Bob Kramer Double-Cut Sharpening Steel

Certified as a Master Bladesmith by the American Bladesmith Society, Bob Kramer is one of the only Master Bladesmiths in the world specializing in kitchen cutlery. Put simply, Kramer is King of the Kitchen Knife. As such, Bob Kramer has seen the knife from every angle—as a chef, a professional knife sharpener, and a Master Bladesmith.

Although he is most widely recognized for his blades, Bob is also an expert on sharpening. In that spirit, he has collaborated with Zwilling to create the Kramer by Zwilling sharpening collection.

In order to maximize the performance of any knife, it is very important that the edge be properly cared for. Retooling your knives’ edges by hand may seem daunting to a beginner, but with Kramer’s help many describe the experience as relaxing and gratifying. Keeping your blades sharp not only makes the cook’s most important tool easier to use, sharpening makes knives safer.

Regular, proper honing with this steel can forestall the need to do major sharpening. The trick—and this is key—is to hone while the knife is still performing well, because by the time you notice that the knife is getting dull, honing is useless. Edge maintenance is a preventive measure: It helps keep sharp knives sharp. Use this easy tool to maintain the edge between sharpenings.