A honing steel is not a sharpener for serrated edges. Here is what a steel can and cannot do, why the scallops need a different tool, and what to check on a partially serrated knife listing.
A steel hones; it does not cut a new edge
A smooth honing steel is a maintenance tool for a plain edge. Running the edge along the rod realigns a thin, rolled edge and refreshes it between sharpenings. It does not remove enough material to form a new apex, and it cannot restore a worn edge on its own.
That distinction matters more with serrations. A serrated edge is a row of small scallops, each with its own curved cutting geometry. A round steel cannot follow the inside of every scallop consistently, and a flat steel cannot reach into the recesses at all. Pressing a serrated edge against a steel mostly polishes the tips of the teeth while leaving the scallop interiors untouched, so the knife can feel duller in use even after the effort.
The short answer, then, is that a steel is not the right tool for sharpening a serrated edge. It may be used lightly on the flat, unserrated side of a blade to help maintain an existing edge, but that is maintenance, not sharpening, and it does not address the scallops.
What actually sharpens serrations
Serrated edges are normally sharpened with a tapered round rod, a rod small enough to sit inside each scallop, or with a system designed for serrated profiles. The work is done from the serrated side, one scallop at a time, following the existing curve rather than trying to flatten it. The flat back of the blade is usually kept flat against the stone or left alone, depending on the maker's guidance.
Because the geometry varies between knives, the maker's instructions for the exact model should come first. If no sharpening guidance is supplied, ask the seller which method and which tool profile are intended for that blade. A general answer written for another maker's serrations is not a documented procedure for your knife.
Sharpening skill and tool choice are separate from the steel grade. A named steel such as CPM-MagnaCut on the Green Beret Partially Serrated Fixed Blade Knife describes an intended material family; it does not tell you the edge angle, the scallop depth or the sharpening method, and the listing does not supply those details.
Reading a partially serrated listing honestly
A partially serrated blade mixes two edge types, so it needs two approaches: the plain section can be honed and sharpened like an ordinary edge, while the serrated section needs the scallop-by-scallop method above. Treat them as separate jobs rather than running one tool down the whole edge.
The Green Beret Partially Serrated Fixed Blade Knife is a catalog example of a partially serrated fixed blade. Its listing states a total length of 31.5 cm, a blade length of 16.5 cm, a blade thickness of 6.2 mm, a stem length of 15 cm, a CPM-MagnaCut powder steel blade, a handle described as space linen, a stated hardness of 61 HRC, a net weight of 374 g and 500 g including the sheath, with a nylon sheath, certificate and paracord listed as accessories. Those are the listing's stated figures, not measurements that have been checked.
What the listing does not state is how the serrations should be sharpened, what edge angle is intended, or whether any part of the knife is user-replaceable or serviceable. Where those facts are missing, they are missing; do not infer a sharpening routine from the steel name or the serration pattern.
Keep the blade clean and dry after use, follow any instructions supplied with the knife, and check local carry rules before taking a fixed blade outdoors.
Can a honing steel sharpen serrations?
No. A steel realigns an existing plain edge rather than removing material to form a new one, and its shape cannot follow the inside of each scallop. Serrations are normally sharpened with a tapered round rod or a system made for serrated profiles, following the maker's guidance for the exact model.
Does the Green Beret listing say how to sharpen its serrations?
No. The listing gives dimensions, blade material, stated hardness and accessories, but it does not describe a sharpening method or edge angle. Ask the seller if that guidance matters to you.
