal atoms from the side to the edge. You can use bare leather or even your living skin to finish sharpening.
Ceramic is great. I have that arkansas rod. Also the 4". My fav is a 4" long 3/4" dia insulator tube from a house I once rented, the old open wire system was still in it (but retrofitted to modern wiring) and I took a bunch of the insulators that the wire was wrapped on here and there. The right tiles work well, the bottom of some plates and coffee cups.. theres a lot out there that can give an incredible edge that most wouldnt even think of. Ive made due with a rock and a car window and came out darn sharp
To clean my ceramic rods I bought a pink pencil eraser & cut it in half so i had 1 for my bag and 1 for my sharpening kit. The erasers are less than $1 and clean the rods perfectly. Gonna go buy a bunch now that I see how well it works. So portable too. Thanks Chris for another great vid. I love ceramic too.
To make a hard shell sheath for this. Acquire a length of CPVC pipe long enough for the rod to go into up to the hilt of the handle. Using paracord wrap the top of pipe and knot or just JB weld the cord to the pipe. Use a slide stop on the two ends of the cord to go over the handle of the steel and cinch up. This adds weight and bulk but when you pull the sharpener out of the pack it wont be in two pieces.
I’ve been debating whether to take a chance on a ceramic rod, versus spending over $100 on a glass stone. You just made the decision easy. Great info.! And, I agree: the sound is extremely relaxing. I’d play the sound on a loop, if I could. Cure my insomnia. Only knife people would understand. LOL
I keep pine paddle in my bag along with black compound to hone my blades in the field. I've tried ceramic rods but I have a tendency to break them while hiking. I do use a ceramic rod for my kitchen knives though
After watching this review I bought the ceramic rod and I love it! A big ceramic rod is especially great for my large choppers that were awkward sharpening with stones. Great review! every one who likes larges knives should own one. I sharpen my blades with it while sitting in my chair watching TH-cam it's very relaxing and therapeutic.
This is how I tune up blades now. A few strokes on large rod, finish on one inch belt strop with a little bit of flits on the belt. Finish off with some wd40 silicone to clean it. And wow!!!
PREPAREDMIND101, hey bro, I’m not sure if you know this or not, but if you ever find that your knives have small chips in the blade, you can use a medium grit ceramic rod to get those chips out, doesn’t take a long time at all either. And if your blade has a mirror finish, you don’t even have to ruin it by re-profiling, the ceramic rod will remove the chips and you will still have a mirror polished edge. It has to be a medium grit rod though, I use one from Lansky off amazon. Hope this helps someone. Ps. To clean your ceramic rods, Bar Keepers Friend “soft cleanser” is the best of the best. It is in liquid form, not powder, just dip your rod in the bottle, and wipe off the rod with a cloth. Don’t even need water or a sink.
Finally the light. I have been using a ceramic rod since 1985. FYI softer steel knives will bleed badly on your rod, hard to get off. Take ajax or comet, make a paste on the palm of your hand, grab the rod scrubbing until it's clean. your hand will be black. Good video. Thanks
About taking the skin off your thumb while testing the edge--it's hard to control the pressure that way. Murray Carter the knife sharpening sensei says to use three fingers. I like to wrap them around the blade from beneath. Much more control and spreads out the pressure versus one finger.
Use Bar Keeper's Friend it's a scouring powder sprinkle a little bit on your hand and run that Rod back into back and forth through your hand under the water and that stuff will come right off.
How are you not putting a micro-bevel on the convex grind of your Bravo 1? I bought the Green Elephant on your recommendation, but I just don't get sharpening a convex grind. Maybe the micro-bevel doesn't bother you...? Thanks.
Was looking at the DMT 12" one and it had BAD reviews. ( chipping ceramic , ceramic wearing to bare metal fast ,etc) I would think it's best to get a solid ceramic one. Carrying a 12" ceramic rod in the pack , you might want to make a tube for protection from breaking. Just an idea.
I've always loved knives, but have always been intimidated to sharpen them. So, I have a bunch of dull-ass knives. This video encouraged me to go for it. So, I ordered up large ceramic rod sharpener, and now I am a knife sharpening fool!..........with a lot of sharp knives! The wife is also very happy with all her sharp kitchen knives. Thank you for giving me the encouragement/motivation I'd always needed, Mr Tanner!
Old school! I like it! Daily touch-ups take so much less time than letting a knife edge get dull and having to do a lot of work. Yes, I am one of those folks that use Whet Stones to sharpen when I have to. In my defence, I learned to sharpen a knife from my Grandpa. And after a day on the farm, he would use the back side of a ceramic plate to "hone" up the edge. Simplicity works in my books. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Chris, I was always told that ceramic rods are simply for maintaining an already sharp edge. Even the packaging refers to them as hones. Do you find that to be true? I never picked up a ceramic because I have a great steel honing rod. My steel does a fantastic job at keeping the edge in good shape so I don't have to go to the stones much for the kitchen knives. I did pick up an oval 600 grit diamond rod and that really sharpens even the dullest blades extremely quickly. Anyway,great content and vids, just thought you'd be able to shed some light on ceramic rods sharpening abilities as I've never used one.
