Get a sheet of #180 grit or #240 grit "Wet-or-Dry" silicon carbide (black) sandpaper. These can be found at any home improvement store, or even Walmart in the Paint-Wallpaper section. Sometimes these are sold in "Variety Packs" with several grits, about $3. One sheet will last for months.
Lay the sandpaper grit side up at the edge of a hard flat surface (table, counter top, or cutting board). This will allow you to hold the handle firmly and sharpen the entire edge.
Firmly hold the knife by the handle and slide the edge across the sandpaper like you are slicing thin layers off the sandpaper. Always move the knife in that direction, "on to" the sandpaper, never backwards, in circles or straight along the edge. An angle of about 20° is best. Do not use a lot of pressure, just steady, even strokes—about like slicing a raw Irish potato.
Sharpen both sides of the blade the same way and the same amount. Alternate sides: Take maybe three strokes on a side, then change.
For knives with curved blades, raise the handle slightly while sliding the edge across the sandpaper so that you sharpen the entire length.
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