Dilemna.

TheDoggyGuru said:
Good point, Franciscomv. Do they sell smaller ceramic rods? I find I personally have the most success with them.
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For the last 15-20 years I've had very good luck with the Eze-lap diamond hones. I get the flat little red plastic one and cutoff the handle short enough to fit in my wallet. Maybe about 1/8 inch thick, by about 3 inches long and 3/4 inches wide.

With a bit of practice you can resharpen your pocket knife in a minute or two. Finish it off with a stropping on the back of your belt and you're good to go.
 
Check these out. I don't have one, but I've seen them in stores and thought they looked pretty good. Pre-set angles, though.

I'll bet jackknife's suggestion is easier to carry, and would work in more situations.

-- Sam
 
MG_Saldivar said:
The town must've been named when "intercourse" was used to mean "conversation" or "discussion" --- an appropriate name for the state that gave us the City of Brotherly Love. :D
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Intercourse is right down the road from Bird In Hand and Paradise. Ten miles northeast is Blue Ball, Pa.
 
I *think* that red (active) rust on some steels will turn into a nice black (inactive) patina if you dip it in some boiling water for about 15 minutes. This has worked for me with low-carbon steel, anyway.

As long as the patina stays on it should protect the underlying steel. A little oil or ren wax will go a long way towards preserving the patina.

Smarter people (at least 99% of you) feel free to correct me; I'm not what you'd call a metallurgical genius.
 
bluejaunte said:
I *think* that red (active) rust on some steels will turn into a nice black (inactive) patina if you dip it in some boiling water for about 15 minutes. This has worked for me with low-carbon steel, anyway.

As long as the patina stays on it should protect the underlying steel. A little oil or ren wax will go a long way towards preserving the patina.
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Wow, boiling your knife blade as a way to turn rust into a patina sounds like a REALLY REALLY bad* idea. You're right that patina will protect the steel. And while perhaps a little oil or ren wax might not be a bad idea (though, to be honest, I almost never oil my blades at all - just the joint once or twice a year) you don't really need to "preserve the patina." Just USING the knife is going to perpetuate a patina.




[* Seriously, a REALLY bad idea!]
 
* Seriously, a REALLY bad idea!
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I'm not arguing, I'm just asking: Why? Will 212 degrees F really affect the temper at all?

Anyway, like I said my experience is with low-carbon (i.e., mild) steel. Not something you want to keep an edge.
 
A general rule of thumb I learned while grinding new mill/lathe tools in the machine shop-never get the metal too hot to hold with your bare fingers.
 
Boiling a blade for 15 mins can't do much to enhance the scales either:D Heat travels:eek:
 
I'd guess for almost any knife boiling hot isn't going to harm the temper in the least.
 
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