How do you sharpen your knife?

My grandpa used a wet stone to sharpen his hunting knives. Put a lite coat of oil any oil really and sharpen. Its always worked for me.

I use a wet stone personally.

Not trying to be a smart ass when I say this, I don't abuse my blades.

I use hatchet, axe, adze and froe for chopping, debarking and rough out, and I sharpen those in a vice with files in a vice or if absolutely necessary, a field expedient hold.

I know most bladesmen prefer blades with a soft steel core sandwiched between two harder steel pieces. I'm an odd bird, for sharp work I prefer softer blades that I can get razor sharp and I accept that they won't hold that edge terribly long, and I can't use my knives to pry.

I spend a lot of time stropping my blades, even in the woods. I use knives for carving, butchering, and anything where I need a really sharp blade. I only use a stone (3 stones 240, 1000, and 3000 grit with angle guides) turned at slow speed with a foot treadle) if I knick the blade. Other than that I use a strop and rouge. My strops are saddle grade leather glued to boards.

Iron sharpens iron, and I hone with ceramic sticks round. Angle of the blade as it is critical. Precise and a steady stroke produces a sharp edge 6 to 9 is all that is needed if done correctly,and then a razor effect with a leather strap if that what you want . Often when I was active duty my soldiers seen me sharpen so quickly didn't believe how simple it was,but seeing is believing as I demonstrated on all materials can cut if the right steel ,and knifes are used.

I have an electric knife sharpener and edging steel. I've also taken my knives to get professionally done at Sur La Table. They charge $5 per knife and do a damn good job. I've lately been doing it on my own to save money. I follow the instructions and I use an edging steel as well to put a nice edge on my kitchen knives.

The best I've found so far is the use of a sharpening stone with honing oil.

Havalon knives are the way to go. They're razor sharp, and when you lose the edge you just change the blade. Save the knive sharpening for your steak knives.

I use a Lansky sharpening system. It puts a razor edge on your knife in minimum time by controlling the angle and using a series of grits from coarse for rough shaping down to the finest for setting the edge. Haven't been tempted to go back to my oil stones since I first used a Lansky.

http://lansky.com/index.php/products/dlx-5-stone-system/

Ceramic sticks

Wow! There's some real talent on here. Where were all you folksy, pioneer type people when I was learning?