To ensure that your knives stay beautifully sharp, a honing steel should be used regularly. Over time, knives will deteriorate and lose their edge. Honing re-aligns the microscopic teeth in the blade that can't be seen with the naked eye. By regularly honing your knives, you will maximize the time in between sharpening. WÜSTHOF honing steels are made from hard chromium plated steel with a hardness of 65 Rockwell.