Customer Reviews

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 12-Inch Honing Steel

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Oh, I can't tell you how happy I am to have this well-made honing steel--it feels so good that I don't even have to force myself to go five strokes on both sides of the blade before I start chopping (as Dinosaur Jr. would have it). This is a very nice and solid piece of equipment, it looks pretty good, and it does what it's supposed to do very well.

Now, for those who say "it's not a sharpening tool!"--you're right. Then again, since I got this thing, and have started using it very regularly, I have not had to sharpen any of my knives, and yes, even blades that seemed all too dull were not beyond salvation. I cannot tell (though I know the definitions) were honing stops and sharpening starts, but I have the feeling that if your knives aren't in too bad a shape they might well benefit from a serious application of the steel. Don't offend the purists and call that 'sharpening'--but as long as your knives cut better as a result, who cares what the purists call it?

One final thing: as with many tools, size counts: 12 inches seems, to me, to be some sort of a minimum length for a honer--this one is long enough, and I certainly wouldn't consider a 10-inch steel.

Most of us know the importance of sharp knives for proper food preparation and gracious serving. Of course, I had to learn the hard way - by mashing a tomato instead of chopping it, by "sawing" a roast rather than slicing it, and by cutting and pulling off a plump roast turkey leg rather than carving it. Those are just a few of the reasons I'm such a fan of my Henckels Sharpening Steel.

After trying both a stone and steel, the steel is my favorite for ease of use and appearance. This steel is not only utilitarian but handsome with a ribbed handle that's easy to hold and silvertone handle guard and hanging ring. First off, a good way to test whether or not your knives are sharp is to hold a piece of paper by the top corner and then attempt to "slice" it. If knives won't do this - head for the steel! You'll be amazed - sometimes it takes only a few strokes on the steel to make your knife sharp, sharper, then sharpest.

Remember to place the metal end of the steel on a sturdy surface, such as a butcher block table or cutting board then position the base of the blade on the steel and begin. This Henckels sharpening steel is certainly a cut above any other. - Gail Cooke

You'll need one of these bad boys if you want to keep your knives in any sort of sharp condition.

I hone my knives on this steel a couple times before using my knives, and a couple times after using, to maintain a sharp edge. Periodically, every 6 months or so, I break out my Chef's Choice Diamond Sharpener to really sharpen my knives.

I have Wusthof Classic and Henckels Pro-S knives, which work fine with this steel. There may be other knives which have a hardness rating higher than that of this steel. This steel has a hardness rating of 66, so keep that in mind when you purchase your knives. And, Japanese knives must be sharpened at a different angle than German knives- I think it's ~10 degrees vs. 22.5 for ze Germans.

This 12" steel performs its job admirably, providing a nice long surface to stroke a blade across and developing a distinctive ring characteristic when the blade is struck across correctly.

I've been maintaining my blades for about six months with it and have had no need to pursue any further sharpening as of yet.

My knives are sharper and this thing is huge. It just does fit in my drawer and the knives do take less time to sharpen. It also makes an excellent pointer. :)

What more can I say and Henkel stands behind their products. I purchased a set of Henkel EverStar (never need sharpening ) knives that in the 1990's were top of the line and very expensive. Well then went dull. I contacted Henkel in 2008 expecting to get the run around or "Where is your receipt from 13 years ago. To my surprise the US rep's manager wrote me back to pick you a new set, send me the dull blades and they would replace it all. AND THEY DID!!! I purchased this sharpening blade and when they sent me the replacement knives that did nee sharpening, they sent a sharpening blade also at no charge.

Now this is a reputable company.

The steel is nice and long. The handle is very comfortable. It puts a nice edge on all my knives.

The design looks very old style, not very modern look. However, the quality is very good. My husband loves this very much. Also it is made in Germany.

I rate this steel at 5 stars. I prefer to hold my steels in hand as I hone a knife and this steel has an excellent handle and a quality heft to it. It also has a strong blade guard in case a slip is made. It only takes a couple swift strokes on each side and the knife's edge is back in shape. Good length for honing long chef's knives and slicing knives.

This is a wonderful steel. It is long enough to let me hone my larger knifes. I really enjoy its quality and the ring that it produces is delightful.