With this sharpener, the knife is simply drawn through the guiding notches a few times - the coarse side is used to sharpen blunt blades and should only be used on the dullest knives, while the fine notch is more gentle and can be used with a little more frequency on moderately sharp blades. Place sharpener on a flat work surface. Hold the sharpener with one hand as indicated and the knife handle with the other. Insert knife blade fully into the slot at a 90° angle to the sharpener. Apply moderate downward pressure on the blade while pulling the knife toward you through the appropriate notch. Repeat this action, always pulling the blade from heel to tip (never back and forth) through either the carbide or the ceramic notch.