How Do You Sharpen a Pocket Knife?.

Angle, ink check, even count, finer grit

1. Hold the angle. Buck's how-to page says to follow, ideally, the same grind and edge angle as when the blade was new; Case's knowledge base holds the blade at approximately 10° to 15° against the sharpening stone. Other makers' figures are listed in what angle knife makers sharpen at; holding one by eye is the subject of a good sharpening angle for a beginner.
2. Check it with ink. Buck's how-to prints Al Buck's felt-pen check: shade the bevel, take two strokes, and the black is gone if you held the angle.
3. Match the count. Case's fourth step turns the knife over for the same number of strokes on the opposite side "to maintain an even edge."
4. Step down in grit. Buck's how-to runs a coarse grit for a nicked or extremely dull blade, then medium, then a natural stone or fine grit; Gerber's article finishes on a finer grit. Whether you need different grits has its own answer.

The burr, and how Buck and Gerber check the finish

Buck's how-to page warns that the burr "can cut just like a sharpened edge," then hones it off with light, single strokes, side to side, until no burr is felt on either side; Buck's Journal post removes the burr with one more flip and a final pass. Buck's how-to then expects no micro serrations from hilt to tip, and Gerber's article ends with "a quick test." The burr entry gathers the makers' lines on it.

Where Buck, Case and Gerber part ways

• Pressure. Case's tip says "light, consistent pressure"; Buck's how-to asks for light, single strokes; Gerber's article asks for "solid and even pressure." None gives a figure.
• Counts. Buck's how-to recommends 5 strokes per side on the coarse stage, then evaluating; Buck's Journal post says about 10 passes on each side on the coarse stone and that around 20 per side is usually optimal on the fine one; Gerber's whetstone article says a burr may develop after anywhere from 30 to 40 strokes; Case gives no count.
• Direction. Case's steps push the edge away from your body, heel to tip; Buck's how-to cuts into the stone, edge facing the stroke; Buck's Journal post brings the blade toward you on the first side and swipes away from your body on the second.

Each figure belongs to its maker's method; follow one method start to finish.

Hand-safety lines the makers print

Buck's how-to page: "Compensating for a dull edge by applying additional force to finish a cut is where serious injuries can occur." Case's use-and-care article asks you to be very cautious when sharpening, and Gerber's care page says "A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one."