I had only small success with stones, from pre-teen till about 40. I used two-grit carborundum, soft Arkansas/Washita, Black Arkansas, with indifferent success, then I got a crock stick sharpener for $4.95 off ebay its early years, and used it with great satisfaction. One guy at a gun show didn’t believe me when I told him my knife was “pretty sharp” he took it, and it sliced better than whatever he was selling. His last comment to me was”Well, we can’t do any business today!” I replaced the sticks after about 15 years, and I still use it. The wife gave me an electric/diamond stone Chef’s Choice one Christmas, and it works well for kitchen knives, but I won’t t let it touch my good knives. I had a Benchmade Sharpmaker, and returned it , because it didn’t really do well. Probably because I didn’t know how to get the most out of it. Bought a Lansky system, and used it some…awkward…THEN my kids got me a WORKSHARP, the basic model, which I’ve used ever since, and I like it! YMMV. 
Ooh man, so much for the Gordon knife sharpening tool I bought at Harbor Freight. Worthless on sharpening stainless steel blades.
Gotta for out for quality sharpener.
I’ve got the Lansky Deluxe set, a Hoffritz ceramic crock stick V sharpener, a couple of diamond stones and an Arkansas stone that all work well, unless I’m doing badly damaged garage sale beaters, or just trying to completely reprofile something.
It’s really not that difficult to get a sharp knife, but it takes a little practice.
Chris
You can buy n amazon a leather stropping belt for your work sharp that is magic! Complete game changer…. like 14 bucks
I use my Worksharp on knives , kukris , machetes , and even my mower blades .
The key difference here is a convex edge verses a beveled edge .
The convex edge is stronger because you have more metal immediately under the edge and slices better since you don’t have ‘shoulders’ on the edge .
Here is something similar. Drillpro DIY Sander Schleifband Adapter Für 100mm 4 Zoll Elektrische Winkelschleifer Sale - Banggood Deutschland Mobile-arrival notice
Belt sanders are great if you’ve practiced. If you’re new to them, you can ruin the blade and/or the temper, in a matter of seconds.
Chris
Very true. Learning to let th sander do the work and not user over pressure was key to good results Spray bottle of water was also handy.
You’re correct in part: a convex is a better edge for heavy duty chores, such as chopping, which is why axe heads, hatchets and heavy duty blades, like the Busse offerings, are convex.
For delicate slicing duties, a full flat grind (FFG,) or single bevel (sushi knives) are preferable for that task.
Chris
Also not using belts that are excessively worn is key to maintaining the temper of your knives. I’ve used a Delta 1x42 sander for so many tasks in my workshop and it does an excellent job on knives. I need to buy some new belts though. The ones I used up over the years were from Lee Valley. Anyone have a good source of good quality belts? The 80 grit ones from Lowes or HD are not a good choice.
I don’t own or use any of the power tool sharpeners. I’ve found that the good old Lansky system is enjoyable to use and does a fantastic job. I have a leather strop, but almost never bother using it. Another great sharpener that does awesome on the go is the Spyderco Sharpmaker.
I’ve used a Lansky system for years before I got my 1x40 belt sander. They work great even if people feel limited by the four settings.
I should probably invest in some new diamond hones for my Lansky, the ones I have are long lived and no longer even close to their rated grit. lol I’ve had this Lansky guide and mount for over 25 years…
It’s a very wise and cheap investment. I recommend the Corse, medium and fine stones, for overall general purpose.
I owned a KME Deluxe with all stones and strips as well as the Russian TS Prof. I use the KME for smaller knives and the TSProf for larger knives.
Both are great systems, I prefer these guided systems to maintain a certain level of accuracy to place my incompetency, both do a great job at it.
I’ve been told, very adamantly, that there is no better system than the edge pro Apex.
To me it’s a huge waste of money compared to the Lansky and Spyderco.
You can find edge pro knock offs quite cheap. The stones aren’t supposed to be great though.
For general use sharpening, lanksy and spyderco will fit the bill. Owning a spyderco myself, I’m fixed to 20 or 30 degrees, I had to find a system that can get me down to 7-8 degrees with accuracy. Owning japanese cutlery, my spyderco wouldnt have given me the edge I needed. You also have a limitation Stones and lapping films, The systems mentioned above dont allow for precise sharpening and mirror polish hair whittling edges (at least within a reasonable amount of time - how much is your time worth?) many Knife owners love including myself.
But for basic sharpening needs that dont require reprofiling edges, lanksy and spyderco will do the job with great results.
I wonder if you can just buy the edge pro stones and use them. Very interesting.