You can find flat stones at hardware stores, hunting supply stores, sporting goods stores, and through mail order. A larger stone will make it easier to sharpen most knives, especially kitchen knives.

A polished edge cuts more easily. Polish the edge (this will also remove any tiny metal shavings that remain) by drawing the blade across a piece of roughened leather, a chamois cloth, or one of those steel rods that come with most kitchen knife sets. Be very careful if you use the steel rod--it's easy to be careless and ruin the edge that you've worked so hard to create. Keep the rod at a shallow angle, and don't jerk the blade--use smooth, full strokes.

Avoid using an electric sharpener of any kind. They remove too much metal from the blade, and have a tendency to create a wavy edge that will not cut with a clean, straight line.

Some knives are impossible to put an edge on. These types are generally made of stainless steel, which is too hard to grind easily and doesn't seem to cut very well, either. Don't make yourself crazy--just get rid of the knife.

2torial #0685: Learn2 Sharpen a Knife (Continued) Recreate the basic edge If you were to peer at the point of a nicely sharpened, multi-purpose knife blade, it would look something like figure 1. You'll notice that the blade is actually beveled to form the final edge, but you won't create that bevel just yet. First, you'll form the basic edge, which is a little simpler in shape, as we see in figure 1a. One of the key points of knife-sharpening is maintaining constant angles between the blade and the stone. There are two: the angle between the blade and the edge of the stone, and between the blade and the surface of the stone. Place your flat, medium-grit stone on the table in front of you. Lay the blade flat on the stone at a 45 degree angle, as shown in Figure 2. This 45 degree angle is the first of two angles.   Grasp the knife by the handle. With your index finger along the back of the blade, raise the blade off the surface of the stone at a 20 degree angle, as shown in figure 3. This is the second angle. Keeping the edge of the blade in contact with the stone, firmly and carefully draw the knife towards you. This action will grind the blade from hilt to point. Maintain the 45 degree angle, and the angle that you've raised the blade off the stone.   Apply medium to light pressure as you're drawing the edge across the stone. (For the sake of comparison, zero pressure would have the knife blade resting on the stone without you touching it.) Apply a little pressure or a bit more, depending on how old the knife is, how many times you've sharpened it, and the current condition of the edge. A very dull edge will require more pressure.   Turn the knife over, and repeat the process. If you keep the knife in the same hand, you'll be pushing the blade away from you this time. It's important to maintain the same angles on both sides of the blade. Go slowly and alternate strokes on the stone until each side of the blade has been stroked several times. A very dull knife will need a few more strokes than a better kept one. Step 3