Get under a bright light such as the sun, and hold up the edge. You'll see reflections on flat spots and nicks.
Step 2- Thumbnail test the edge
Touch it to your thumbnail and see if it slides around or if it catches. If it slides that means it's dull, as in not sharp, at least in this area.[ Safety note:] Don't chop your thumb off.
Step 3- Flatten the Stone
Buy yourself a sharpening stone from Hunter Knife Central.com. This is a "water stone" which means you put water on it while using it to float the sharpening dust off it. Some prefer an "oil stone" which means you put oil on it.
Step 4- Flatten Away
Splash some water on the sidewalk and rub the stone on it til the stone is flat. Use plenty of pressure.
Step 5- Thin the Edge
Rub the knife on the coarse side of the stone at a 5 degree angle. It doesn't matter what stroke you use or what direction. You're just thinning the area around the edge a bit to save you some labor later on. In each of the following sharpening steps, you'll raise the angle just a bit more.
Step 6- The Sharpening Finally Begins
Flip the stone over and stroke the blade edge forward at a 6 degree angle. First one side of the knife, then the other. You now are cutting towards the stone.
Step 7- Gilding the Lily
You've already endangered your friends by putting on an edge on a knife they're expecting to be dull. Now it's going to get even sharper. Get a piece of 600 grit emery paper and put it on a piece of glass. Any other really flat thing will do, but glass is most popular. Repeat step-6.
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