Sabatiers and sharpening/honing steels question

So my kit is pretty much back to all my old sabatiers now and it goes without saying that they need touch ups pretty often on my steel. Thing is, I only have an Idahone ceramic steel (or rod, whatever you want to call it) and I got to thinking; am I better using an abrasive steel like a ceramic/diamond/ruby etc or using a more traditional honing steel?

In terms of sharpening, with my Sabs I just put them on a 1200grit stone then touch up when I need to with the idahone. My thoughts were rather than effectively creating a new edge with the ceramic steel I would perhaps get a better edge life with something like an f.dick steel or something of the kind.

Anyway, I'd appreciate some advise from those of you with experience with the softer European steels and what you reckon the best product/s and methods for retaining an edge would be.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Josh

I'm using a ceramic rod for my cheap & soft knives to touch up the edge as well and whenever the rod cannot help then a bit of work on the 1200 grit stone.

Carbons or stainless Sabs?

All vintage carbon. A mix of nogents and canadians mostly if that makes a difference.

These carbons can be taken up to 8k. Very finely grained.
Very different from soft stainless you shouldn't polish or the big carbides break out of the weak matrix.
With the carbons, don't be afraid of very obtuse edges. If they are thin enough behind the edge, the very polished though obtuse edge will still be scary sharp.
Consider a single-sided microbevel of some 40 degrees started at 2k. As for maintenance, strop on your finest stone or leather. A home user won't need a rod
Any rod will rebuild an edge with already fatigued steel, and weaken it a bit more. If you refresh an edge after an hour of work, expect to do the same after more ten minutes, and so on. At the next stone sharpening you'll have to abrade all that fatigued edge to get fresh steel again that takes and holds an edge.
In a pro environment though a rod may be inevitable
Have a ruby one, at least it takes gently off a burr and the fatigued steel.
Have fun with your Sabs!

Thanks for the feed back. That's interesting about the steel being able to take an edge up to 8k. I have a suehiro rika and a kitayama, so would it be worth sharpening on those as well with the chefs knives/slicers or just stropping? And just to clarify, are you suggesting I sharpen as per usual (say 15-20 degrees each side) then put a micro bevel on?

These knives will only be used in a pro environment, although I'm starting a new job next week so I don't really know what the work load will be like on them.

Cheers,
Josh

I would only strop and maintain on finer than 2k, and put that single-sided microbevel on a 12/15 degrees edge. Just find out what works best for you, your knives and your usage.

With French vintages, expect some good and bad surprises where the steel is concerned. French makers didn't always have the same suppliers. Has all to do with the country's tumultuous history between 1870 and 1944.

Nice one. Thank you!

Cheers,
Josh