The key to using a honing steel is holding the blade at a consistent 20 degree angle as you simulate the motion of the blade "shaving" off the surface of the honing steel itself. The "Tip Down" method shown here works best as it lets you always see the contact point of the knife and the steel.

Wusthof produces a few different types of sharpening steels. They make a standard "cut" sharpening steel, otherwise known as a honing steel, that has a medium roughness and will help prolong the sharpness of the edge. This type of steel should be used regularly.

They also make diamond coated sharpening steels along with a ceramic sharpening rod. The diamond surface will take a tiny bit of metal off the blade that will result in a new, sharp edge. The Wusthof Ceramic Sharpening Rod is used for polishing this new edge to razor sharpness. Ceramic is a finer surface than a standard sharpening steel. All of these can be used as shown to the left.