# MAC Ceramic Honing Rod



## ams (May 22, 2012)

Need to get a honing rod and thinking about getting a MAC Black Ceramic Honing Rod 10.5" for $48. Is this rod generally well received? Is there a better option out there? My knife list currently includes (with more to follow!): Shun Pro Usuba, Shun Classis Pairing, Wustohf Classic Chef, Wustohf Classic boning.

Also, because I'm not too confident in getting my angle correct when honing Im thinking about getting an Angle Cube for $32. Is this a good product? On my Shun knives I want to hone at 16degrees and on my Wustohfs I want to hone at 20degrees correct?


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## wsfarrell (May 22, 2012)

Mac rod and angle cube: both excellent products.


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## ThEoRy (May 22, 2012)

The Mac is a solid purchase. I have a vid somewhere on how to use it properly. Just use the hand guard as a guide for your angle. The lower side is for Japanese knives, the higher side is for German. Just place the point of the heel on the rod with the spine resting on the hand guard and lightly swipe 2 or 3 times max. Simple.

[video=youtube;jAWcQOc93ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAWcQOc93ec[/video]


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## tk59 (May 22, 2012)

The black MAC rod is the best in class. As for angles, lower angles are sharper but less sturdy. I'd say 16 deg is a bit fat for a Shun. I like to get under 15 deg. I use about 20 for Wusthof but again, it's really about how the edge performs for you, personally.


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## ams (May 22, 2012)

tk59 said:


> The black MAC rod is the best in class. As for angles, lower angles are sharper but less sturdy. I'd say 16 deg is a bit fat for a Shun. I like to get under 15 deg. I use about 20 for Wusthof but again, it's really about how the edge performs for you, personally.



I thought I was supposed to hone at the angle the knife is at? Aren't Shun's cut at 16 at Wustohfs at 20? Sorry stupid question but I'm still learning.


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## Andrew H (May 22, 2012)

ams said:


> I thought I was supposed to hone at the angle the knife is at? Aren't Shun's cut at 16 at Wustohfs at 20? Sorry stupid question but I'm still learning.



It's not a stupid question at all. What tk means is your Shun could be sharpened (on stones) at a lower angle than 16 degrees. When you hone your knife you want to use the knife that it is currently sharpened at, 16 degrees. 

If you want to sharpen at a lower angle down the road you'll also hone at that angle.


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## Citizen Snips (May 22, 2012)

im not a fan of honing rods but i own the mac one and its fantastic. ceramic is really the only way to go in my opinion for higher quality knives


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## ams (May 22, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> It's not a stupid question at all. What tk means is your Shun could be sharpened (on stones) at a lower angle than 16 degrees. When you hone your knife you want to use the knife that it is currently sharpened at, 16 degrees.
> 
> If you want to sharpen at a lower angle down the road you'll also hone at that angle.


Thanks for explaining!


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## Andrew H (May 22, 2012)

No problem. Correction to a mistake, it should be "When you hone your knife you want to use the angle that it is currently sharpened at," not "knife that it is currently sharpened at."
:biggrin:


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