I'm the uk so fairly limited to 3" folders, started off with the lansky turn box gets them shaving sharp in a few minutes. Like you I touch them all up late at night watching tv :)
Hi Chris Thanks for sharing, I took your advice and I got the ceramic rod and strop, man what a big difference! My knife's are even sharper now! Thank you for sharing
*In the field I carry the Lansky blade medic. Of course I don't touch my blade with the carbide AT ALL.. it does however have 2 ceramic bits on it that work unbelievably well. Not to mention it's light and compact and perfect for keeping it up to par. But ive never tried the full rods though. I definitely will be picking up one asap. Great video*
I strop on the rough side of my belt regularly, but accidents happen, and the first time I had to sharpen my Jessmuk I had to pause, it being the most expensive Scandi I owned. I came to the same conclusion, though, realized that I was overthinking it, and freehanded on my Sharpmaker.
I bought the elephant ceramic rod and it works just as advertised, I dropped it on the floor from about 3 feet and it didn’t break, if that was any other rod it would’ve been in 1000 pieces. It landed on her wood floor and it worked as described, they say at 3 feet 80% of the time it will survive its those last 20 percent that you’re gonna have to buy another rod
So is this a fine ,super fine? Now that you are using this, would you consider a coarser diamond steel for shaping / more aggressive work? Oval shaped ones? I have strops and stones (and a WORX) ,have been wondering about adding rods. Wondering if they may be better than stones. Most vids only cover kitchen knives when it comes to sharpening/honing rods.
As for secondary bevels on scandi grinds, I am for it. William Collins recommended a micro bevel by letting just the weight of the sharpening steel slide along the edge. No bit secondary bevel, a micro bevel. It makes the edge stronger and is just as sharp. Wm. Collins knows what he is talking about with regards to knives, so I will take his word (and yours) regarding this. Thanks for the great videos Chris, Merry Christmas to you and your family (and Will).
As a chef, who uses this type of rod on a daily. I can say that once you get used to it. You can whip your knife across these things. I don't switch hands. I go top to bottom and switch every stroke. Do it for a couple days. You get good fast.
Good job Chris. Feral Woodcraft's video on ceramic sharpening insiped me to give it a go, and been doing it ever since. I would like to try the smaller rod as I don't like to carry the bigger one into the woods, so thanks for the link.
Chris, I have the Lansky Blade Medic and I use the carbide notch to clean up those cheap kitchen knives I don't really care about. I then follow up on an Arkansas whetstone and go to the strop from there😀
Chris, have you ever used .5 diamond spray on a strop? Man, it gives the best toothy edge you can get. Use the rough side of a leather strop and spray 5 or 6 sprays of the diamond spray. Let it dry and then strop. Only takes a few passes.
After viewing and trying so many sharpening methods here on TH-cam I have settled on using a Ceramic sharping rod for all my kitchen knives. I cook every day and I keep all my knives sharp enough for my every day needs. IMO, I don't think a Razor Sharp Knife is needed to cut my food! I am able to easily Cut or Chop my meat & Vegetables with My Knives! Yes, I have spent money on several sharpening devices and used different methods but like I said, I now only use the Ceramic Rod or a steel rod to keep all my knives sharp enough for my needs!
Great video bro! Another easy way to clean ceramic in the field is a PENCIL ERASER the big pink ones work but the white softer kind are better. No chemicals involved or scrubbing with soap it actually gets down into the micro scratches and rubs it out. It ain't perfect but they are easy to put in a kit like an altoids tin in your sheath.
91% alcohol (or Everclear!) and your fingers work really well for cleaning ceramic rods and while keeping them free of soap, which will reduce the friction.
Chris, just figured I'd give a couple tips. 1) if you sharpen using a circular motion instead of a traditional push stroke like you demonstrated in this video, then the size of the ceramic rod becomes irrelevant; i.e. You could sharpen a machete on a 3" long ceramic rod. Mike Stewart also advocates using circular motions. 2) you don't need to use oddball products to clean your sharpening rod. Spyderco always recommended using a plastic scotch brite scouring pad and some comet cleanser powder with warm water to clean their ceramic sharpening rods. But there is also a much simpler solution to cleaning stones and rods if you don't have a sink available. DMT sharpeners recommends using a simple polymer eraser to clean stones and rods. Just rub it against the sharpener and it quickly removes all the filings from the stone or rod. It's like magic! And it's also super easy to just pack a polymer eraser with your sharpening equipment if you're going to take it in the field....much easier than goof off! And polymer erasers don't dry out like those wet wipes and expire. Give it a shot.
I have a Spyderco ceramic stick I've had since 99. What you do is run it up and down on your belt like a strop after you've ran it up and down that stick about 6 or 7 times. It'll be a razor. What the leather does is lays the burrs Forward that's how you get your razor edge.
