Knife sharpening help... Ceramic rod?

[Law]

Where do ceramic rods fit into the sharpening process, do they come before or after stropping? I use a portable whetstone for my mora, would a ceramic rod help sharpen it further?

[midas]

I.m no expert,law.but to me a ceramic rod was just n alternative to using a steel.only a little smoother.so until I dropped n broke mine.If the "knife "was Blunt,I'd use the steel,if just needed touching up.(no sexual conitations intended)I'd use theceramic rod.Never bothered to strop my kitchen knives.But stropping always comes last.or used to just Hone up the blade.

[Valantine]

Ceramic gives a finer edge, it's an alternative to stropping

[OakAshandThorn]

I use a Spyderco Doublestuff in the field - it is ceramic on both sides. Never used a ceramic rod, but those would be especially handy for sharpening crook-knives ;).
As already said above, stropping should be the final step of sharpening routines.

[DomC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tDoyIDzYmE&feature=player_detailpage
The imfamous A.G. Russell discusses ceramic sharpeners. I'm old school and still use crock sticks to sharpen my knives, sometimes

DomC

[rossbird]

Most of my knives are a skandi grind.
I don't think ceramic rods are the right tool for sharpening them, IMHO.
However I can see a use for them on the inside of a crook knife.
The next time I'm passing IKEA, I will pick one up.

[DomC]

Yeah a scandi ground blade needs a flat stone to sharpen with...