Sharpening Steels are metal sharpeners. They have a fine grain and give a super finish to an already sharp knife. Butchers and professional cooks use a Steel constantly, giving the knife a few strokes before each use. A Ceramic Sharpener is better than a Steel for sharpening hard metals such as stainless steel.

One Knife Sharpener tool is known as a Honing Steel. A Honing Steel is a type of hardened cylindrical rod used similarly to Honing Stones. For example, a Butcher Steel is a round file with the teeth running the long way, while a Packer Steel (used in the meat packing industry) is a smooth, polished Steel rod designed for straightening the turned edge of a knife, and is also useful for burnishing a newly finished edge.

Because Steels have a small diameter they exert high local pressure, and therefore affect the knife metal when used with very little force. They are intended for mild-steel knives that are steeled several times a day, but are not well suited for today's tougher and harder steels.