It may be helpful to consider some stones as finishing stones and some as shaping stones. I've found Arkansas stones to be mostly finishing stones. I've also found diamond stones to be excellent finishing stones but not great for shaping. Norton Crystalon and India stones are both, depending on grit and desired edge polish. The Crystalon stones are more shaping and the finer India stones are more finishing, but both will do in a pinch.
The HD and Gerber may be suffering from soft stainless steel that forms a burr easily. Those steels can hang on to a burr like grim death. In those instances, no-burr sharpening has proven most successful. Cut LIGHTLY into the finest stone you intend to use. This forms a flat on the edge that is usually visible in good light/sun light. Shape on the coarse stone until the flat along the edge can't be seen. Then go to the finishing stone and use alternating passes. You'll likely still have a burr in some places, but not a big one and not along the whole edge. You may end up spending quite a bit of time with the finishing stone, but your edge will get sharp.
You can also just start using alternating passes with the coarsest stone and just do one pass per side all the way to the end. That takes a long time, but it will work eventually.
The HD and Gerber may be suffering from soft stainless steel that forms a burr easily. Those steels can hang on to a burr like grim death. In those instances, no-burr sharpening has proven most successful. Cut LIGHTLY into the finest stone you intend to use. This forms a flat on the edge that is usually visible in good light/sun light. Shape on the coarse stone until the flat along the edge can't be seen. Then go to the finishing stone and use alternating passes. You'll likely still have a burr in some places, but not a big one and not along the whole edge. You may end up spending quite a bit of time with the finishing stone, but your edge will get sharp.
You can also just start using alternating passes with the coarsest stone and just do one pass per side all the way to the end. That takes a long time, but it will work eventually.
