If you are talking about a ceramic sharpening rod and a butcher's steel the answer is yes, they work quite well for keeping an edge sharp. Not so great if you have a really dull edge. The trick to using the rod is to use very light pressure and make contact only with the final edge. Because of the round shape, only a very small area of contact is made with the edge, so lighter pressure is used. Some folks strop away from the edge, others slice into the rod with the edge. Both methods work and can bring back a slightly dull edge fast.