Favorite SAK Sharpening Habits

[okBookGuy]

Was looking at the "Edge Pro" and the Spyderco "Sharpmaker" which got me to thinking:

Question: How often do you sharpen or hone your EDC SAK?

Would also appreciate your input on the relative merits of the edge pro
versus the Sharpmaker.

 

[bigbcustom]

I don't have an edge pro yet...am ordering an ezesharp soon though. I do have a sharpmaker. As to how often I hone/sharpen my edc sak, I do it when it needs it. sometimes twice a week, sometimes once a month depending on my use. While the sak (I have both vic and wenger models) is an excellent utility tool/knife, the blade steel leaves something to be desired, and it doesn't hold a good edge for a long period of time, it is easy to put an edge back on though. The sharpmaker has a little bit of a learning curve, but once you have done a couple of knives, things go pretty good. The first sharpening of any knife on the sharpmaker takes a while though since the bevels from the factory are rarely the 30 or 40 degree included angle that are your choices on the sharpmaker, but once you set the bevels the first time, it is a snap to touch them up every time after that. I just ordered the diamond triangles for the sharpmaker which should make setting the bevels on the initial sharpening much faster.

 

[jackknife]

I carry a cut down eze-lap diamond hone in my wallet. One of those red, flat plastic things with a small flat metal plate. I cut off most of the plastic handle and left just enough to get a grip on and keep it in my wallet so its always with me. Thats it, nothing else. As I've always sharpened freehand since I was a kid, (no sharpmakers or edge pros in the late 1940s and 50s) I just can't do it any other way. About once a week I hone the blade for a minute or two using the small circles from heel to tip. Then it gets stropped on the back of my belt and it dry shaves hair right off my arm.

 

[Gryffin]

Ya know, it's funny you should ask... now that I think about it, haven't sharpened a SAK on a stone in quite a while.

When EDCing a SAK (one of four or so, along with a half dozen other slipjoints, in my EDC rotation), I usually also pack a locking folder, which gets used for heavy cutting, leaving only light duty cutting for the SAK. And I've gotten into the habit of stropping my slipjoints, SAKs included, after use, generally on a plain paper notepad. The relatively soft Victorinox steel hasn't needed anything more than that in months!

 

[stevekt]

A few swipes on the Sharpmaker white stones at 40 degrees seems to do the trick nicely. I also keep a Rapala pull through in my tool bag for quick touch ups.