Work Sharp Elite (blade sharpener) flipped my thinking...

[TexasLife]

i'm good at making toothpicks out of knives if that tells you anything! i have 1 of what was posted by the op and use it to good success. also have a ken onion (electric) that doesn't sharpen as well. my dad was very good at sharpening knives cause we used to do a lot of castrating bulls. i'd have better luck with a de-horner (no, i actually didn't use 1 for that). there are more expensive tools to sharpen if you want to spend 1k or more.

Wicked Edge Generation 4 Pro Knife Sharpener w/ Free S&H — 4 models

BUY Wicked Edge Generation 4 Pro Knife Sharpener. Qualified orders eligible for FREE S&H and FREE RETURNS. Additional Features: No Micro-Adjust; No Cabinet, No Micro-Adjust; With Cabinet, With Micro-Adjust; No Cabinet, With Micro-Adjust...

www.campsaver.com

 

[TexasLife]

there are lower priced versions also

 

[Darkhorse]

Those types that insure the same angle is held on both sides mostly all work good and can get you a shaving edge. But hunters need to know how to accomplish this without a piece of equipment that may have been left at home.
I mainly use Japanese wetstones but I have diamond sharpeners and oilstones as well. While someone is setting up his new sharpening machine I can almost have a knife shaving sharp. Maintaining the edge is the key.
I lay my knife on the stone then lift the back of the blade and press it into the center of my thumb of the hand opposite of the one holding the handle. This is my angle. I don't care what it is just as long as I do the exact same thing on the other side. Now both angles are the same.
I most always start with a medium or coarse grit stone and give the knife 10 to 15 good smooth strokes, then transition to a fine stone and give each side 15 to 20 strokes. If the blade is pitted I increase the strokes by what's required. Then I normally lay the blade on the fine stone against my thumb and lightly pull it "back" towards me to remove any burr that remains.
Next I strop it on a piece of thick leather well charged with a honing compound by holding the same angle with the thumb and pulling it back towards me rapidly a few times.
Practice this and you will attain a shaving edge very quickly.