I cant sharpen one to save my life. My dad can but when I try I can never get it rite.

Well the trick appears to be: Take it to Megatrodiablo's dad.

YES

Practice and consistency.

FIFY

Work sharp.....thank me later

I don't sharpen mine. When they get dull it becomes an excuse to buy a new one! You can never have too many knives

Yep

I used to use the a Smith's three stone set; use the 20 degree angle, med grit then to fine grit, top it off with around 100 strokes on leather. You could shave with it afterwards. Too lazy for all of that now, got a Work Sharp.

Absolutely

I agree. Be careful or you will burn the point off. And yes, I didn't read the directions before sharpening my first knife.

And again.

This

I never use anything more than a steel and you can shave with all of my knives.The key is basically using the same angle everytime and hone it often enough to keep the lip off of the blade.

I live with a knife in my hand 6 days a week and about 5 hours each day so sharpness is a must not a novelty.If it aint sharp your wrist and shoulders will tell you real quick that you aint doin something right.

Haven't tried a knife on mine yet that wouldn't shave.

After sharpening with a stone, take a piece of thick cardboard and draw the knife edge backwards across it a few times. Seems to put a hair splitting edge on one.

Octoberdreaming sharpened about 5 of my knives one night at our hunting cabin.
I can sharpen a knife but Troy can sharpen one really fast.

It depends on the purpose of the knife as to how you sharpen it. If the purpose is utility (work) - then too small of an angled edge will lead to chipped edges the first time it contacts something hard or a rolled edge.

There are two keys to sharpening and keeping a knife sharp. A suitable back bevel with enough material removed to make it easier to sharpen and don't let the knife get dull, before resharpening it.

If you polish the edge with leather (my preference impregnated with diamond polish powder), cloth (some folks like denim jeans), cardboard or whatever - if you watch the edge closely, you will actually see what looks like a very small piece of wire start to roll-up on the edge - when it breaks off or disappears, you will have a properly polished edge. A REALLY sharp knife, when the edge is dragged across your fingernail will glide with no catch while cutting into your nail.

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2-rod-Crock...ds=crock+sticks

Cheap and effective. I keep all of mine pretty sharp, and just a few draws across the sticks and I can shave hair with it.

I still need to practice more to learn how to sharpen one on a wet stone.