With regular use, any knife´s edge will lose it´s "bite".

A sharpening steel will realign the edge and to keep it sharp. This will insure a lifetime of cooking pleasures.

But also dull knives can easily be sharpened by using a sharpening steel which is coated with industrial diamonds.

Hold the steel with your left and the knife with your right hand (lefties simply do the opposite) and guide the blade with light pressure across the steel. Do this in an arching motion at a 20 degree angle side-to-side. Repeat this process 6 - 8 times. With practice, you will find this becomes an easy motion. Never stroke each side more than once in succession. That´s all. Now your knife should be as sharp as the first time you used it. By the way, please use a steel which is longer than the knife you hone.