The revolutionary new HIRC (High Impact Resistant Ceramic) ceramic honing rod offers the optimum in knife maintenance performance and break resistant design. Ceramic honing rods are a much harder than traditional steels and, because of their evenly grained surfaces, are superior at honing blade edges. HIRC white ceramic rods use an fine 1600 grit surface for fine finishing and polishing most edges. HIRC rods work especially well on the harder steels used in Japanese blades. HIRC rods are also highly impact resistant because they are reinforced with latex rubber wrapped steel cores that absorb shock. The polypropylene tip keeps the rod from slipping on a cutting surface while honing a knife.