Went through a 2nd attempt yesterday w more success! Knives are much more sharp than after the initial try, but still not consistently passing the paper test. But it's getting there and I'm happy to see the progress.

This is obvious but I'm realizing how important the angle is when sharpening. That seems to be what I need to most focus on.

One weird thing I noticed is I much prefer to sharpen the blade away from me. So Im just switching hands when I flip sides. Not sure if that's common but works best for me

Some people flip the knife and other swap hands. Do whatever feels comfortable (and allows you to maintain the most consistent angle).