Blade edge recovery

Does anyone have a link to a tutorial or advice on how to edge a blade properly?

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Go slowly and don't use power tools. Don't take offense, I'm telling you how I would actually do it myself.

It will take awhile, but you'll get it done eventually. That reverse curve is going to teach you some things. You will probably need a round diamond file or a round coarse ceramic file. The diamond file will be quicker, but more expensive.

If you can figure out a way to get the knife in a vise so you can work on it without having to control the knife and the tool you're working with at the same time, that will make it simpler. Just be careful. A knife clamped in a vise can be a real hazard.

There's nothing difficult about it, it just takes time.

Spending dozens of dollars on tools for education is not out of the question but I don’t want to spend hundreds on a $25 project.

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Working on steel wears out the tools you use to work on it. No way around it. If you want to remove a significant amount of metal, you are going to put some wear on your tools--maybe wear some of them out.

You will need to be careful. It's easy to get sloppy and poke holes in yourself or cut yourself.

Don't press hard when using the diamond file. It will cut the metal very effectively without the need for a lot of pressure.

Until you get a feel for how much metal is being removed, you need to check both sides of the blade frequently to make sure you are keeping the edge bevel symmetric while you work.

Long strokes will work better than short ones. That is, when you are working, run the "file" down the length of the section you are sharpening instead of concentrating your strokes in one area and then moving to another small area. It's really hard to keep things consistent over the length of the bevel if you try to work small sections. Ideally, you want to have each stroke cover the entire edge--that makes it much easier to keep the bevel consistent and that will contribute both to appearance and functionality.

You will have to be very careful when working near the tip to keep from rounding it off. The tendency is to run the file to the tip and let it slip off the tip. If you do that, it will round the tip. If you round the tip, the only way to recover without going to a different tip geometry is to grind off enough metal along the entire edge to get the rounded portion back to a point. It's easier if you start your strokes at the tip so you can position the file carefully to start the stroke and then work your stroke towards the hilt.

Don't get in a rush. I see people who seem to think that they get extra credit for how fast they move their file. It's better to keep the strokes slow enough that you maintain precise control and can keep everything very consistent.

Once you get it sharp, then you will have no problem at all finishing it to a higher polish level if that's what you want to do.

It's an incentive to be careful and go slow which is what you want to do anyway.

Follow John's advice and stay away from power tools (see what they've done for/to you already).

Practice patience and the use of abrasive paper on a dowel or piece of pipe to remove the damage done. I you want an oval, get some scrap 1" od thick wall pvc and heat it until it can be pressed from round to oval. Hold until it cools into an elipse or oval and use with abrasive paper like an oval file.