[BigO01]

am i trying to sharpen a knife to a point non existent... are your blades as sharp as a fresh utility blade after you sharpen them, or do i just need a lot more practice?

When I get done with a knife using my Smiths kit my wife uses them to cut up frozen chickens and I mean through the bones , and she does it with ease , that's pretty sharp and it takes less than 15 minutes to get it that way .

[freefall]

if you're totally inept at sharpening, the lansky kit is hard to beat. Clamp it on the blade and you have the proper angle. Consistent angle is the key to sharpening a knife. If you keep changing it will never get sharp. It's not always fast, a dull blade takes time to sharpen. If it's really bad, take it to a pro like your local knifemaker or butcher supply shop. Ask him to show you how. Then use your lansky before it gets really bad next time.

[CARNUT1100]

A properly sharpened knife will shave the hairs off your arm like a cutthroat razor, but it is not actually reccommended to try, as it is painful if you get it wrong!
I usually sharpen closer to 25 degrees for most things and even at 35+ for heavy duty stuff that is going to be chopping and so on.
I hate blunt knives with a passion!

[Benning Boy]

Lowes, Home Depot, etc, usually carry the Smith Tri-Hone stones, with oil and a plastic guide, $25.

Flea markets and gun shows always, since the beginning of time, carry P.O.S. Pakistani folders. Crude and ugly, the true blademaster stays far away from these. Get 2 or 3, in different shapes and sizes.

Now practice. They will have no edge to begin with. If you manage to sharpen one, the junk steel won't keep the edge beyond opening your bills. Re-sharpen. Do it wrong, scuff it up, doesn't matter.

When you can put an edge on these consistently, you will have learned.