Place heel of your blade at the of the sharpening rod at a 20 degree angle. Sharpen the knife from heel to tip and repeat 2 - 3 times, then turn to the other side of the knife until blade is . The fine surface of the sharpener rod can prevent you from worrying about damaging the blade when sharpening, and makes you not worry about rust. The easiest way to keep your honing steel clean is to give it a quick clean after each and every use. Please wipe dry completely after washing and hang in a cool place to air-dry, do not put the sharpener into the dishwasher. This knife sharpener rod is designed to ensure higher sharpening efficiency. This steel will help you corrects the edge without shaving off much blade's material.