Whether sharpening steel, whetstone or knife sharpener - every good knife needs a new sharpening at some point. The knife sharpener makes sharpening knives child's play. Whether you're an amateur or professional chef, no kitchen should be without a sharpening steel. Used correctly and regularly, it significantly extends the life of your knives. Unlike knife sharpeners, sharpening steels are mainly used for slightly blunt knives. The decisive factor for the correct use of a sharpening steel is its surface. Smooth sharpening steels straighten slightly curved blades, while rough models sharpen the knives by removing a little of the blade with each pass over the sharpening steel and also straightening it again. Tip: To sharpen knives with very hard blades, such as Japanese models, please use a whetstone. A sharpening steel is unsuitable for these knives as the blades are hardened in a special process.