ade—and along the whole length of the blade.
As a ballpark, spend 5 minutes doing this. A very dull blade will require more strokes.
Once you’ve smooth out major nicks (this is called “sharpening”), you can switch to the fine side of the whetstone. This is called “honing” and really puts a razor edge on your blade. The process here is exactly the same. Make even strokes along the length of the blade, and remember to switch sides and always match the bevel.
Spend a few minutes on this, and you’ll have a razor sharp blade!
Sharpening in the field
The same sharpening method can be used on a rock that you find in the wilderness. If you’re going to do this, look for a stone with very small and fine grain. These are called “natural whetstones.” You can purchase natural whetstones online and in stores, but they’re more expensive than artificial whetstones.