Consistency of angle is the key to great sharpness. You can get or make a triangular piece of wood, or plastic, or whatever, cut it at a 30 degree angle. Or 33, or 34 - the lower the angle, the better you will cut end grain. A steeper angle will cut vertically across the grain. But you don't need to go to extremes.
With your little angle piece, get your hand and wrist used to using that angle, till you can do it in your sleep. Work through the grits with that angle, and if the edge is really rotten, start off with some 150 or 220, then go through your progression of grits (and not the kind Ma served with a dollop of butter in the middle!).
For a first time sharpening a new chisel or knife, go through the whole sequence. I use diamond plates, starting at 220 grit, and working my way up to 8,000 grit. Use lubricant - water, oil, hydraulic fluid. It will help float the dross away, the minute pieces of steel, really powdery stuff. It also helps keep the blade in good shape. Don't use a lot - I use an old Windex bottle with water in it, give the stone or the paper a nice spritz every now and then.
And remember to hold a decent angle all the way through. I used to use a jig to hold the angle - had a roller aft of the cutting area so you can keep the angle going. But all good things disappear from your life.
When you can hold up a piece of newspaper, and slice ribbons from it with an effortless motion, you've got it pretty danged sharp.
