If you’ve spent any time on the internet searching for ways to keep your knives sharp, you’ve probably seen more bad advice than good. Between old-school “tricks,” misunderstood terminology, and gadgets promising miracles, it’s no wonder people get confused.

Today we’re cutting through the noise — pun intended — to clear up what actually works and what’s pure myth when it comes to three common tools:

• Leather strops 
• Honing steels and rods
• Electric sharpeners

Let’s separate fact from fiction and talk about how each tool fits into a smart, realistic sharpening routine.

Myth #1: A Strop Sharpens Your Knife

This one trips up almost everyone.

A strop — usually a strip of leather, canvas, or balsa wood — doesn’t sharpen a knife in the way most people think. Sharpening means removing steel to rebuild the cutting edge. Stropping does something different: it realigns and polishes that edge.

Think of a strop as the finishing touch, not the starting point. It’s like buffing a car after you’ve already painted it. The car was finished before the buffing — the polish just makes it shine.

What a Strop Actually Does

• Removes tiny burrs left from sharpening
• Polishes the very apex of the edge
• Smooths out microscopic serrations
• Restores bite and “pop” between sharpening sessions

What It Does Not Do

• Fix chips or rolls in the edge
• Make a dull knife sharp again
• Replace real sharpening stones

If your knife can’t cleanly slice paper or tomatoes, stropping won’t help. It’s meant to maintain sharpness, not create it.

Myth #2: Strops Are Just for Barbers and Straight Razors

Not even close.

While the classic image of a barber stropping a straight razor is iconic, strops work wonders for kitchen knives, hunting knives, pocket knives — any blade that benefits from a polished edge.

A few swipes on a leather strop loaded with a fine compound can transform a good edge into a great one. The difference isn’t always visible, but you’ll notice it in the way the blade glides through food or rope instead of tearing.

Even better, stropping helps your edge last longer. By removing microscopic damage before it grows, you extend the time between full sharpenings.

So no, stropping isn’t some old-fashioned ritual. It’s modern edge maintenance that works just as well in a kitchen as in a barbershop.

Myth #3: A Honing Steel Sharpens Knives

Let’s tackle one of the most widespread misconceptions in the kitchen.

That long rod that comes in every knife block — the “sharpening steel”? It’s not actually sharpening anything.

A honing steel (the correct term) doesn’t remove much metal. Instead, it realigns the fine edge that bends during normal use. Every time your knife meets a cutting board, microscopic parts of the edge roll over. Honing gently bends them back into line.

If the edge is completely worn down, though, no amount of honing will save it. That’s when it’s time to sharpen — meaning actually grind away steel to create a new edge.

The Quick Test

If your knife was sharp yesterday and feels a little off today, a few light passes on the steel will help.
If it’s been dull for weeks, you need sharpening, not honing.

Myth #4: All Steels Are the Same

They’re not — not even close.

Traditional Steel Rod

Usually made from hardened metal with fine grooves. These realign the edge but can also scratch softer blades.

Smooth Steel

No grooves, no abrasion — just realignment. Great for maintaining already sharp knives.

Ceramic Rod

Technically a mild abrasive. It hones and removes a small amount of steel, acting like a fine sharpening stone.

Diamond-Coated Rod

Aggressive, fast, and effective — but easy to overdo. Ideal for very hard steels or field work, not delicate kitchen knives.

Knowing which type you have matters. Using a coarse steel on a fine Japanese knife can do more harm than good.

Myth #5: A Steel Is All You Need

Nope. A steel can maintain sharpness, but it can’t create it.
It’s like brushing your teeth — it helps you stay clean, but you still need the dentist once in a while.

Here’s a simple routine:

1. Hone every few uses to keep the edge aligned.
2. When honing no longer helps, sharpen the knife.
3. After sharpening, finish with a strop to polish the edge.

That three-step system keeps your knives in their best condition without over-grinding or shortening their lifespan.

Myth #6: Electric Sharpeners Are Just as Good as Hand Sharpening

This one’s half-true — and half dangerous.

Electric sharpeners have a place, especially for home cooks who want fast results. But calling them “just as good” as stones or guided systems is like saying an automatic car is just as precise as a race car’s manual transmission. It’ll get you there, but it’s not built for control.

The Good

• Quick and simple — push, pull, done
• Restores very dull blades faster than a steel or strop
• Some newer models handle both coarse and fine stages

The Bad

• They remove a lot of steel very quickly
• Most have fixed angles (often 20° per side)
• Overheating can damage temper on thin blades
• Not suitable for every knife style, especially Japanese or single-bevel edges

If you only own budget kitchen knives, an electric sharpener isn’t the end of the world. But if you own quality steel, you’ll want more control than an electric motor offers.