And if you want to clean wet stones boiling water and a magnet (long stick magnet 6 " is perfect so you dont burn your self, soak the stones for a while (make shore you warm them up slow. Don't drop a cold stone in boiling water it could crack it or worse) rub the magnet all over the stone with light pressure. Better the magnet better the results.
wouldn't a ceramic put on a secondary micro bevel, some just want one bevel from dropline to apex, i find ceramics are good for resharpening where the apex moved to one side and the ceramics like fine steels straighten out the knife. it is good for a short time but is not a real sharpener like wet stones
I knew that the cleaner for the ceramic rod would be some kind of wipe, I would have almost bet on wet ones. The goof off wipes are pretty cool though, I'll have to look for those.
I'm a chef with a knife roll full of custom knives. I use a ceramic rod to keep my edges clean then water stone when needed. But, I don't think I would trust using one outdoors. I've shattered a couple of ceramic rods and have seen a lot broken. Generally, it's just a matter of time before it breaks.
hey I enjoy the bk9 of yours but don't need that large if a blade how do you feel about the Becker skelitionized handled knife for a smaller bushcraft blade?
years ogo the secondary bevel was called the primary b/c it is the apex that starts the cut. So , you are grinding in the secondary bevel first then the slight primary bevel second. well of course and the thickness of where the main cutting bevel starts was called the relief, perfect word for it b/c it is a relief, cutting inward as in ancient greek freezes where called relief carving . oh try dlt strops , many find it superior to bark river. i have found the sueded leather is a beter choice then smooth.
That looks like wayy too much angle holding effort. What I do is hold at a 25 to 40 degree angle This significantly speeds up the apexing process to about 3 strokes per side When the cutting performance starts to degrade because of the angle, I reset the angle with the Lansky Fixed angled Sharpening system. I suppose you could use your worksharp to reset the angle
This is a great video, very informative. My grandpa broke a small 4" by 2" piece off a ceramic tile, he smoothed it out with by rubbing it against the rest of the tile i guess and made a little leather pouch for it. He carried that around and used to touch his knife up while camping, fishing, hunting etc. His knives were always crazy sharp. It was his secret tip he wouldnt share with just anyone lol all the guys were like 'how the hell you get your knives so sharp dale?' Hes since past and all the men it my family still carry pieces of tile around lol ceramic is #1 when it comes to honing in my opinion.
Awesome tale, thanks for sharing! Those old timers could put an edge on a pocket knife that practically screamed. Helping castrate hogs when I was about 13 was terrifying, watching my friend's grandpa go to work with his Old Timer...
Exactly, my Grandma used to sharpen hers on the back of china tea saucers and man she could get them sharp.
my dad used to sharp knife with ceramic plate's back ..
My grandpa always had a ceramic coffee mug and would use the base side that didn’t have any coating. Got those hc blades like razors.
Great video Sir! That's a Cook's 12" ceramic rod! I use one on my wife's fancy pants kitchen knives. I sharpen them BEFORE they get all dull. It only takes a few strokes to keep them razor sharp, and doesn't seem to put any wear on the blades. I've got a KO WS and a Harbor Freight belt sander with a lot of belts. But for keeping something sharp by touching up the edge, the rod rocks! My wife's kitchen knives will all push cut paper. Also, use a light touch. You don't need to push against the rod unless the knife is dull.
For those new to honing rods, there's a sound and vibration feel in the grip when the alignment is right. Start with the blade edge on the rod, use the pad of your thumb to make sure the edge is touching, then draw or push, in relation to your body, your knife down the rod. You'll know the moment you're off the correct alignment and can readjust. Push or pull are personal preference, and honestly, the blade size/shape also changes which way you'll like.
If you're going to push, I recommend stabilizing the tip of the ceramic rod so you don't get that pop up that Chris got at the end of his strokes. He's experienced, you're not. :) The trick I recommend is tip straight down on a dish towel or wash cloth and slice down onto a cutting board. Hold the rod vertical in an ice pick grip.
If you want speed, and to hold it aloft, draw the edge towards you to avoid the top pop off.
If you hone every other or every third time you use your knife, you really only need to sharpen it once or twice a year, depending on your decapitation rate or orc invasion frequency.
Guess they have to do a lot more honing in Ukraine 🧝♂️🗡️
When I first got my Fiskars X7, the coating on the edge wouldn't do the old paper cut test. I did 7 light passes on a small ceramic sharpener, and it had no problem slicing the paper. Unless your blade is damaged, a ceramic works great.
I recently retired from a meat processing plant a and we have been using those for about 15 years. They are really do a great job.
I've always wondered why many knife guys are not into steels. I like the F. Dick ones but they get pricey for like the sapphire nd ruby ones.
But wich brands of ceramics ?
I heard a tip a while back,, use the same amount of pressure as you would when shaving your face with a normal razor, works for the ceramic rod and the strop,, hope this tip helps someone ,,,.
John Waddington thanks for the tip!
I’ve got some kitchen knives that have never touched sharpening stones. A few back and forths on the ceramic rod each time I use them and they have always been crazy sharp
I've gotten some pretty good honing results with the back of a piece of $0.89 ceramic tile that I've sanded flat for a smooth surface.
After butchering for years, not full time, we have been using diamond rods and ceramic rods for our knives. I have dropped one of our rods and it definitely breaks. Ugh! Go point about not letting the knife get dull. Though we will wipe and wash the rods, we also have a rod eraser. Where we got it, I don't know. We also have some ceramic rods with different grits (if that's what you call it).
