OK I have a stupid question.

I have a set of Henchels five star series knives. The chef's knife I use
all the time and is now getting dull.

I think I need to sharpen it.

I have a sharpening steel but I know it is just for "realignment" and after
doing it the knife did not cut any better.

Then I have a set of those sharpening rods. It is a wood platform with
holes on it, and there are three sets of ceramic rods that are inserted into
the wood platform and you pull your knife through them at 45 degree angles.
I tried that and it did not improve the cutting. Are these rods actually
sharpening or just aligning the edge?

So now I have to get it professionally sharpened. Or am I just not using
the ceramic rods correctly?

MC