Quoted:
Hello, the wife and kids got me THIS for my birthday this year.

It is the sharpest knife I have ever held. I was wanting to keep it that way. I have always sharpened my own knives but have never put that kind of an edge on anything.

Full disclosure, I don't use the best sharpeners. I thought they were working fine, but after handling the Shun, I know that they are sub par.

I want to get some nice wet stones, but I don't know anything about them. Some are $30.00 and some are a lot more.

Is there a difference, or a brand everyone prefers? I plan on practicing on my old Chicago cutlery knives to get the technique down before I try it on the new knife.

Please educate me on which stones to buy, also what would be a nice strop, should I use a strop or  a honing steel?

any advice is appreciated. I would really like to do this myself and not send my knife in once a year for sharpening.

Thanks!!!