We do the swipe of the knife towards ourselves. Though some people go crazy about that, it's still the quickest way once using it is learned. I don't recommend it. When I first starting using one, someone said something to me and I overshot the rod and made a very nice cut on the web of my hand. So, pay attention, eh!
Much needed video! There are some field versions that we have that you can carry in your pocket. Some of them are nice, some junk.
David - did you get any chance to use a *polished* (shiny) steel? A lot of butchers like them. I'm trying to decide on the differences between ceramic and high polished for effectiveness, if especially for general butchering.
Never liked sharpening stones, always thought they were garbage. Now that ceramic rod looks beast. I love using ceramics especially on any type of Stainless it works beautifully. I to used to hate ceramics until I found my feel, groove and sound. Now I just go by feel and sound 👍
As a professional chef, I've been using ceramic honing rods to maintain my knives at work and at home for years. I'm glad to see you espousing the benefits of using a honing rod for non-kitchen blade edges. I keep one on me when out camping or on day hikes.
You're absolutely spot on about the matter of the honing rod not being able to bring a dull edge back to sharp since that's not what a honing rod does. That's a common misconception even among professional cooks, including a certain famous Mr. Ramsay who has a video here on TH-cam on the topic of "sharpening" knives using a honing rod...
Do you feel that the ceramic rod brings a 'toothy' edge and if so what about edge retention.
Ramsay. Will never ever touch my knives or be in my kitchen. Food is ment to be enjoyed, not screamed about like a mashed cat. Yes he's on tv because hes loud and obnoxious and likes to draw attention to himself.
Ceramic rods are sharpening rods. Most ones of decent quality remove a good bit of steel and can repair dull edges easily. They can't reprofile an entire bevel or fix severe damage, but they can certainly bring a dull edge back razor sharp. They do a lot more than just realign the bevel.
Ceramic rods are for sharpening not honing. That's why a gray line appears on it when you drag the edge across. That's metal being removed.
Honing steels aren't *supposed* to remove metal, just realign the edge. But on cheap knives like dollar store kitchen knives my steel will have metal dust all over it after I'm done "honing" the knife. So they are able to remove metal and sharpen as well if the blade is poor.
@@agagagagagyo Yeah, pretty amazing how what you said is somehow considered a misconception. You are not mistaken. A large portion of the knife community is. They thing anything shaped like a steel is a honing rod that doesn't sharpen, and they are dead wrong.
1) Yes. To all of this.2) The introduction for me was actually a simple Lansky 4-(ceramic)-rod turnbox. I actually strongly recommend that tool for portable sharpening, for a bunch of reasons - very compact, packable, lightweight, idiot proof, rods are protected, turns knives into little lasers, and it's dirt cheap (like $20). After I saw how effective that was, I got my hands on a couple of large ceramic rods for free-hand work, and I'm sold on them. Must have items.
Couldn’t agree more Chris a 10” plus ceramic honing rod will be fine and as good as any method. Easy to use also. I have been using them for some time and using chefs steels before ceramic. They too are pretty good. The key is as you say “don’t wait for your knives to be blunt”
Don't put pressure. Light and fast moves. I use ceramics ten years now for honing professional knives.
Can you answer me the question: Does ceramic honing rod have a coating of ceramic onto a steel rod ? Or is the whole ceramic rod made of ceramic?
@@kiriakosmusic whole
Yep, use these often for honing and touchups just be careful at the tip, you can round them off!
The ceramic rod will not hone. It only sharpens.
@@glbwoodsbum2567 Not aggressively. A light pass is basically a hone.
@@dougjohnsonbushcraftandbjj5561 There's a difference between honing and sharpening. How aggressive you are has nothing to do with which method you are using. Honing does not involve any metal removal. If you are using a ceramic Rod you are removing metal which means you are sharpening.
@@glbwoodsbum2567 You don't make any sense. You are talking to someone who sharpens and hones every day, if you BARELY drag a blade across a ceramic rod you aren't removing practically any steel, just removing a burr or straightening the edge. Learn some technique.
I know damn well the difference between honing and sharpening, you just are failing to comprehend the point in trying to get across
Has anyone ever used both ceramic rods AND diamond rods? I was wondering how they compare. The diamond rods I'm talking about look identical to the ceramic rod in every way except with diamond abrasive instead of ceramic abrasive. I have decided I need a "rod" style sharpener because I am struggling with getting recurve blades sharp. I was thinking MAYBE the diamond rods would have a slight advantage because they wouldn't shatter if dropped accidentally, but I have never used either one... If anyone prefers one over the other, I would love to hear your opinion. Thanks!
It doesn't matter if they look similar, it's all about the grit. The lower the grit number, the more aggressive the sharpener is. If your blade is really dull, you need a low grit like 320 or 400 to create a new edge. Then you can take it through higher grits like 600, 800 or 1000 to refine the edge. 1000 grit is plenty high enough for most people, but some people take it up to 10 000 grit and beyond to get incredibly sharp (but also fragile) edges. Ceramic rods are for fine sharpening, i.e. around the 1000 grit mark or above. If you want one single sharpener that will do the entire process, it doesn't really exist, but you can get serviceable results with a 600 grit diamond rod. And yes, a rod is the way to go with recurve blades. Hope this is helpful.
