Bess,

The main thing I would suggest you do--and this'll change your life!--is to learn to hollow grind. That is the key to fast and effective sharpening, cause you're only sharpening the tip of the blade. This is not a new practice--Jos. Moxon's 'Mechanick Exercises' from just before the year 1700, contains a detailed discussion of hollow grinding.

I won't go into detail here, because you may or may not be interested, and it kinda depends on what equipment you already have. Use either a bench grinder, or else a belt sander.

Wiley