Sharpening stone/whetstones. Just as there are dozens of different ways to sharpen a knife, there are dozens of different sharpening stones. There are Japanese water stones, stones with diamond encrusted surfaces, and stones with different grades of grit. Again, choosing a stone is a matter of function and preference. Play around with different kinds of stones to find the one that gives you the results you’re looking for.

If you’re sharpening high quality knives, you probably don’t want to use a cheapo sharpening stone. But if you’re just getting started with sharpening your pocket knife, there’s no need to get too fancy right off the bat. You can find a sharpening stone at most hardware stores for about $10. This one is very similar to the one I use. Nothing fancy. Most basic sharpening stones come with two sides: a rough grit and a fine grit. The finer the grit, the finer or sharper you can get your blade. You usually start off sharpening on the rough grit and then finish sharpening it on the finer grit.

A sharp knife is much safer than a dull one, just try sawing through a ripe tomato with a dull edge and keeping all your fingertips!

Click to enlarge Testing dullness. Credit: Gentrye Houghton There are several ways to determine a dull edge, and the most simple is that your knife just isn't working right or making your task considerably harder. You can also point a bright light, such as your trusty headlamp or the sun on a bluebird day, directly at the knife's edge; a dull blade will reflect the light. The thumbnail test is another preferred method. If you touch the sharp end to your nail, a blunt blade will slide easily where as a manicured edge will catch.