I have one that I bought for my mom in 1975. They are great. To keep it cutting well, wash it a couple of times a year with water and dish soap. It will help clear the micro shavings out of the pores.
I have a ceramic hollow cone approx. 20” tall I got at the paper mill I used to work at they replaced the cones on the hi density centrifugal cleaners . The heavy grit after many yrs would wear the inside hole to a bigger size reducing the header pressure, so I took one of the old cones for sharpening , I put it away and forgot about it until I read this I’ll have to get it out and use it again , I just stand it up on big end and hold knife straight up on strike cause the angle is just right . If u have any friends in the paper industry try to get one they are perfect, the best way to clean ceramic is with acid, the ceramic is impervious to acid
I use a ceramic rod in the kitchen and in my game butchering set. I actually made a Kydex holster for it. I do same hand, one stroke on top, one stroke on the bottom. I go faster. I can tell that I'm using the same angle on each side by listening to pitch of the scraping sound. If it sounds the same for the top side and bottom side of the rod, it's going to give you the same bevel on each side.
Try it on something soft, envision a Chef, and start going. I love the strop too. I like leather, rough side out for black compound, smooth side out for green.
Great video!
I just got the Arkansas ceramic rod off amazon. For some reason it has small bumps near the tip. I’m sure I can sand them off. But for the most part the rod works. I love ceramic. I have almost an obsession with it. I bought a 12 cent ceramic tile from lowes, and flattened the bottom of it, believe it or not it works perfectly for honing, makes my bevels razor sharp and makes them polished and shiny.
You gave great advice about maintaining knives before they get dull. If you hone and/or strop after each use you won't have to sharpen on a stone or diamond sharpener except to remove chips. I had a sharpening steel and several years tried it. I was skeptical, but proven wrong. It just works.
I fly a lot and I always have my two ceramic rods with me. I have two triangular rods from Spyderco, one medium and one fine. One thing you pointed out that I learned when I first got mine is to listen for the sound. It changes when you find the right angle. When I'm home, I finish with a strop. When I'm on the road, the fine stone gives me a great edge. Keeping a knife sharp is easier than sharpening a dull blade.
Yes, you'd use a butchers steel then/or a ceramic rod, I was taught to draw it towards you (thats why theres a guard at the top of the handle) but that method takes time to learn and will cost you a few cuts on your hand/fingers.
My mother in law showed me how to sharpen knives on the bottom of a ceramic plate. Makes the knives razor sharp.
Marc Grecco ; that reminded me of my grandmother sharpening knives and scissors on the side of a ceramic crock ( water vessel).
I tried the ceramic dinner plate sharpening method, at my brother-in-law's place yesterday, and it worked well.
My Grandmother did that too. I totally forgot about that until I saw your post. She kept a couple pieces of what I always thought was broken glass on the window sill and would rub them down the knives whenever she cooked.
Yep plates and coffee mugs work well. I like to take my coffee mug and clean the bottom ring off with sandpaper first, helps it cut a better and clean off any glazing that might be there.
A ceramic bowl was the inspiration for the original spyderco sharpmaker. The sharpmaker mimics the motion of sharpening along the inner upper rim of a ceramic bowl. Turns out granny knew a thing or two! Cheers everyone!
Thanks. I got a ceramic rod to try it
Used to use crock sticks. Now using Fallkniven's C12 for honing.
I do like to use whetstones on my clad VG-10 Japanese kitchen knives. They work a treat on very hard stainless steel. They do take practice to master though Saying that, I also have a fine ceramic sharping rod. In between whetstone use, a couple of passes each side for double beveled knives on the rod, brings my knives back to atom splitters. The rod reduces the amount of time using a whetstone for sure. You're quite right too, a small amount of practice with the rod pays off big time. If an ultra fine edge can't be maintained with a ceramic rod, it generally means the wrong technique is being used. I recommend to always buy the best rod you can afford. Avoid using ones with coarse grits, go for fine, or extra fine grits. It's well worth shopping around. A decent ceramic rod should be part of any knife user's maintenance kit; whether you're cook or a woodsperson, it's an essential tool. Oh yes one more thing, avoid dropping ceramic rods like the plague. They're very susceptible to sharp lateral shocks. I've done it and it's bloody annoying when they snap or shatter.
Chris I'm glad you have discovered ceramic. I'm a big fan myself. Order yourself a gray ceramic rod. They are slightly more course than the white so when someone doesn't catch the edge before it's real done then the gray will take off more material. Also while I'm thinking of it try a little experiment, listen closely to the noise it makes when ur sharpening. Then change your angle a bit and listen. You will be able to hear when u have the right angle after so practice. I have been sharpening knives for more than 25 years and can almost do it with my eyes closed. Obviously i don't because i still have all ten fingers. Let me know what you hear and i will tell a few more things to try. Thanks for all the great vids.
You can actually reform the angle of your edge with the ceramic rod. Use it like a slip stone on the edge. It will easily reshape the edge and form a bur. You can strop off the bur with the ceramic. Then you can use the rod the way you demonstrate.
