I just bought a 7in global oriental chef's knife. The packaging says
that you shouldn't use a steel honing rod and instead should use a $100
global ceramic sharpening rod. I know a lot of other companies make
ceramic sharpening rods, and I wondered whether the "DMT 12-in.
Unbreakable Ceramic Sharpening Rod" or the "Messermeister 12-in.
Ceramic Sharpening Rod" would work. It seems like overkill to buy a
$100 ceramic sharpening rod for a $70 knife (this is my only global
knife).

I also just bought a Wusthof Grand Prix 8in chef's knife and paring
knife and am trying to pick a honing steel for them.

wrote:
> I just bought a 7in global oriental chef's knife. The packaging says
> that you shouldn't use a steel honing rod

With some good experience a steel rod's OK.

> and instead should use a $100
> global ceramic sharpening rod. I know a lot of other companies make
> ceramic sharpening rods, and I wondered whether the "DMT 12-in.
> Unbreakable Ceramic Sharpening Rod" or the "Messermeister 12-in.
> Ceramic Sharpening Rod" would work.

Without having experiance with those aformentioned rods I'd say they
are all the same.

> It seems like overkill to buy a
> $100 ceramic sharpening rod for a $70 knife (this is my only global
> knife).

Good observation. It's prolly true.
>
> I also just bought a Wusthof Grand Prix 8in chef's knife and paring
> knife and am trying to pick a honing steel for them.

I have a Henckels Steel steel, and an older, generic German steel
steel. I've found that one of those generic, mini, 'Walmart'
plastic-housed ceramic sharpeners puts a heckova edge on a well-ground
and well taken care of knife. I don't like Globals (I think they look
crappy) so I don't own one but I suspect they are well made and well
edged.

Buy the Wusthof ceramic steel for both knives.

Steve
Sharpening Made Easy: A Primer on Sharpening Knives and Other Edged
Tools by Steve Bottorff
Copyright January 2002 Knife World Publications
www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com

Steve B. wrote:
> Buy the Wusthof ceramic steel for both knives.
>
> Steve
> Sharpening Made Easy: A Primer on Sharpening Knives and Other Edged
> Tools by Steve Bottorff
> Copyright January 2002 Knife World Publications
> www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com

Can you explain the difference between the different ceramic steels to
me? I assume part of it is grit. Is that all that distinguishes the
different ones?

Global's claim to fame is that their kinves are made of a harder type
of stainless and therefore hold their edge longer and can be sharpened
to a finer edge. About holding an edge longer...it also means that
they are harder to sharpen. I prefer a knife that you can throw a
quick edge on when you need it. As to being able to attain a finer
edge, how sharp of an edge do you need when slicing food? A very sharp
kitchen knife is still not "razor sharp" The most demanding job for a
knife I know of in a kitchen is slicing a tomato or thinly slicing meat
and any well sharpened standard steel knife will do that. There is a
lot of BS out ther about knives. I have owned $100 knives and $100
sharpeners. I am very demanding of my knives and have found my
favorite to be a $10 Hinkle SS 6" chefs knife and I use a $10 ceramic
sharpener.