Photos Did/do people actually carry "Pocket" Stones in their pockets?

Macchina

Macchina

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When I was 12 my Grandpa gave me his Buck 112 he had used every time he took me hunting or fishing up to that point. He said he got it when he was younger and the loss of blade proves it was quite a bit ago. He's gone now, but I think of him often!
With that knife he gave me a "Pocket" Arkansas Stone and some honing oil and showed me how to sharpen a knife for the first time in my life. It was a cheap one bought at the hardware store I'm sure and it wasn't very abrasive at all, definitely put a polish on any edge I ran across it. I sharpened EVERYTHING with that little stone and though a reprofile on a cheap knife took me days back then I attribute my love and skills as a hand sharpener to him and that stone. I must have held that stone for several days if you add up all the hours I used it. At some point in my young adulthood I cut my finger sharpening and dropped the stone, breaking it into 2 pieces. I was heartbroken at first but then realized I simply had 2 stones now and carried the one shown below when I would hike and hunt (in my backpack). I have since moved on to diamonds and ceramic but still get that piece of stone out every now and again and sharpen an old Case peanut like he used to carry.

I can't smell 3-in-1 oil or the lingering smell brass patina leaves on your hands without thinking of my Grandpa.

My question is: did people actually carry a stone in their pocket as the name implies in what are sold today as "pocket stones"? I get having one in your wagon if you're traveling or in your saddle bag if you're in the field. Were people know to carry a sharpening stone in their pockets since say the founding of America? Pockets are relatively new, so maybe some farmers carried one? I believe this was more common with lumberjacks and harvesters to sharpen axes and scythes, but a file would probably work much better for this. Any stories about this would be awesome!112 and Stone.jpg
 
I carry 3 DMT credit card hones (C/F/EF) in my wallet everyday - they live there. And I have a 4" x 1" x 1/4" Fine India stone that I keep in a pocket slip made for knives, but fits the stone perfectly. That sometimes gets a ride in my pocket as well.

So long as I have the 3 DMT hones in my wallet, I wouldn't necessarily carry the other stone all the time. But the small India stone is a perfect match for knives I use in 1095, CV and 420HC, all of which respond very well to it. It's my favorite for those. So I do take it along sometimes.

Edited to add:
A pic below of my most-often-carried hones and three of my favorite knives. My 2-dot Buck 112 looks to be a close-generation relative to the one pictured in the OP. Those were great knives in 440C. :thumbsup:
cmW6a9v.jpg
 
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When I’m out hunting and other outdoor activities I usually have a day bag or fanny pack of some kind that I carry my field sharpening stone or diamond sharpeners in along with other necessary items. Kinda like my grandfather’s possibles bag that was a shoulder strap carry. I don’t like a lot of stuff in my pockets so a small pouch or bag that I can strap on with a quick snap lock on it works really well. I can take it off if I need to and putting it back on is real easy and it doesn’t weigh much.
 
I also have sharpeners in my vehicle’s, lunch box, tool box and on my multi tools I carry. Just like knives, guns or money, you can’t have to many sharpeners. Lol
 
Funny this post came up as I'm sitting in front of my computer 'honing' my higo. 😁

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I have a ceramic block/stone but don't carry it as it is about 5" long. Lansky does a good job of keeping the knives sharp 'enough' and I think it makes a good modern replacement for the traditional on-the-fly/field/pocket sharpening stones.

I only use the ceramic portion of the Lansky (and the serrated sharpeners occasionally), but never the tungsten carbide as that can roughen the edge quickly. :thumbsup:

My father has a buck 110 (that he carried through Vietnam I believe) that has the blade stock eaten away to about 2/3s. He told me he would sharpen and hone his knife on anything he can think of, rocks, stones, glass, and even on wood. For honing, you don't need the material to be any harder/tougher than the blade stock...for sharpening perhaps a bit different.

I can imagine a traditional pocket stones went a long way to keeping the edges in the field.
 
I have a couple of the DMT folding plates (the double-sides sharpening plates with the clear plastic "wings" that fold over them when not in use) that I carry in my daybag, so I'm never without a means of putting an edge back on any of my knives. I'm comfortable with freehand sharpening, so that's all I need really. Guided systems are nice, but they're a little bulky to carry with you.
 