I been using ceramics for years mine come from high voltage light elements they work great along with a strop
I've got 3 of those...son of a beech...WOW
How did you get them I’d love to get some?
That's funny. I use the ceramic from thermocouples used in large blast furnaces!
I carry a small rod for recurves, but never use it because I don't really like recurves. I do carry a flat piece of ceramic procured from a floor tile rip that I use for all of my knives.
Stones and bands of various grits remove material. Rods help straiten the bevel (very efficient against ceramic plate damage on edge) Leather actually put back metal atoms from the side to the edge. You can use bare leather or even your living skin to finish sharpening.
Ive been using ceramic rods for years. By far best way to clean the shavings off is with Comet. Wipes right off super easy.
@Ryan Boswood its a gritty household cleaner used in sinks and toilet bowls, which are ceramic.
Ceramic is great. I have that arkansas rod. Also the 4". My fav is a 4" long 3/4" dia insulator tube from a house I once rented, the old open wire system was still in it (but retrofitted to modern wiring) and I took a bunch of the insulators that the wire was wrapped on here and there. The right tiles work well, the bottom of some plates and coffee cups.. theres a lot out there that can give an incredible edge that most wouldnt even think of. Ive made due with a rock and a car window and came out darn sharp
on a budget note you can use the filament from a high pressure sodium light bulb as well. many different sizes and it is ceramic.
Personally I use the side of a cheap ceramic knife.
Billy Stone or the bottom of a coffee mug
To clean my ceramic rods I bought a pink pencil eraser & cut it in half so i had 1 for my bag and 1 for my sharpening kit. The erasers are less than $1 and clean the rods perfectly. Gonna go buy a bunch now that I see how well it works. So portable too. Thanks Chris for another great vid. I love ceramic too.
To make a hard shell sheath for this. Acquire a length of CPVC pipe long enough for the rod to go into up to the hilt of the handle. Using paracord wrap the top of pipe and knot or just JB weld the cord to the pipe. Use a slide stop on the two ends of the cord to go over the handle of the steel and cinch up. This adds weight and bulk but when you pull the sharpener out of the pack it wont be in two pieces.
I’ve been debating whether to take a chance on a ceramic rod, versus spending over $100 on a glass stone. You just made the decision easy. Great info.! And, I agree: the sound is extremely relaxing. I’d play the sound on a loop, if I could. Cure my insomnia. Only knife people would understand. LOL
I keep pine paddle in my bag along with black compound to hone my blades in the field. I've tried ceramic rods but I have a tendency to break them while hiking. I do use a ceramic rod for my kitchen knives though
These work great, 26 years of working in kitchens ..
I have several flat ceramic pieces, they are about 8in x 3in and 1/2 inch thick and I love these things! I even have smaller ones to carry with me
After watching this review I bought the ceramic rod and I love it! A big ceramic rod is especially great for my large choppers that were awkward sharpening with stones. Great review! every one who likes larges knives should own one. I sharpen my blades with it while sitting in my chair watching TH-cam it's very relaxing and therapeutic.
I have some small ceramic sharpeners, I mean real small but I'm going to get one of these and give it a shot for touching up my knives!
This is how I tune up blades now. A few strokes on large rod, finish on one inch belt strop with a little bit of flits on the belt. Finish off with some wd40 silicone to clean it. And wow!!!
PREPAREDMIND101, hey bro, I’m not sure if you know this or not, but if you ever find that your knives have small chips in the blade, you can use a medium grit ceramic rod to get those chips out, doesn’t take a long time at all either. And if your blade has a mirror finish, you don’t even have to ruin it by re-profiling, the ceramic rod will remove the chips and you will still have a mirror polished edge. It has to be a medium grit rod though, I use one from Lansky off amazon. Hope this helps someone.
Ps. To clean your ceramic rods, Bar Keepers Friend “soft cleanser” is the best of the best. It is in liquid form, not powder, just dip your rod in the bottle, and wipe off the rod with a cloth. Don’t even need water or a sink.
Finally the light. I have been using a ceramic rod since 1985. FYI softer steel knives will bleed badly on your rod, hard to get off. Take ajax or comet, make a paste on the palm of your hand, grab the rod scrubbing until it's clean. your hand will be black. Good video. Thanks
About taking the skin off your thumb while testing the edge--it's hard to control the pressure that way. Murray Carter the knife sharpening sensei says to use three fingers. I like to wrap them around the blade from beneath. Much more control and spreads out the pressure versus one finger.
i bought one in ikea for 8 euro's, didnt think it will be much good but it definitely surprised me
My easy lap 1200 grit oval diamond rod has given me excellent performance I have not found any equal to it one bit.
Hi Chris, I do not use ceramic root, you can easy round the tip off! I use ceramic stones from Spyderco.
+ora1000 Seen ZERO proof of this claim. Ceramic stones?
It's just my experience and I have more than 40 years of experience. By the way, cool videos
ora1000 spyderco stones are not flat and virtually impossible to flatten
what du you mean?
