A sharpening steel is a historical tool, yet one that professionals who work with knives daily and need to keep them sharp still cannot do without. It is not used to create a cutting edge on a knife, but to maintain it—this is called honing.
The basic rule when choosing a sharpening steel is that it must be made of a material that is harder than the knife with which it will be used. If this were not the case, the knife would not only damage the sharpening steel, but more importantly, its edge would not improve. The second important rule is that the sharpening steel should be longer than the knife being sharpened. Finally, professionals recommend that both the knife and the sharpening steel be from the same manufacturer.
So, for example, if you buy one of the knives from the Ruby set, you definitely shouldn’t be without a sharpening steel from the same set at home. However, our selection of sharpening steels is much broader in terms of price, material, and shape. While the Ruby sharpening steel is oval, other sharpening steels have a circular cross-section, so you can choose the version that suits you best or that you’re already used to.
Of course, like any craft, working with a sharpening steel takes practice, and there are plenty of guides and techniques available. Ideally, find someone experienced who can introduce you to knife sharpening and advise you on how to avoid common mistakes—such as failing to maintain a consistent angle along the entire length of the blade or causing the edge to wavulate and develop serrations.