an arkansas stone and a butcher steel is the best way I know how to sharpen a knife and is the cheapest. I bought a set of 3 stones mounted on cider block with a stand for 15.00 about 18 yrs ago and have yet to sharpen a knife that wasnt better than the factory edge. I learned years ago that its not the stones but how you hold the knife and the angle that puts the best edge on the knife.