You might not think so, but the safest knife is a sharp knife. The duller a knife's blade, the harder you have to work, the more force you have to exert, and the more likely you'll lose control of the blade and nick a finger. Not to mention a dull knife will tear herbs instead of chop, will crush fragile tomatoes instead of slice. A consistent, safe (and satisfying!) kitchen experience requires a sharp knife, a sharp knife requires proper care, and a honing rod can provide that care in just seconds. Regular knife use inevitably causes the blade's edge to curl on the microscopic level, which results in poor performance and more difficult, less safe cuts. Running the blade's length along the honing rod will re-align the blade to its original sharpness, but ceramic honing rods have the added benefit of actually being harder than knife steel! This means that each pass on a ceramic rod actually gently abrades the knife, removing steel and actually sharpening in addition to honing. Using a honing rod regularly as part of food preparation will extend the lifespan of your knives considerably. This ceramic honing rod is 17" long with a 12" rod, which is an ideal size for knives up to 12" long.
