What should you not do when sharpening a knife?

Do not use the wrong angle, too much pressure, the wrong lubricant, or a dirty stone when sharpening a knife. Those mistakes remove extra steel, round the edge, and create an uneven bevel. Do not switch randomly between grits or chase sharpness on one side only. Do not overheat the blade on a grinder because heat ruins temper and softens the edge. Do not use oil on a water stone or water on an oil stone unless the manufacturer allows it. Do not stop before removing the burr cleanly. A knife gets sharp from consistent angle control, proper abrasive choice, light pressure, and a complete finish, not from aggressive grinding.