Regarding guided knife sharpening systems, there are a lot of expensive, “Rube Goldberg” mechanical monstrosities on the market today - look at the “Warthog” - even COLD Steel now offers one. The systems I’ll review are compact, with some offering unique features - and they won’t force you to sell your first-born into slavery, or take out a second-mortgage. ALL of them - with one exception - use an aluminum knife-clamp with integral, clearly-marked angle-slots. They all come with recesses for pocketknives, use a front set-screw to hold the blade, and a large adjustment screw in the rear. The adjustment screw is used to bring the clamp’s jaws as parallel as possible before you begin sharpening. If you’re not sure of your bevel-angle, use the “three-dot” test. Take a marker, and put three dots on the edge of the knife - heel - center - chamfer - and make two or three light passes. If the dots are gone, you have the right angle.
A set of good water stones and some practice is all you really need. I touched up all the kitchen knives this morning….all nine of them, plus my carry folder. Sharpening knives and tools is one of the first skills my dad taught me. My brother didn’t pay attention to the lessons. He uses one of those “guided” systems. I have several anecdotal reports that my knives are sharper.
Maybe it’s just me. I like doing many things by hand.
So you are saying this is by choice… 
You’re a STEADIER hand than I am, Gunga Din.
I want constant, consistent precision when sharpening ANYTHING.
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