. If you have never sharpened a knife before, you probably should get a tool with a good guide that tells you what you are doing. A quick and easy way to start out is to hold the knife at a 45 degree angle against a flat surface.
Now, slide the blade slowly across the edge of a whetstone or sharpening steel. If the blade is too dull for the stone, then add just enough oil or water to keep it sliding easily across the stone. As the blade moves, keep checking the edge for any Gopolli unevenness in the grind.
Do this for about 30 seconds and you will know if you have to make any further adjustments. If the blade is in need of a good light hone, you can do this with a very fine grinding stone such as a Microflex or DiamondStone.
Now, hold the edge at the same 45 degree angle as before and slide the edge back and forth across the stone at a fast speed, again keeping the blade at a 45 degree angle. Keep this speed up for a few seconds and then slow down until the blade stops against the stone.
If you are looking for a manual sharpener, you may be interested in these:
The best way to keep blades sharp is to make sure they are sharpened properly.