Macchina said:
When I was 12 my Grandpa gave me his Buck 112 he had used every time he took me hunting or fishing up to that point. He said he got it when he was younger and the loss of blade proves it was quite a bit ago. He's gone now, but I think of him often!
With that knife he gave me a "Pocket" Arkansas Stone and some honing oil and showed me how to sharpen a knife for the first time in my life. It was a cheap one bought at the hardware store I'm sure and it wasn't very abrasive at all, definitely put a polish on any edge I ran across it. I sharpened EVERYTHING with that little stone and though a reprofile on a cheap knife took me days back then I attribute my love and skills as a hand sharpener to him and that stone. I must have held that stone for several days if you add up all the hours I used it. At some point in my young adulthood I cut my finger sharpening and dropped the stone, breaking it into 2 pieces. I was heartbroken at first but then realized I simply had 2 stones now and carried the one shown below when I would hike and hunt (in my backpack). I have since moved on to diamonds and ceramic but still get that piece of stone out every now and again and sharpen an old Case peanut like he used to carry.

I can't smell 3-in-1 oil or the lingering smell brass patina leaves on your hands without thinking of my Grandpa.

My question is: did people actually carry a stone in their pocket as the name implies in what are sold today as "pocket stones"? I get having one in your wagon if you're traveling or in your saddle bag if you're in the field. Were people know to carry a sharpening stone in their pockets since say the founding of America? Pockets are relatively new, so maybe some farmers carried one? I believe this was more common with lumberjacks and harvesters to sharpen axes and scythes, but a file would probably work much better for this. Any stories about this would be awesome!View attachment 1655586
Click to expand...
Great story about your grandfather, thanks for sharing. Funny how something as simple as a pocket stone and the memories it holds makes it a very special heirloom, some don't get it but I do and I'm sure a bunch of folks reading your story do too. :thumbsup:
I have one that I inherited after my father in law passed 15 years ago. I've carried and used it a few times, it rides in my wagon, (truck console), at all times.
I imagine quite a few carried one back in the day. Men who worked the land, hunted, camped or just plain used their knife hard and daily. They can sure come in handy in a pinch or when your'e away from home for an extended time.
View attachment 1655770
 
Yes, people did carry a "pocket sharpener"
Before pockets were invented, they carried them in a neck or belt pouch, in their possibles bag, haversack, back pack/basket, etc. Some carried a butcher's steel, in addition to, or instead of. Most had a strop (that was used most) too.
Before "pocket stones" and "sharpening stones" were invented, no doubt a fist size smooth river rock was carried, at least when afield.

I still have/keep a "400 Grit" (no clue which rating system Smith's used to determine the grit rating) diamond pocket stone, and butcher's steel in my backpack, along with one of them new fangled 1950's "Zippo" type Ronson 'Typhoon' "lighters", and a bottle of Zippo "lighter fluid".

I find those new fangled "lighters" work a lot faster/easier/better (especially when there is precipitation going on) to start a camp or cooking/get warm fire, than a flint & steel or "Ferro" rod, and the stick & string the BSA was so fond of when I was a youngling.
Squirting a little "lighter fluid" (or charcoal starter ... same thing, I think ...) on the kindling can help get the fire going faster, too. :D
 
Borth of my grandfathers had small Arkansas stones they would carry in their front pocket. I have one of them fortunately.

I’ve personally never carried one around but I keep them in my trucks and out in my shop so one is never very far.

About a decade ago I moved to a front pocket wallet and no longer put things in my back pocket (so comfortable!). I’d like to carry a stone but between all the other stuff in my pockets I’m afraid there isn’t much room.

I’ll have to look into those wallet size diamond cards though
 
I have one in my m̶a̶n̶ ̶p̶u̶r̶s̶e̶ go bag. I also like to carry a strip of emery cloth in my Altoids tin possibles kit for sharpening purposes
 
I've always carried something to maintain an edge. A dulled , even slightly, edge makes me crazy.
Year after year i go more and more minimalist and have drastically reduced the size and weight of what i carry.

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The DMT fine plate is really small but with a bit of practice it's possible to restore a not too damaged edge on a sub 3 inches carbon steel blade.
I don't use it often, i carry it just in case. The chromium oxide loaded strop is much more used, especially when whittling.

Dan.
 
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