Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 12-Inch Honing Steel

Oh, I can't tell you how happy I am to have this well-made honing steel--it feels so good that I don't even have to force myself to go five strokes on both sides of the blade before I start chopping (as Dinosaur Jr. would have it). This is a very nice and solid piece of equipment, it looks pretty good, and it does what it's supposed to do very well.

Now, for those who say "it's not a sharpening tool!"--you're right. Then again, since I got this thing, and have started using it very regularly, I have not had to sharpen any of my knives, and yes, even blades that seemed all too dull were not beyond salvation. I cannot tell (though I know the definitions) were honing stops and sharpening starts, but I have the feeling that if your knives aren't in too bad a shape they might well benefit from a serious application of the steel. Don't offend the purists and call that 'sharpening'--but as long as your knives cut better as a result, who cares what the purists call it?

One final thing: as with many tools, size counts: 12 inches seems, to me, to be some sort of a minimum length for a honer--this one is long enough, and I certainly wouldn't consider a 10-inch steel.

You'll need one of these bad boys if you want to keep your knives in any sort of sharp condition.

I hone my knives on this steel a couple times before using my knives, and a couple times after using, to maintain a sharp edge. Periodically, every 6 months or so, I break out my Chef's Choice Diamond Sharpener to really sharpen my knives.

I have Wusthof Classic and Henckels Pro-S knives, which work fine with this steel. There may be other knives which have a hardness rating higher than that of this steel. This steel has a hardness rating of 66, so keep that in mind when you purchase your knives. And, Japanese knives must be sharpened at a different angle than German knivesI think it's ~10 degrees vs. 22.5 for ze Germans.

Buy Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 12-Inch Honing Steel Now

Most of us know the importance of sharp knives for proper food preparation and gracious serving. Of course, I had to learn the hard way by mashing a tomato instead of chopping it, by "sawing" a roast rather than slicing it, and by cutting and pulling off a plump roast turkey leg rather than carving it. Those are just a few of the reasons I'm such a fan of my Henckels Sharpening Steel.

After trying both a stone and steel, the steel is my favorite for ease of use and appearance. This steel is not only utilitarian but handsome with a ribbed handle that's easy to hold and silvertone handle guard and hanging ring. First off, a good way to test whether or not your knives are sharp is to hold a piece of paper by the top corner and then attempt to "slice" it. If knives won't do this head for the steel! You'll be amazed sometimes it takes only a few strokes on the steel to make your knife sharp, sharper, then sharpest.

Remember to place the metal end of the steel on a sturdy surface, such as a butcher block table or cutting board then position the base of the blade on the steel and begin. This Henckels sharpening steel is certainly a cut above any other. Gail Cooke

Read Best Reviews of Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 12-Inch Honing Steel Here

This 12" steel performs its job admirably, providing a nice long surface to stroke a blade across and developing a distinctive ring characteristic when the blade is struck across correctly.

I've been maintaining my blades for about six months with it and have had no need to pursue any further sharpening as of yet.

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My knives are sharper and this thing is huge. It just does fit in my drawer and the knives do take less time to sharpen. It also makes an excellent pointer. :)

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