By going through junkshops, I have collected a few good knives, higher in carbon, mottled in color, and gave away all of the "stainless," hard steel knives. I sharpen with stones, but once the edge is finished, a steel generally is sufficient. These knives need frequent honing and should never be left wet. More trouble, but they make a fine, even cut. New, a good knife runs $100 and up.

On a university trip, we went to the quarry where Arkansas novaculite oilstones come from. Novaculite is pure quartz, very fine, without grain except to an electron microscope, evenly milk-white in color and uniformly hard throughout. They are not cheap.
A black stone is softer, formerly(?) used by jewelers and surgeons to put the 'final edge.' It feels much smoother than any other substance I have encountered.
The Japanese use a 'waterstone,' in which the microscopic quartz grains are in a clay matrix. These have to be ground flat periodically. Waterstones also are generally available in America and some people prefer them.

Curious about Arkansas Novaculite prices now, I checked and found a 12'x3"x1" hard stone with varied color for $80; none of the milkwhite stones. A black stone, extra fine, $100. 'Washita' stones are softer and cheaper.

How about corn shucks? I know a man who says he removes the 'burr' after sharpening with dry corn shucks. It seems that small crystals form in the shucks and act abrasively. Not quite a 'straw,' but....!