Use Bar Keeper's Friend it's a scouring powder sprinkle a little bit on your hand and run that Rod back into back and forth through your hand under the water and that stuff will come right off.
How are you not putting a micro-bevel on the convex grind of your Bravo 1? I bought the Green Elephant on your recommendation, but I just don't get sharpening a convex grind. Maybe the micro-bevel doesn't bother you...? Thanks.
Thanks for doing the video. I have a smaller rod in my feld sharpening kit but don't use them at home. I'm going to pick up a large rod.
Was looking at the DMT 12" one and it had BAD reviews. ( chipping ceramic , ceramic wearing to bare metal fast ,etc) I would think it's best to get a solid ceramic one. Carrying a 12" ceramic rod in the pack , you might want to make a tube for protection from breaking. Just an idea.
I've been using ceramic CrockSticks since the early 1980s. Best system ever.
Ceramic is awesome for touching up a blade. I use a the bottom of a coffee cup if I need to touch up.a kitchen knife while preparing food.
I've always loved knives, but have always been intimidated to sharpen them. So, I have a bunch of dull-ass knives. This video encouraged me to go for it. So, I ordered up large ceramic rod sharpener, and now I am a knife sharpening fool!..........with a lot of sharp knives! The wife is also very happy with all her sharp kitchen knives. Thank you for giving me the encouragement/motivation I'd always needed, Mr Tanner!
Old school! I like it! Daily touch-ups take so much less time than letting a knife edge get dull and having to do a lot of work. Yes, I am one of those folks that use Whet Stones to sharpen when I have to. In my defence, I learned to sharpen a knife from my Grandpa. And after a day on the farm, he would use the back side of a ceramic plate to "hone" up the edge. Simplicity works in my books. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Chris, I was always told that ceramic rods are simply for maintaining an already sharp edge. Even the packaging refers to them as hones. Do you find that to be true? I never picked up a ceramic because I have a great steel honing rod. My steel does a fantastic job at keeping the edge in good shape so I don't have to go to the stones much for the kitchen knives. I did pick up an oval 600 grit diamond rod and that really sharpens even the dullest blades extremely quickly. Anyway,great content and vids, just thought you'd be able to shed some light on ceramic rods sharpening abilities as I've never used one.
Push that sharpener up against a tree n have more control bro
I've been using scouring powder on a sponge to clean my ceramic sharpener but if I can find the goof off wipes I will try them .
I've looked at rods but totally forgot them. Might have to check em out again
Holy moly I've been sharpening my knife on my stone to try to relax myself for some reason I never knew that helped people.
I'm the uk so fairly limited to 3" folders, started off with the lansky turn box gets them shaving sharp in a few minutes. Like you I touch them all up late at night watching tv :)
Hi Chris
Thanks for sharing, I took your advice and I got the ceramic rod and strop, man what a big difference! My knife's are even sharper now! Thank you for sharing
*In the field I carry the Lansky blade medic. Of course I don't touch my blade with the carbide AT ALL.. it does however have 2 ceramic bits on it that work unbelievably well. Not to mention it's light and compact and perfect for keeping it up to par. But ive never tried the full rods though. I definitely will be picking up one asap. Great video*
Does this come with a hard sheath of some sort??? I think it would be important to prevent accidental breaking.
I strop on the rough side of my belt regularly, but accidents happen, and the first time I had to sharpen my Jessmuk I had to pause, it being the most expensive Scandi I owned. I came to the same conclusion, though, realized that I was overthinking it, and freehanded on my Sharpmaker.
I bought the elephant ceramic rod and it works just as advertised, I dropped it on the floor from about 3 feet and it didn’t break, if that was any other rod it would’ve been in 1000 pieces. It landed on her wood floor and it worked as described, they say at 3 feet 80% of the time it will survive its those last 20 percent that you’re gonna have to buy another rod
So is this a fine ,super fine? Now that you are using this, would you consider a coarser diamond steel for shaping / more aggressive work? Oval shaped ones? I have strops and stones (and a WORX) ,have been wondering about adding rods. Wondering if they may be better than stones. Most vids only cover kitchen knives when it comes to sharpening/honing rods.
So can you use a ceramic rod on a mora garberg Scandi grind ? Please I'm confused
As for secondary bevels on scandi grinds, I am for it. William Collins recommended a micro bevel by letting just the weight of the sharpening steel slide along the edge. No bit secondary bevel, a micro bevel. It makes the edge stronger and is just as sharp. Wm. Collins knows what he is talking about with regards to knives, so I will take his word (and yours) regarding this. Thanks for the great videos Chris, Merry Christmas to you and your family (and Will).
+csh 62 I certainly don't care. People do because they heard they were supposed to care. Why?
That’s mean
Do those rods come in different grits
Is it better tham diamond rod?what's the difference aside from the obvious?
Good advice Chris, my late brother and I are OCD about our knives being sharp
As a chef, who uses this type of rod on a daily. I can say that once you get used to it. You can whip your knife across these things. I don't switch hands. I go top to bottom and switch every stroke. Do it for a couple days. You get good fast.
Not to say switching hands is wrong. Do what works for you
You can use a plain old gummy eraser to clean them...
