Outlet Lee Valley Hock Sharpening Steel

Ron Hock has used a smooth steel to maintain the edge on his kitchen knives for decades. Most steels on the market are actually round files with longitudinal teeth. In use, those teeth aggressively remove metal from your knife’s cutting edge. In fact, many of them are magnetized to capture the filings that would otherwise fall onto your holiday turkey.

Many of those steels are too aggressive. A smooth steel acts like the burnisher you use on your scraper blades. It doesn’t abrade or remove any metal as it reforms the cutting edge. You hold the edge against the steel and, with moderate force, slide the edge along the steel. Doing so forces the steel back into place. By steeling both sides, you reshape the edge to the center line, and your knife is sharp once again.

You can’t fix a badly dulled or damaged blade – get out the abrasives for that. But if you use the smooth steel often so the edge never gets too dull, you can refresh a keen edge for months, maybe years.

This 12″ long steel can be used as is, but it’s easy to add a handle. Just drill a 3/8″ diameter hole in the end of a handle-worthy piece of wood and insert the rod with a dab of epoxy. Shape the handle to suit.

As with any carbon steel, clean and dry it after each use to avoid corrosion.

Made in USA.