A bit of lateral thinking.

gajinoz

gajinoz

Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
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OK, you're out in the bush and you need to sharpen up that expensive knife you've been hacking away with for the last couple of days. You're not a sharpening guru and you want to maintain a nice consistent sharpening angle.

What to do?
 
I wouldn't be using an overly expensive knife... and I think a small stone with a handle would work fine.... At worst, have a strip of denim to strop or something...

that's a pretty neat, albeit old, idea.
 
Forget the angle problem. Jam it on the nearest rock and rub away.

Or better yet, trade it to a local guy for his machete or ax.

IMHO you have been using the wrong tool for the job at hand (which is why you are still chopping after two days, heh heh).
 
If I would bring a knife, I would bring a sharpmaker...or at least some doublestuff, angle control is dead easy: a few coins will do the trick.
 
The idea of making such a sharpening guide to use in the wild sounds silly to me. Then again, I have no problem maintaining whatever angle I choose.
And, I've used improvised methods to sharpen my knives hundreds of times out in the field.

On the other hand, I already made a device almost exactly like the one he made, except I used a cherry branch, and baling wire instead of string. It's a "hand vise" like jewelers use, and comes in great for holding small parts (for my miniature knives) while working on them. It's worth noting how to make it for that reason.
 
I always carry a DMT folding hone red/green. They work great. light ,durable.
As far as use goes it may take a bit of practice before you go out into the bush.But sharpening is a skill you will always have once you learn.


cya
jimi
 
This is why there is still a need for softer, easier to sharpen, blade-steels like AUS-6.

Allen.
 
gajinoz said:
OK, you're out in the bush and you need to sharpen up that expensive knife you've been hacking away with for the last couple of days. You're not a sharpening guru and you want to maintain a nice consistent sharpening angle. What to do?
Click to expand...
The first thing you do is make a note that you bought the wrong knife, because even a cheap machete doesn't need sharpening that fast.

Assuming you do want to sharpen it, you don't need a jig, you can do the same thing as the wood clamp does with your thumb.

Neat idea though. The ironic thing is that it is illustrated with a knife with a puukko style bevel which is basically a built in angle guide.

-Cliff
 
A Lansky clamp, rod and 1 stone (Fine or Medium diamond) does not weigh that much. Im sure its possible to find a place to put it. Thats what I take anyway.
 
While sitting around the campfire I like to whittle protractors out of wood, so just in case I ever have to make a sharpening jig I can set the proper angle.
 
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