equipment$15–35used in 1 side quest
Honing steel
A ridged rod that realigns your knife edge between sharpenings. Doesn't remove metal or sharpen, just straightens the microscopic bends that happen during normal cutting.
What to look for
- 1At least 10" rod length so you can use full strokes
- 2Steel or ceramic material (steel for softer knives, ceramic for harder Japanese-style)
- 3Comfortable handle with a guard to protect your fingers
- 4Fine ridges, not coarse—coarse removes too much metal
Skip
- Short rods under 8" that force awkward short strokes
- Combination tools that claim to sharpen and hone—they do neither well
Used for: Quick tune-up before each cooking session · Maintaining performance between proper sharpenings · Knife skills practice · Meal prep and cooking
Side quests that use it
Pick the adventure first; the gear follows.
