I use the strawberry to mainly clean the needle as with multiple handling it gets "dirty"(maybe skin oil?), like a film on it, and harder to use. I do feel that it sharpens as the needle glides much better after but whether that is from sharpening or "cleaning" I don't know. My strawberry is full of sand as far as I know but it could be emery grit. I just poke into the strawberry 4-6 strokes.