The first thing you need is a good knife. There is no need to polish a turd. Good steel makes a big difference. The next thing to consider is what the knife will be used for. What the knife will be used for determines the angle I sharpen my blades at. On stones the angle is determined by how you hold your blade while on the lansky(sp?) type system it is determined by which slot the guide rod is in. For fine work like skinning deer or fine woodworking I like a low or shallow angle that I am able to get super sharp. The problem with a low angle blade is that it dulls quicker. My utilitarian knifes generally have a 25 degree angle that does not dull as quickly, but is not as fine of an edge as my skinning knifes. I have stones (natural and diamond), ceramic rods, and a diamond and ceramic lansky(sp?) which all have their uses. If you want a really sharp edge you will usually haft to buy more than what is in any one kit. My knives are not finished until I use a 1000 grit stone or better and they have been stropped on leather. I use fine jewelers rouge on one side of my leather strop. When I get finished I should be able to let the blade slide down the side of my leg leaving a long bare spot without putting any pressure on the blade. Another good test is to gently rest the blade across your fingernail and try to gently slide it toward the end. It should grab into the nail if it is sharp.