Essentially the lino blades that you use regardless of brand etc are a metal blade or knife designed as gouges. Continual use of the carving linoblocks will make them blunt and like any knife they need to be maintained and sharpened. this can be a delicate process and has taken me a good while to develop the skill of honing the blade to achieve a good cutting edge for my blades. On the end of each lino blade is a beveled edge that I feel needs to be maintained and kept sharp. You must be careful to not damage this edge nor significantly change the bevel/angle as you sharpen it. Like I said it can be a tricky process. Fortunately for me my Dad is really good at such things and has helped me out. So it may be helpful to find someone experienced with sharpening blades to help you…