Knives How best to sharpen

[campari]

Nearly all my knives are blunt. When he was alive my Dad used to sharpen them using a special type of stone, he had knack to get them really sharp. I can't get the hang of it and I bought manual type of sharpner from Ikea, but it doesn't get them sharp. Can anyone recommend a sharpener, I am considering buying an electric one and would appreciate some advice. Not sure if this is the best place to put this question so I will also put it in Food and Drink as well Thanks

[ummmm]

I got one of the stone ones from Ikea and find it great.

What about the sharpener the chefs use.....don't know what they call them??.....the long rough metal ones.

[HatlessJack]

Buying a 'steel' is reasonably easy................but practising to use one with flair rather than looking like a cack-handed numpty takes a while longer :D

[raysparx1]

You can sharpen knives on the edge of a stone step, or lower the window on your car and sharpen the knife on the top edge of the glass, not winding you up, it works.

[BillyBB]

search on youtube.
Wet and Dry 'Sandpaper' on a hard flat surface is a cheap alternative to whetstones.

If your knives are hollow gound then you need a convex surface to sharpen them, a belt sander or bench grinder.