Smith's Knife Sharpener

[mattw]

I picked up a knife sharpening tool at wal-mart for about $6,I've been using it but i'm not sure if my knives are low-quality or if its the sharpener. Some advice on how best to use the sharpening tool would be appreciated.

Diamond grade. Dimensions of, 3 in. X 1 in. X .25 in. The 3 inch stone is coated with medium grade diamonds and has a built in hook sharpening groove. Includes stone and fabric pouch.

 

[Soap]

I'm betting on a combination of two things:

-It is tough to freehand sharpen when you're just starting out...especially on a small stone.
-The stone probably sucks.

I would spend the $40 or so on the Spyderco Sharpsmaker which does an excellent job and is user-friendly.

 

[mattw]

thanks, I've spent a couple hours trying to sharpen with that stone and it seems to be working but I can't help but wonder how much better i could do with something better than a $6 peice from Wal-Mart.