For most of my life I've used the method my old scout master showed us. Which is to say, the method that was used back in those days. My dad did it the same way.
Take you knife, and with the stone on a table, (or in your left hand it you can hold it steady) put the edge down on the stone at 90 degrees, like you're going to cut the stone in half. Then lay it over halfway. This should put you about 45 degrees. Now lay it over half that distance and that will put you in the nieghborhood of 21 to 25 degrees. A good working edge.
Now starting all the way back at the kick, start honing the blade in a small circularway, very slowly working your way to the blade point. Take at least one minute to reach the tip. Now look at the new bright bevel. If it's about what the factory bevel was, your about right on the angle. Don't obsess over the angle. A couple degrees one way or the other will not make any difference in cutting that rope, bag, UPS box top, or whatever. If it helps you, get a dry erase marker and color the bevels to keep track of the work.
Now lay the blade over on the other side and do the small circle honing. Half of a half will get you there, angle wise. Again, take it slow from kick to tip.
I usually use my little Eze-lap model L I carry in my wallet. I cut off most of the plastic handle so it fits in the zipper part of my wallet. I've used this home for about 15 to 20 years now. I have a spare on hand, b ut I haven't worn out the first one yet. I've got my 4.95 out of it!
Sometimes, just for yuks, I'll use my old boy scout stone. It's an old grey carborundum, about an inch wide by a couple inches long, in a small leather pocket sheath. I found it down in a box in the basement on a shelf. The leather was a little green and mouldy, but cleaned up with saddle soap. The stone is old and dished in some, but still sharpens a knife up real good.
That's pretty much all I use. The Eze-lap model L and the old boy scout stone. I have some Difold hones around, larger hones about 5 inches or so, but I never use them unless I have some one elses knife that is in real bad shape.
There's no rocket science to sharpening a knife, it's easy. Some people take it to an extreme, but thats not really needed to get a sharp knife. The only other thing I will do, is when I finish, I'll take off my Dickies leather work belt, and give it a stropping for a little bit, to just kind of finish it up.
Now if there's a coffee mug around, you can use the bottom unglazed ring of ceramic on the bottom of the mug. That works pretty good too.
This method will work for stainless steels too.
