I would like to go old school and get my first sharpening stone. I need some suggestions from guys with some experience on what to get for my first stone? Thanks

I've said it before and I'll say it again. In today's world there is no need to buy and use old fashioned sharpening stones. If you need some, I'll sell you some really good ones. 5 or 6 years ago I switched to DMT type diamond plates. They are metal plates with imbedded or somehow attached diamond grit. You will need a Medium grit and a Very Fine grit and you will want a leather strop with jeweler's rouge on it. Grind your edge with the medium grit, finish up and polish the edge with the Very Fine grit and then strop it on the leather. It's much much faster than using traditional stones (which I will sell you if that's what you really want).

And I'm retired and live in Central Texas, east of Waco, and would be quite happy to show you how to sharpen the old school way - with diamond plates or with stones. And then we can have a beer or two.

Go online to Woodcraft. They sell the diamond plates. I bought the biggest ones, but you don't need that for just knives.

this stone is a good one to start with

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/shun-300-1000-grit-combination-whetstone/?cm_src=AutoSchRel

when you perfect the angle , take to the next level with very fine honing

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/shun-1000-6000-grit-combination-whetstone/?cm_src=AutoSchRel


soak stone in water for 10 min prior to use

And water stones need leveling. Stay away from that. Diamond plates......you want that. Never need leveling. Never need honing oil or water. Use them dry. When finished, wash them with soap and water, wipe dry, put back in leather sleeve. They will last a lifetime. No maintenance at ALL required.

By the time a water stone gets soaked for 10 minutes, I'll be finished with the sharpening.

I use a diamond stone and a steel.

Correctly used you can get and keep a knife very sharp with little effort.