hey Kip. welcome to the forum. i am not qualified to answer a lot of sharpening questions, but i can comment on this one. though really, it's a tough question to answer, since a lot of it boils down to preference. do some searching on this forum. i believe there are some beginner sharpening recommendations regarding stones, etc.
if memory serves, a Norton Indian Stone was at/near the top of the list for beginner stones. you can find a coarse/fine double-sided stone for not that much money and get started. i would also recommend getting a ceramic rod for finishing work, but again, that's just my preference. you can also play around with sandpapers and strops. keep in mind that what you get should depend on what knives you want to sharpen. you mentioned the puma skinner, so stones should be fine. but please note, the super-steels may require diamond stones.
for me, i had a lot of fun experimenting and finding what works for me. many stones will work. the more important part is technique. take a look at mag_g's sharpening sticky and do some searching on this forum. also, i like the videos on chefknivestogo.
good luck.
