I thought I could sharpen knives easily.....

Obtuse in the non-mathematic sense of the word. In this sense it is comparative. While 90 degrees is the "point of reference" for determining obtuse vs. acute in Geometry, in the knife world that reference point tends to be 40 degrees (or 20 degrees per side) so a 30 degree angle would be considered acute, whist a 45 degree angle would be considered obtuse.
 
The Sharpmaker is great for maintenance, but abysmal for true reprofiling work if the edge angle is too obtuse. A coarse diamond or synthetic "carborundum" type bench stone will go much faster.

I agree 100%. Even with my extra coarse rod, if I really want to serious reprofiling or just remove metal for taki g out nicks I use a coarse stone and then finish with the Sharpmaker
 
I would assume it would be the Spyderco Sharpmaker technique since that's what he wrote in the first sentence of his post...

There are several different techniques you can use for the Sharpmaker. One size doesn't fit all.
 
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