Myth #7: All Electric Sharpeners Are Created Equal

Not even close. The market is flooded with everything from $25 gadgets to $400 precision machines.

• Single-stage machines are basically grinders — they’ll eat your knife alive.
• Multi-stage sharpeners use progressively finer abrasives, sometimes ending in a polishing stage.
• Adjustable-angle systems give you flexibility but require care.

If you’re going electric, do your homework. Look for diamond abrasives, multiple stages, and a slow-speed motor. And remember: “fast” isn’t always “better.”

Myth #8: Sharpening Angle Doesn’t Matter

Angles matter more than most people realize.

• Japanese kitchen knives: 12–15° per side
• Western kitchen knives: 18–20° per side
• Outdoor and work knives: 22–25° or more for durability

Electric sharpeners usually lock you into one angle — often 20°. That’s fine for most Western blades but too wide for thin, hard Japanese knives. The result? You’re dulling the knife’s true potential with every pass.

When sharpening by hand or with a guided system, you can match the knife’s factory angle or modify it for your needs. More control equals better performance and longer edge life.

Myth #9: Diamond Abrasives Are Always Better

Diamond abrasives cut fast, and that speed is both a blessing and a curse. They’re ideal for tough steels like MagnaCut or M390, but they’re easy to misuse.

A diamond plate will remove metal efficiently, but if your technique is off, it can leave deep scratches or uneven bevels that take a long time to fix. Water stones or ceramics are slower but offer a smoother finish and more forgiving control.

In short: diamonds are a tool, not an upgrade. Use them when they make sense, not because they sound impressive.

Myth #10: More Grit Means Sharper

High grit doesn’t equal sharpness — it equals refinement.

A coarse stone at 400 grit can produce a wickedly toothy edge that bites into tomato skin or rope with ease. An 8000-grit stone produces a mirror-polished edge that glides through soft foods like sashimi. Neither is “better” — they’re just suited for different jobs.

Sharpening is about progression:

1. Coarse (200–600 grit): Shape or repair the edge.
2. Medium (800–1200 grit): Establish sharpness.
3. Fine (3000–8000 grit): Polish and refine.
4. Strop: Finish the job.

Skip a step, and you’ll never see the full potential of your edge.

Myth #11: The More You Sharpen, the Better

Too much sharpening is just as bad as none at all. Every sharpening removes metal, shortening the knife’s life. A good routine balances maintenance (honing and stropping) with occasional sharpening.

For most home cooks:

• Hone once or twice a week
• Strop after every few uses
• Sharpen every few months (or when honing no longer helps)

For professionals or heavy users, those intervals tighten up — but the principle stays the same.

How to Tell What You Actually Need

Not every knife problem calls for the same fix. Here’s how to tell which tool you actually need based on how your blade behaves:

• If the edge just feels a little off or rolled — it still cuts, but you have to press harder than usual — grab your honing steel. A few light passes will realign the edge and bring back some sharpness.
• If the knife still cuts but doesn’t glide like it used to, it’s time for a strop. Stropping removes tiny burrs and polishes the edge so it feels freshly tuned again.
• If the blade has gone completely dull, feels rounded, or has visible nicks, you need a real sharpening session. That means whetstones, diamond plates, or a guided system. An electric sharpener can work too, but use it sparingly.
• If the knife is already sharp and you just want to keep it that way, a leather or compound strop after each use will help maintain the edge’s performance and reduce how often you need full sharpening.

Once you match the right tool to the knife’s condition, maintaining sharp edges becomes straightforward — no guesswork, no wasted effort, and no grinding away steel unnecessarily.

Once you learn to match the tool to the problem, sharpening becomes easy — and your knives will thank you.

Bonus Myth: Sharpening Is Dangerous

It’s only dangerous if you’re careless. Most accidents happen when people use too much pressure or work on unstable surfaces.

Remember these basics:

• Always push the blade away from yourself
• Use light, consistent strokes
• Keep your tools clean and secure
• Slow down — sharpness rewards patience, not speed

If you can safely chop vegetables, you can safely sharpen a knife.

The Takeaway

Here’s the truth behind the myths:

• Strops polish; they don’t sharpen.
• Steels realign; they don’t grind.
• Electric sharpeners are convenient, not perfect.
• Angles, grits, and progression matter more than gadgets.

Once you understand what each tool really does, you’ll never waste money on the wrong one — or blame your knife for problems that start at the sharpener.

Sharpening isn’t mysterious. It’s mechanical. And with the right habits — hone, sharpen, strop — you’ll keep every edge in your kitchen and your pocket performing exactly as it should.