Blackjack Grunt Sharpening Question

[yellow_zone]

This knife came with instructions on how to keep it nice and sharp but the options to keep it sharp were leather and cardboard. That is fine for home use but if the primary purpose of this knife is a survival knife would a small field sharpener like "EZE LAP" or "DMT Mini Sharp" still work on this type of steel (AUS 8)?

 

[t1mpani]

No reason they wouldn't work, but either is going to start cutting a flat microbevel onto the convex edge. The steel has nothing to do with it, it's the type of grind. If you want to maintain the covex grind, just stick a few sheets of wet/dry paper (probably around 800 grit or so) in your pocket, and when seated use your thigh for backing. You should be pulling your edge across the paper and not pushing so cutting through and getting yourself isn't a concern. For that matter, unless it's going to be a really long journey, you're building several shelters or skinning many animals, extensive field sharpening isn't a concern anyway. If you do decide to stick in an EZ-lap or something like that and still want to maintain the grind, just try to use light pressure and keep it, like stropping with the paper, to pulling the edge across versus pushing it against. This should pull most edge imperfections back to straight and hopefully not remove as much steel.

 

[madcap_magician]

You can also put wet/dry on a foam mouse pad and that does wonders for a convex edge.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

No reason they wouldn't work, but either is going to start cutting a flat microbevel onto the convex edge.

You can keep the convex profile with flat stones, as you draw the blade back you just rotate it to match the curvature. Some people can do the same thing with edge-foward sharpening.

Assuming you use the knife significantly, leather and cardboard are not going to be productive, you are going to want an actual abrasive, a fine/x-fine DMT diafold goes a long way.

-Cliff

 

[t1mpani]

You can keep the convex profile with flat stones, as you draw the blade back you just rotate it to match the curvature. Some people can do the same thing with edge-foward sharpening.

You're quite right--I've done this before on a GB Wildlife hatchet just to prove it could be done to a nay-sayer. I only tried pulling, though--I think I'd have a hard time pushing forward and staying consistent. Since traveling light is often a concern in extended outdoor adventures, I like my sandpaper/thigh method better. Plus, I can put wet/dry paper in a back pocket and never know it's there, including when I'm sitting.

Edit to add: And by the way, yellow_zone, welcome to Bladeforums!