Since 1814, knives bearing the Wusthof name and the Trident logo have been crafted in the world"s "Cutlery Capital" of Solingen, Germany. Today, in a state-of-the-art facility, that tradition of quality is ensured as old-world craftsmanship meets twenty first century production methods.From dull to sharp with a few easy strokes, the incredibly hard ceramic shaft of this hand-held sharpener has been specially formulated for the easy restoration of your knife"s cutting edge. F1000 grain (corresponds to 3000 Japanese standard). With constant use, any knife edge will lose its "bite". The edge consists of tiny teeth which must be restored and re-aligned for maximum cutting performance. Hold this Extra Fine Ceramic Sharpening Rod with your left hand and the knife with your right hand (lefties simply do the opposite) and guide the blade with light pressure across the steel. Do this in an arching motion at a 20° angle side-to-side. Repeat this process 6 - 8 times on each side of the blade.