The first thing i would say is please, please reconsider using your knife as a prying tool or screwdriver. If you're going to get a knife to carry around and use frequently, you'll want it to be a good quality knife steel, which is MUCH more brittle than tool steel... if you're going to go to the trouble of carrying a knife, carry a small multitool too, and you'll even have pliers, wire cutters, flat and phillips screwdrivers, and maybe even some tweezers and a file
I bought one of
a good while ago, and I love it. It just clamps onto my keyring, and I hardly notice it. When it's time to work, opening it will allow it to come off the ring easily, and it's got some tough jaws which aren't going to flex like thinner-pliered multi tools. It's also not as big as a leatherman, and carries a lifetime warranty.
I also carry a Kershaw Leek daily, and love it, despite the fact that it's a lower quality knife steel than something like Spyderco or Benchmade. It deploys extra quickly, and is easy to sharpen. The clip can also be reversed to carry tip-up when closed, just like I like. CRKT is a very good recommendation, as are the others... *edit to add: the Spyderco Native is a great entry level knife made of S30V, and made just 15 or so miles from my house in the great state of Colorado
here is a knife-steel faq, btw - vg-10 and s(30, 60, 90)v steels hold edges incredibly well. It really all depends on how much you're going to be using it.
As far as sharpening, I just use the same 4000/8000 grit wetstone I use for my straight razors... I've never seen the need for anything more fancy, to tell the truth. Just hold it at the angle yeh want, and pretend you're whittling... if you get a wire edge, go backwards a couple strokes and don't go quite so far next time ^_^
I carry and use a knife daily so I'm not reduced to using my claws and teeth - it's the same with that small set of pliers, so I'm not forced to beat up my fingers (or my knife)... In the words of Obi-Wan, "An elegant weapon, from a more civilized age..."