Which kind of sharpening system you use depends a lot on what kind of knife you have. For most purposes, a Spyderco 204 will do the job or any of a number of "crocksticks" sold out there. Lansky makes a really nice set of crocksticks that give you a 20 and 25 degree angle with course and fine sticks. Price is half or less than the 204 and works just as well unless you are sharpening serrated edges. The 204 will allow you to sharpen at 15 and 20 degree angles.<br><br>I sharpen some of my blades at 20 degrees and then run them lightly on the 25 degree fine sticks. This very effectively and precisely removes the wire edge.<br><br>Some blades are not designed to be sharpened by the crockstick method. A good example is the Frosts Mora from Sweden. There is only 1 bevel. All you have to do to sharpen such a knive is to lay the blade bevel flat on a good stone like an India stone and stroke like you are slicing. These kinds of knives are the easiest to sharpen in the field because all you need is a stone. A diamond hone works well too but I really like India stones.<br><br>If you have a knife with a convex edge like Marbles, they also have only a single grind going all the way out to the edge. You can maintain these edges with a good strop, like the one you can get from Lee Valley Tools in Canada. It comes with an aggressive sharpening compound (green stone). In fact, all of your knives will benefit from stropping after you have put them on crocksticks or a stone. The green compound is nice because it leaves a very aggressive edge.<br><br>To sharpen a convex edge you need a belt sander and electric buffer and you can sharpen it using a slack belt or heavy buffing. But that is only if it is REALLY dull. Most of the time you can sharpen a convex edge by using a homemade sharpener. To make a homemade sharpener for a convex edge like a Marbles knife, cut a strip of resilient material like a mousepad. Make it about 1 1/2" wide. Glue it to a board of the same width. Lay some sandpaper on the pad. You can attach it with thumbtacks. Now strop the knive on the sandpaper, moving the balde in the direction of the spine. The resiliance in the pad will follow the contour of the convex edge. When you get the edge where you want it, you can then strop it.<br><br>Also, if you don't like the angle on the edge of your knife, try changing it using the GATCO sharpening system. I use mine a lot because most knives come with an angle too steep for most of the things I use it for. I often reprofile my edges to 15 degrees. Today's steels can handle it.