Write an article based on this "Examine your knives. Choose the style of stone. Select the grit of the stone."
Get out the knives you'd like to sharpen. Determine how dull the blades are so you know what grit size you'll need on the sharpening stone. To test the blade, slice through a tomato or piece of fruit. Feel how much resistance you're getting as you slice. The more resistance, the duller your knives are. You should also think about how often you use your knives. If you use them every day, they're probably duller than if you only use them every once in a while. You'll need to choose a natural or synthetic stone that can be used wet (soaked in water), with oil, or dry. There are also diamond stones that are actually very small diamonds attached to a metal surface. Stones that are soaked in water are softer stones which means you can quickly sharpen your knives. Unfortunately, these stones will wear down faster than the others. Oil stones are the least expensive and they're made of a harder material. Oil stones are a little messier to use and clean up although the stone will last for a long time. Diamond stones are the most expensive, but they'll last the longest. Sharpening stones are available with different grit sizes. For example, you can choose fine, medium and coarse stones. You should use a coarse stone followed by a fine grit if your knives are dull. If your knives have been sharpened recently or they aren't too dull, consider using a medium grit. Try to use a grit level ranging from 325 (for coarse) to 1200 (for extra fine). You may be able to choose a stone that has different grit levels on both sides.