The Messermeister Ceramic Sharpening Rod is used for honing and sharpening knives. The combination of industrial strength ceramic and a honing or alignment steel creates one of the best preventative maintenance tools possible for your knife's edge. This sharpening rod is very hard, 1200 grit, and it has a slight abrasive characteristic so it actually sharpens as it aligns the edge. The ergonomic grip handle provides a very secure grip.