Good job Chris. Feral Woodcraft's video on ceramic sharpening insiped me to give it a go, and been doing it ever since. I would like to try the smaller rod as I don't like to carry the bigger one into the woods, so thanks for the link.
The Green Elephant ceramic rod on Amazon is great. It’s my primary sharpener now.
Chris, I have the Lansky Blade Medic and I use the carbide notch to clean up those cheap kitchen knives I don't really care about. I then follow up on an Arkansas whetstone and go to the strop from there😀
Have you found and tried a leather strop rod.
This is great info , never tried it before but gonna give it a shot.
Chris, have you ever used .5 diamond spray on a strop? Man, it gives the best toothy edge you can get. Use the rough side of a leather strop and spray 5 or 6 sprays of the diamond spray. Let it dry and then strop. Only takes a few passes.
After viewing and trying so many sharpening methods here on TH-cam I have settled on using a Ceramic sharping rod for all my kitchen knives. I cook every day and I keep all my knives sharp enough for my every day needs. IMO, I don't think a Razor Sharp Knife is needed to cut my food! I am able to easily Cut or Chop my meat & Vegetables with My Knives! Yes, I have spent money on several sharpening devices and used different methods but like I said, I now only use the Ceramic Rod or a steel rod to keep all my knives sharp enough for my needs!
Great video bro! Another easy way to clean ceramic in the field is a PENCIL ERASER the big pink ones work but the white softer kind are better.
No chemicals involved or scrubbing with soap it actually gets down into the micro scratches and rubs it out. It ain't perfect but they are easy to put in a kit like an altoids tin in your sheath.
91% alcohol (or Everclear!) and your fingers work really well for cleaning ceramic rods and while keeping them free of soap, which will reduce the friction.
Chris, just figured I'd give a couple tips. 1) if you sharpen using a circular motion instead of a traditional push stroke like you demonstrated in this video, then the size of the ceramic rod becomes irrelevant; i.e. You could sharpen a machete on a 3" long ceramic rod. Mike Stewart also advocates using circular motions. 2) you don't need to use oddball products to clean your sharpening rod. Spyderco always recommended using a plastic scotch brite scouring pad and some comet cleanser powder with warm water to clean their ceramic sharpening rods. But there is also a much simpler solution to cleaning stones and rods if you don't have a sink available. DMT sharpeners recommends using a simple polymer eraser to clean stones and rods. Just rub it against the sharpener and it quickly removes all the filings from the stone or rod. It's like magic! And it's also super easy to just pack a polymer eraser with your sharpening equipment if you're going to take it in the field....much easier than goof off! And polymer erasers don't dry out like those wet wipes and expire. Give it a shot.
tried arkansas ceramic rods did not sharpen knive any theories thanks
I always use whetstones and ceramic. Love the stuff.
I have a Spyderco ceramic stick I've had since 99. What you do is run it up and down on your belt like a strop after you've ran it up and down that stick about 6 or 7 times. It'll be a razor. What the leather does is lays the burrs Forward that's how you get your razor edge.
And if you want to clean wet stones boiling water and a magnet (long stick magnet 6 " is perfect so you dont burn your self, soak the stones for a while (make shore you warm them up slow. Don't drop a cold stone in boiling water it could crack it or worse) rub the magnet all over the stone with light pressure. Better the magnet better the results.
wouldn't a ceramic put on a secondary micro bevel, some just want one bevel from dropline to apex, i find ceramics are good for resharpening where the apex moved to one side and the ceramics like fine steels straighten out the knife. it is good for a short time but is not a real sharpener like wet stones
I use a 30" electric belt mainly but I like the look of the large rod, may get one and try it out.
I knew that the cleaner for the ceramic rod would be some kind of wipe, I would have almost bet on wet ones. The goof off wipes are pretty cool though, I'll have to look for those.
+James Johnston Know what else they are awesome for?? Cleaning up your knives after a weekend if use and getting all the sticky tree crap off of them.
I'm a chef with a knife roll full of custom knives. I use a ceramic rod to keep my edges clean then water stone when needed. But, I don't think I would trust using one outdoors. I've shattered a couple of ceramic rods and have seen a lot broken. Generally, it's just a matter of time before it breaks.
Using them to remove a burr with sharpening, works well
hey I enjoy the bk9 of yours but don't need that large if a blade how do you feel about the Becker skelitionized handled knife for a smaller bushcraft blade?
Same as an Arkansas stick or no?
years ogo the secondary bevel was called the primary b/c it is the apex that starts the cut. So , you are grinding in the secondary bevel first then the slight primary bevel second. well of course and the thickness of where the main cutting bevel starts was called the relief, perfect word for it b/c it is a relief, cutting inward as in ancient greek freezes where called relief carving . oh try dlt strops , many find it superior to bark river. i have found the sueded leather is a beter choice then smooth.
That looks like wayy too much angle holding effort.
What I do is hold at a 25 to 40 degree angle
This significantly speeds up the apexing process to about 3 strokes per side
When the cutting performance starts to degrade because of the angle, I reset the angle with the Lansky Fixed angled Sharpening system.
I suppose you could use your worksharp to reset the angle