Establish a bevel with the coarse stone, fine it with the medium, establish the secondary bevel (if desired), then finish with the fine after honing medium. Re-establishing or cutting a new edge takes some time, but you can do it with the Apex, no problem.
Yes, feeling the burr takes a little time to master. Mostly, though, it is that one hasn't created the burr in the first place, not that one isn't feeling it.
That's when you say, in all 'seriousness', "Cutting oneself with a sharp blade has more to do with the lack of skill of the cook using the knife..." and let it go from there (being ready to duck when various objects are hurled your way)."I know they say a sharp knife is safer than a dull one, but I end up cutting myself more with a sharp knife."
Go a bit more agressively and go for a bit longer time-wise. Once you get it the first time you will know it and have it down.
Jay, I too, am not sure about the burr. That is, I'm not sure exactly what it is or feels like. At the same time, I was able to get the knife razor sharp (sharper than new), so I guess it works to kinda wing it.
Nonsense. Cutco knives are far from 'the hardest steel out there'. It is no harder than Global's steel and softer than most of the other Japanese knives I have. Cutco knives are not ground as 'regular' knives are, they are micro-serrated - one of the reasons they only feel 'as if' they were good knives, but aren't.and he told me cutco uses the hardest steel out there and it's impossible to get a burr because it's so hard it just snaps off.
Jay, you're welcome to borrow my Coarse stone (120 grit) for a couple of weeks and see if it works better. Right now, I don't have the time for anything more than keeping my already sharp knives in shape, and thus am not using the 120. (If you're still in the Boston area, you could even pick it up from me before you leave.)
But to get a good grip on the burr and its development get a good magnifying glass. You can see it, then feel for what it feels like. Then you'll know.