MAC has been producing knives in Seki City since 1964, and the SR-85 ceramic honing rod is the maintenance tool the brand recommends to go alongside them. A ceramic rod fills a specific role in edge care that a traditional steel rod cannot — it is a harder material with a much finer abrasive surface, which means it hones rather than sharpens, realigning and lightly refining the edge between full water stone sessions without removing meaningful amounts of metal. For any cook using a hard Japanese knife regularly, this is the tool that keeps the edge performing between sharpenings.
The SR-85 is fabricated from a single piece of white ceramic at 1200 grit — fine enough to polish the edge smooth and extend the interval between full sharpenings considerably. At 8.5 inches, the rod handles most kitchen knife sizes comfortably in a single stroke. The wood handle includes a finger guard for safe use and a hanging loop for workstation or drawer storage. Ceramic is a harder material than the steel rods found in most knife blocks, which makes it more effective on harder Japanese steels where a traditional steel rod can actually damage a high-HRC edge rather than maintain it. One important note worth stating directly: this is a ceramic product and will shatter if dropped on a hard surface — handle and store with care.
Care Instructions: Clean the rod surface periodically with a damp cloth or ceramic rod cleaning eraser to remove the metal filings that accumulate with use. Do not drop on hard surfaces. Store hanging from the loop or in a protective sleeve between uses. This rod hones and maintains — it does not replace sharpening on water stones, which should still be done regularly based on how heavily the knife is used.Brand: MAC Knife
Location: Seki City, Japan
Model: SR-85
Type: Ceramic Honing Rod
Grit: 1200
Handle Material: Wood
Features: Finger guard, hanging loop
Note: Ceramic — will shatter if dropped on a hard surface
Weight: 4.2 oz (120 g)
Rod Length: 8.5" (220 mm)
Total Length: 13.25" (335 mm)
Rod Diameter: 1.75" (45 mm)
The SR-85 is fabricated from a single piece of white ceramic at 1200 grit — fine enough to polish the edge smooth and extend the interval between full sharpenings considerably. At 8.5 inches, the rod handles most kitchen knife sizes comfortably in a single stroke. The wood handle includes a finger guard for safe use and a hanging loop for workstation or drawer storage. Ceramic is a harder material than the steel rods found in most knife blocks, which makes it more effective on harder Japanese steels where a traditional steel rod can actually damage a high-HRC edge rather than maintain it. One important note worth stating directly: this is a ceramic product and will shatter if dropped on a hard surface — handle and store with care.
Care Instructions: Clean the rod surface periodically with a damp cloth or ceramic rod cleaning eraser to remove the metal filings that accumulate with use. Do not drop on hard surfaces. Store hanging from the loop or in a protective sleeve between uses. This rod hones and maintains — it does not replace sharpening on water stones, which should still be done regularly based on how heavily the knife is used.
