What do you use for sharpening, R4K?
Scroll back a few posts. I use 320, 600, and 1500 grit wet-dry sandpaper on float glass. This technique is known as the "scary sharp" method has been around since WW-II. It has become more common in recent years as sharpening stones have gotten very expensive and fine-grit sandpapers have become cheap and available. The serious knife geeks work up through 6000 - 8000 grit paper, but I have found that 1500 grit can give you a better edge than comes from the factory on an x-acto blade.
What you really want, though, is the sharpening strop. Mine is nothing more than a piece of craft leather loaded up with green buffing compound. You'll need to heat the leather up with a heat gun or hair dryer in order to melt the wax base. The "pros" use a heavy felt block and chrome oxide powder in an alcohol base and spray it onto the felt. This works like "slack belt sharpening" or "mousepad sharpening." The advantage here is that you don't need to worry about holding a consistent angle between the blade and the belt.
The secret is regular, quick, touch-ups while you are working. Once you have a good edge on the blade, just a few quick strokes on the strop after every few minutes of cutting is all you need. I will generally re-point the blade and give it a few strokes on the 1500 grit paper before or after each building session.
Even if you never learn how to hold a constant angle to sharpen the edge of a blade, you can *dramatically* prolong its useful life by nothing more than re-pointing and use of the sharpening-strop -- two things that *anyone* can learn is just a few minutes. And of course, there is nothing better to practice your edge sharpening technique on than a blade you were planning to dispose of anyway.