A sharpening steel works on a very fundamental principle. Quite simply, it provides a grinding surface that is harder than the blade of the knife to be sharpened; this allows sharpening to take place. For this reason, you must be sure that the steel has a higher Rockwell Scale* number than the knife. Most chefs' knives are in a range of 54 to 57 and most steels are between 64 and 67. The surface of a sharpening steel can be finished or "cut" several different ways: Course Spiral Cut, Precision Cut, Polished Finish, and Doublesharp.

The sharpening steel that is used depends upon the sharpening job at hand. It is recommend to own both doublesharp and precision cut steels to ensure that you have the proper tools available when you need them.

The size and shape of the steel will vary depending upon the need of the user. Sharpening steels come in lengths ranging from three to fourteen inches (7.5 cm to 36 cm). As a rule, a steel should be at least as long as the length of the knife blade being sharpened. Sharpening steels can be round or oval. Round sharpening steels are generally preferred, while oval-shaped sharpening steels provide a larger sharpening surface.

A sharpening steel may become soiled through use and develop a grease barrier. This grease barrier will prevent the steel from "biting" and the knife will not be sharpened properly. To avoid dirt build-up, wash the sharpening steel regularly in hot sudsy water and dry immediately to avoid rusting. Polypropylene handles may be sterilized by boiling the handle in water.

*The Rockwell C Scale is an indicates the hardness of materials. The higher the number, the harder the material.