Suggestion.
The Izula is 1095 carbon steel.
So what about getting a Old Hickory paring knife, which is also 1095 from the hardware store, to practice on?
I advocate folks learning to free hand sharpen and I do recommend a carbon steel knife such as the OH paring knife. It just takes doing , to get some experience, and to get the feel.
By using the same steel, on the same stones, the lessons learned and the feel developed will transition to the Izula.
Personally , I use stones dry, and clean with Bon Ami, or just baking soda with a toothbrush.
I strop on dry leather, dry cardboard, or dry newspaper.
Use the sharpie trick, and use little circles. Little circles will keep the steel to stone, and make it easier to be consistent.
I did not say keep exact angle, I don't worry about that. I concern myself with getting a burr, then repeating on the other side, and once sharp with that grit, move to a finer one.
Do not go to another grit, until the knife is sharp with the grit you are using.
Have fun, don't take this all too serious and get wrapped around the axles.
In a way "don't think, just sharpen", as sometimes one can over think something.
Sometimes the best thing is to put it down.
The "feel" "zen" , "touch" or whatever one chooses to call it, just is not there.
HALT, hungry, angry, lonely and tired is another thing. It is best not to do some things, such as sharpening a knife when we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
Walk away from it, and come back to it later when you are ready to sharpen.
Often times this walking away, is what gives us the "feel" "zen" , "touch", or whatever one chooses to call it.
Snag a 10x loupe, view the edge as you learn and practice, to assist with what you are doing and what it looks like when "it feels like this", such as a burr being raised.
Don't forget to have fun...
