Sharpen a knife on a river stone

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Pick a stone with a flat, fine-grained face. Wet it thoroughly.

2. 2

   Hold the knife at roughly 20°: the thickness of two stacked coins between spine and stone.

3. 3

   Sweep the edge across the stone like you're slicing a thin layer off it.

4. 4

   Do 10-15 strokes per side, alternating until you feel a burr along the whole edge.

5. 5

   Finish by stropping on your belt, denim, or the inside of a leather boot.

Tip: A knife sharp enough to shave the hair off your forearm is sharp enough.