Best 'survival' edge?

R

rockhouse

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Jun 18, 2010
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If you were stranded in the woods for an extended period and had a BK-2 (or any sturdy fixed blade) as your only knife, what edge would you want on it?

Convex or flat?

Obviously if you were stranded for an extended period, you would want the longest lasting, easiest to maintain, and easiest to resharpen edge possible.

Choice?
 
i would go for a convex edge. from what i have seen from the knives i make and from ones i sharpen, a convex would be my choice.
 
What supplies/tools would you have to carry to keep the convex edge sharp as opposed to a flat edge?
 
Convex for me too. Though depending on what sharpening materials you have available out in the woods, that convex may get changed to V if I were forced to maintain the edge with rocks.
 
rockhouse said:
What supplies/tools would you have to carry to keep the convex edge sharp as opposed to a flat edge?
Click to expand...

A bit of sandpaper and a small leather strop works well. Check out Bark River sharpening products at knivesshipfree.com -They offer a small ready to go kit for convex maintenance in the field. :thumbup:
 
a good length of 2" x 72" 400 grit sanding belt rolled up would be all that i would carry and a piece of white rouge. the backside of the belt would be my strop.
 
I sure as heck wouldn't want to rely on using sandpaper in an extended survival situation. In my experience, sandpaper degrades really quickly when used on hardened steel. Whereas I've been using the same DMT coarse/extra fine hone for nearly three years now with almost no noticeable loss in effectiveness.

With convex sharpening the amount of steel that needs to be removed to sharpen the edge is greater than with a v-bevel, making sharpening without power tools a more laborious process.

Durability of the edge is a more complicated issue. A thinner edge will cut better for a longer period of time but is more susceptible to damage than a thicker edge. For any knife that I use on a regular basis I've played around with the edge geometry enough to know what I'm comfortable with for a given set of circumstances but in general I find that a nice thin secondary bevel with a micro bevel offers the best in cutting efficiency, durability and ease of re-sharpening.

I believe I could survive with just a DMT diafold for quite some time.
 
Well said theonew, I've been playing around with microbevels more myself. Even simple tools like a 5 dollar norton and a ceramic rod can make some really sharp edges.

I would have to say a diafold or a large bench stone like a two sided norton india.

In other words, I'd go with a V bevel.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Well said theonew, I've been playing around with microbevels more myself. Even simple tools like a 5 dollar norton and a ceramic rod can make some really sharp edges.
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Thanks :)

I was never a big micro-bevel fan but the more I play around with knives like the Izula, 1095 at 57 HRC, the more I see that while the steel won't perfectly sustain a 10 degree per side edge during hard use, the edge rolling I've experienced is limited to just a fraction of a millimeter. So rather than re-profile the whole edge to 12 degrees per side thereby losing some cutting efficiency, a 12 degree per side micro bevel solves the problem and makes re-sharpening go really fast.

While ceramics won't give you an edge like your absurdly sharp examples, with a nice light touch they can quickly give you a level of sharpness that is "scary" nonetheless.
 
I've been doing it a bit different, I use a very obtuse micro 20 degrees per side on average paired with a 10-13 degree main. Or so I guess ;)

IDK, the edge I can get with a norton stone from HD and a UF SM rod is pretty amazing :)
 
knifenut1013 said:
I've been doing it a bit different, I use a very obtuse micro 20 degrees per side on average paired with a 10-13 degree main. Or so I guess ;)

IDK, the edge I can get with a norton stone from HD and a UF SM rod is pretty amazing :)
Click to expand...

While I bow to your level of experience, I will state that from even my more modest level of wisdom that this is great advice.

I should point out that I have never needed a knife to survive, but I use my knives fairly hard and once you put a really good edge on, you can go a LONG time between re-sharpening if you occasionally pull out a UF rod and touch it up free hand. If you are really rough on your edge, you can start with the medium rod free hand.

Everyone uses differently though. My idea of a survival environment would have a ceramic rod winning over strips of leather, paper, or even abrasive cloth (I have been camping in the rain before...I do not care how good you pack it, if you need, it will pick up a lot of humidity and moisture when you pull it out to use)...but like I said, I do not frequent "survival" use....I am more of a construction guy.
 
knifenut1013 said:
I've been doing it a bit different, I use a very obtuse micro 20 degrees per side on average paired with a 10-13 degree main. Or so I guess ;)

IDK, the edge I can get with a norton stone from HD and a UF SM rod is pretty amazing :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I put a 23 inclusive micro on a 12 degree inclusive main on my Case Trapper that we discussed. It's been great so far, haven't needed to sharpen it once for daily shaving purposes. Not really sure how it would do survival work though.

In any case, as far as a "survival" situation goes, I think the important thing to remember is that you're not likely going to need an edge as sharp as your pride and enthusiasm as a knife nut tells you. With that in mind, I'd rather take with me a small field sharpener with a diamond surface. They're more durable than stones, they're lighter, they're always flat and they're hard, and you might even find some uses for them other than to sharpen your blade. I mean, my Smith's diamond field sharpener even has a "fish hook" and "microtool" sharpener on it so it would even be useful for sharpening bits of scrap metal found for making other tools.

As far as edges go, I'm conflicted between the microbevel and the convex. Personally I think a microbevel would be much easier to maintain, and since you can make a fairly acute V bevel, then you can have a very thin edge with a lot of retention that's easy to bring back with a couple of passes on the microbevel. Resharpening a convex may not take all that time, but the other thing to consider is that if you have dents or chips to remove, then the extra angle on a microbevel will probably make it easier to remove them, so ease of sharpening also translate to ease of repair to me.
 
I'd take a V bevel. If you're stuck without a sharpener, lose it, break it, etc, and have to make do with a rock I think the v would be easier. Honestly, I carry a Smiths carbide and ceramic pull through with the diamond rod in my survival kit. If I need to re-sharpen, I want it quick and easy, with a good working edge. I don't want to worry about maintaining angles and I don't care if it can wittle hair or slice free hanging paper.
 
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