Used one for the past 50 yrs.....Have no idea how one is made, how hard it is. Or of what type steel is used to make one. My Google fu has let me down on finding this most of critical important info. Info that just might save us all!!

Huh?

There are dozens of steels used by knife makers.

What are you asking?

I think he is talking about a honing steel (though I may be mistaken), which is a bit of a misnomer since they don't hone, they just realign the edge.

I pulled this off of Wusthoff's site.

quote:

WÜSTHOF honing steels are made from hard chromium plated steel with a hardness of 65 Rockwell. All honing steels are produced from an alloy tool steel (material no. 2210) with 1.15%C (carbon) content, .6% chromium and .03% vanadium.

Oh, that makes sense. That never occurred to me.

Fla. Jim are you speaking of the Buck model 137 sharping steel? It was made in the late 70's - early 80's, now discontinued. Some times found on ebay or at knife shows. It was flat with a fine and coarse side and had a clamp handle to hold it. Came in a leather sheath.

As I am somewhat dyslectic and usually speak my way all around a idea! Yes I was referring to the honing steel's like this one.

Got me too

Ceramic ones are better and they don't wear out.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:
Ceramic ones are better and they don't wear out.

I guess it's a matter of preference. The hone is just to touch up the edge by straightening the edge rather than removing material, and I've found that my knives can be remade sharp as the bajeezus with just a few strokes. When that won't work anymore, then I break out the stones.