Re: How do you keep your knives sharp?
Every type of knife I have sharpens different (I am anal, I can shave with my wifes kitchen knives, and I mean smooth shave). The best for me, is start with a Norton water stone. Real coarse and coarse (dual sided). Then go to a medium arkansas stone (I just soak mine in water along with the Norton). From their some will go onto a fine Spyderco Whetstone, or onto leather strap. If they go to the Whetstone, on some of them I put on a steel afterwards.
The biggest thing with the Nortons, is to make sure you build a burr on one side of the blade, then switch sides, and build a burr on the other. When you switch to the less coarse side, knock that burr off first, then 5 swipes on each side, do this two or three sets, then onto the arkansas stone.
I recently acquired an Emmerson commander, after a person learns to sharpen a chisel ground recurved knife, and keep it like a razor, you can sharpen damned near anything.
One more thing, if you go the stone route, make sure you get 8", long steady strokes are key, and you can sharpen longer bladed knives easier. I probably have $200 tied up in all my stones, which include a ton of arkansas, I dont use anymore. Hope this helps.