A combination stone typically has two sides. One side is a dark grey, which is like a coarse grit sandpaper. The other side is a light grey, which is like a fine grit sandpaper.

• If your knife is very dull, then you'll want to use the dark, coarse side first. Then, you'll flip the stone over and use the light, fine side.
• If your knife is only somewhat dull, you'll only use the light, fine side.

You'll first want to lay a wet paper towel down on your surface. Then, place the stone on the wet towel. This will help keep it sturdy. Also, pour some water on the stone itself to lubricate the surface and to keep the knife blade from getting too hot.

• Some chefs like to use oil for lubrication. This is fine; just don't use a food grade mineral oil [such as canola or olive oil] because these will cause the stone to get really sticky and become rancid over time.
• Another note: if you decide to use water for lubrication, then always use water. If you decide to use oil, then always use oil. Don't switch back and forth between the two.

When it comes to sharpening, the angle at which you run the blade across the stone is very important. A twenty-degree angle is ideal for almost all knives because it gives you a nice edge that tends not to dull very rapidly.

• If you sharpen at a broader angle (twenty-five or thirty degrees), you're not going to be able to cut anything.
• If you sharpen at a lesser angle (fifteen or even ten degrees), you'll get a very fine edge, but it will dull very quickly.

To determine your angle, lay the knife flat down on the stone. This is zero degrees. Then stand the knife up so it rests on the edge of the blade. This is ninety degrees. Cut that in half and you have forty-five degrees. Another halving, and you're at twenty-two and a half degrees. Angle it just a little bit less for roughly twenty degrees.

Grab the knife with your middle finger and pinky finger around the handle. Your thumb and forefinger should be around the blunt side of the blade. Your opposing hand will rest lightly on top of the blade and act as a stabilizer as you run the knife across the stone. You'll also use your opposing hand to apply a little bit of pressure against the stone.

It's very important that you clean the blade of the knife after you've finished sharpening it, because you're actually taking off tiny shards of metal when you sharpen. To clean, just use a wet sponge to gently wipe the blade clean. Then, wipe it dry.