Dummy Proof SHTF Sharpening?

E

e1harris

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Feb 20, 2012
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I'm looking to create a dummy proof, lightweight, full spectrum, SHTF sharpening kit (that can be perfected by a 6th grader).

Quality of finished edge is not as important as "good enough"

Here is where I am, would love feedback on specific coarseness changes...

Get it back to goodish within 5 minutes or less
1. Carbide Pull-Through - (scrape off effed-up and mangled metal... approximate it back to a "cutting edge")
2. Strop Paddle (Black Stropping Compound) - take the "approximated cutting edge" and coarsely refine it a bit

Okay, have some time in camp to work the "approximated cutting edge" back into a refined edge.
1. DMT Diafold Magna-Guide Kit (with 1-Double Sided Black/Blue - Extra-Coarse/Coarse)


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Pocket stones for me. Stones designed for guided sharpening systems would also work. The only bench stone I own is a coarse diamond for reprofiling to convex but this could be easily accomplished with a pocket stone.

In fact, I still think it's easier/faster to sharpen with pocket stones vs any other method. With a loose wrist and just getting a "feel" (and a listen) for it, I can blast through passes extremely fast.
 
For 'good enough' or even for 'plenty good' field sharpening, I'm also inclined to favor a simple pocket hone and little else. The dual-sided Dia-Fold shown in the OP would be just fine for that, either in the XC/C configuration shown (Black/Blue), or in their C/F pairing (Blue/Red). Either are capable of doing repairs to heavily damaged edges. And a lighter touch with the finishing side of either one will produce a great working edge for pretty much any use except shaving.

I wouldn't bother with the pull-through at all. They have the potential to leave as much weakened & damaged metal as they remove. The scratch pattern it creates, being parallel to the cutting edge, will leave the edge weak & unstable. Edges routinely sharpened on them will need more frequent resharpening for that reason alone. For just setting initial bevels, the XC DMT (black) will be plenty enough on its own and the scratch pattern being perpendicular or diagonal to the cutting edge will leave the edge much stronger & more durable, and the edge's cutting action will be much more aggressive as well.

Edited to add:
For a little more refinement to the edge created with the DMT hone, a medium or fine ceramic can be used to apply a barely-there microbevel in no more than 2-3 very light passes per side. It really steps up the cutting aggression of the edge by narrowing the apex atop the toothy edge created by the diamond hone. It also works well for deburring, used exactly the same way. I prefer this instead of stropping with compound, in fact.
 
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Get either a combo stone or a coarse and fine individual stone like one of the Baryonix or Norton India stones and practice a bit. Add a strop if you think you need it. Then practice this procedure.

 
I once performed an exercise in "SHTF" sharpening. I had a medium size Douk Douk that I refused to use a proper stone for a year. I sharpened on Emery cloth, the files of multi tools, smooth rocks, valve grinding compound on old pallet boards, Carrharts, cardboard, leather scraps, welding rods, coffee cups, etc. It was pretty rare that my knife couldn't at least reluctantly shave arm hair. Clearly, that wouldn't have been an option with some hardcore CPM20CV type stuff. Perhaps that calls into consideration the question "Dummy proof for what?"

Maybe I'm bound to be disappointed by people yet again, but I don't think knife sharpening is that difficult. I believe we can hand a dull knife to most anyone with a stone and get back a sharp-er knife, just based on what they've seen on television. It's the level of refinement that we seek with the perfect edge for this task, that task, hair popping sharp, hair whittling sharp, apex, degree per side, etc. that they would fall short. Both of my kids could properly sharpen a Mora by the time they were six.

Keeping that simplicity in mind, I would most strongly favor a folding double sided DMT stone.
 
A lot really depends on what you're dealing with for equipment. As there's no single angle that will answer all needs, freehand sharpening is typically the best method, and there are lots of options for that work. Simple freehand skills are VERY easily summarized to a handful of methods of approximating edge angles and a few diagnostic practices for assessing what's going on with your edge and what it needs.

All told, given what criteria you've set so far, a good quality file will handle a lot of your coarsest applications, but a suitably coarse stone comes in handy in many circumstances for erasing various forms of edge damage. With practice you can produce "good enough" edges off of surprisingly coarse stones using varied pressure. Having access to finer stones is always nice, of course, but generally the larger problem folks face where "good enough" is good enough is not having a suitably coarse sharpener for rapid shaping and damage removal.
 
Get an Eze-Lap DD6F/C or DD8F/C. 250 and 600 grit double sided, either 2x6 inch or 3x8 inch. Should handle most everything.

For a pocket sized solution, get an Eze-Lap 36C and a 36F, one each 250 and 600 grit, 1x4 inch in leather slips.
 
DocJD said:
Yes , for sure, and anyone actually concerned about "SHTF" survival stuff should at least try to master the basics , IMO .
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^That's what being prepared is all about. :thumbsup:

Studying & practicing enough beforehand will make it all about intuition and muscle memory. Then technique becomes automatic. Once you're there, selecting or improvising a tool that's at least adequate for any scenario becomes much easier.
 
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