First thing to do when sharpening a new knife with the 204 (and it sounds like the problem you might be having), is to check the angle of the original grind and see if it needs reprofiling.
This can be done one of a couple ways.
Use a permanant marker to mark the edge of the knife (carefully), and when you sharpen check to see that the marker is being erased right down to the edge. If you are onle erasing the marker a couple of mm's back from the edge then the knife needs to be reprofiled.
The other method is instead of going straight into alterate strokes, just sharpen one side to you achieve a burr, then sharpen the other side to you achieve a burr there, then go onto alternate strokes.
After a knife has been profiled to match the 204 subsequent sharpenings are much faster.
BTW
I find that I am more heavy handed with the right stroke than I am with the left stroke. Watch for this and check for a burr just before you change to a finer stone.
Is that a <img src="
http://spyderco.com/forum/spyder.gif"border=0> in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me ?