Yes, you can make a slurry by sharpening a kitchen knife on your waterstone. It's faster and easier with a slurry stone. Question: are you using any magnification to see what the edge is looking like from heel to toe on both sides? Do that first, then do 20 laps on the coticule and see what the difference is. If you're honing for an hour and a half on ANY stone, you're using too fine a stone. Drop back to a coarser grit and progress up to the finishing hone. Think of honing as a progressive process. You progress from coarser to finer. Keep at it!