Field Sharpening of Convex Edges

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Not so fast there, unwise one. He hasn’t submitted three copies of his swarf dispersal impact report.

Or paid the required fee.

Parker
 
Also, there was no promise to apply dirt back on the rock of equal or greater degree than originally observed.
 
catspa said:
Not so fast there, unwise one. He hasn’t submitted three copies of his swarf dispersal impact report.

Or paid the required fee.

Parker
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EngrSorenson said:
Also, there was no promise to apply dirt back on the rock of equal or greater degree than originally observed.
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All handled via the "leave no trace" photos I use Polaroids and carry a Notary with me so they're certified before I continue hiking.
 
Hurrul said:
I guess the OP has forgotten these 2 threads:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/opinions-on-scandi-for-shtf.1649763/

Recommendation? - *Only* Field Sharpening a Scandi Blade

First I want to make sure everyone understands what I am talking about. I don't mean "how to keep a scandi blade sharp-ish in the field and then give it a real treatment when I get home." I don't have a home. I live out of a backpack and weight/space is an issue. Itravel with a small ceramic...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
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I think any of us if we'd posted something that wrong would repress the memories.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
A pocket stone weighs...1 ounce.
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This discussion's slant toward debating the weight and therefore the carry-worthiness of small sharpeners, has for the first time made me consider buying a digital scale - just so I can weigh my little hones. In all seriousness, I actually put a digital scale on my shopping list for the next trip to the store.

Up 'til now, if I could drop it in my pocket and not even sense it was there, it was light enough. Never thought I'd be compelled to actually measure what 'light enough' actually means. Even the three DMT credit card hones I carry in my wallet each and every day, with their nickel-plated steel construction, still aren't heavy enough in total that I'd even consider leaving them behind. I've gotten so used to carrying those, I'd know immediately if they weren't there and it'd leave me feeling very insecure. They'd also make some pretty good armor-plated protection if I ever happen to get shot in a specific 2" x 3-1/4" rectangle-shaped area of my left butt cheek. I think about that every time I drop my wallet into my pocket. :D
 
garry3 said:
Murray Carter's take on it. He also mentions boards and mud or ashes. Pants legs and even skin like an arm, palm or a thigh makes a pretty fine strop too.


This guy demonstrates on an axe and then shaves his arm hair. He likes to finish on a smooth piece of quartz.

Maybe if a guy was stranded in the ocean in a rubber raft or on a glacier it might be pretty difficult to find something to sharpen on, but other than that I can't see not having a serviceable edge.
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Thanks, this seems interesting. I will look at it!
 
AntDog said:
Who said it had to be leather.
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Interesting. Would nylon work?
AntDog said:
Stop being boneheaded and pack a DMT diafold.
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Hm. I'm pretty sure the bonehead is the person who - instead of answering the question - is trying to convince the OP that he should have asked a different question.

But I do like the belt idea.
AntDog said:
They’re light,
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Spoken like a weekend warrior.
 
catspa said:
PS: if you ignore those guys, you’ll miss out on some good shiite.
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I'll take my chances.
AntDog said:
Who said it had to be leather.
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Oh! Would a nylon belt work? I thought not because I thought it would have to be a smooth, flat surface.
AntDog said:
Stop being boneheaded and pack a DMT diafold.
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I realize you're being friendly but seriously man. The post is about using found materials. Why would you (or anyone) think it's okay to answer in a post about found materials by suggesting not to use found materials?
EngrSorenson said:
If your concern is maintaining a convex edge specifically, perhaps you’re asking too much of your situation.
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Maybe. That's why I'm posting before buying a convex blade.
EngrSorenson said:
Antdog’s belt-n-sand strop idea might be worth a shot.
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Yeah that seems like a good idea.
EngrSorenson said:
Also your hunt for self-sufficiently is admirable, but what do you do when you bust or lose your knife in the woods, forge a new one from raw materials?
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It happened once (at a river crossing) and by dumb luck I had an antler with me to knapp an edge from some chirt and that carried me through. This was before I ate ants so most of what I needed a knife for was skinning and filleting. It did a terrible job of both.

I carry two edged tools now, and I want to replace my tommy because from spring to fall it just isn't useful but it is *heavy*. Every step I take I wish that thing would fall in a river.
EngrSorenson said:
Gotta draw the line somewhere. Come on… just take a dia card.
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Sure, but I'll decide where I draw the line. Why is everyone trying to push me to live my life the way they like to live theirs?
EngrSorenson said:
I’d bring some type of tool for sharpening.
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See what I mean? This thread is asking what field materials to use to sharpen a convex edge. This isn't a thread about what you would do.
MolokaiRider said:
Split a piece of fine/smooth grade wood, try to flatten the wood further with a rock if possible, rub a bit of wet dirt on it, let it dry, and use trailing edge strokes.
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Good idea!
MolokaiRider said:
A belt, as mentioned earlier, would work even better. Especially if you pre-loaded a portion with compound.
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Would a nylon belt work, do you think?
Insipid Moniker said:
Bluntly, I think the entire premise of the question is an excellent example of being penny wise and dollar foolish
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Bluntly, I think you're a jerk for taking up time replying to a post if you don't accept the premise. Do you just blunder into a Ford dealership and yell out "I really like Toyotas!"
SimplyMinded said:
If you're that into rocks find a flint and stone and knap yourself a new sharp edge when you need it. Then you don't even have to bring a knife. That's gonna save a few ounces right there.
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:rolleyes:
Wild Willie said:
From what I've gleaned over the years, a lot of hardcore ultralight hikers don't even carry a knife
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I'm not an ultralight hiker but I meet a lot of them and you're right about that. I would say that at least 50% of them also don't know how to start a fire, and about all of them don't carry a compass (they use GPS on their phone). So we have trails full of people who are 5 hours from a highway and have no knife, firestarter, compass, or know-how. I don't know what they would do if GPS went out and we had a surprise squall. I'm always amazed there aren't more accidents than there are.
 
campandtravel said:
So given those parameters, is there a good way to field maintain a convex edge? In my experience the answer is no and even my tommy has been flattened out a bit after field sharpening. Maybe I am missing something.
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Focusing on the essential part of this question, holding a fixed angle of presentation relative to the ground while working a blade over a convex surface will create a convex edge. The issue, however, is ensuring you don't exceed the edge angle you're intending for the apex. The angle you are creating is referenced by the tangent to the curve even if your personal reference for the angle you're holding is a horizontal plane. The point of contact will always be where you have to reference the tangent of the curve from. Because of this, working with a fixed blade presentation while traversing a curved surface means that your angle is constantly changing. Learn to read that angle visually as you make the motions and you can stop shy of actually rounding over your edge.

Alternatively, and more simply, just sharpen at the edge angle you desire on a flat (or flat-ish) stone and when you're done, spend some time working BEHIND the edge and increasingly low angles, lifting the edge off the stone more and more until you've blended the shoulder into the backing geometry.

That's really all there is to it:

•Sharpen knife at desired edge angle.
•Round off the shoulder of the transition from the edge into the rest of the blade.

Very easily done with basic equipment. Stropping is nice for maintenance, but that's light honing only.
 
Dear C campandtravel ,

Serious question that someone asked earlier and I'm also curious. When you find that perfect rock, do you carry it around with you?....or throw it down and find another one next time?

And have you weighed energy expended searching for new rock versus just carrying a one ounce pocket stone? How about energy expended splitting a stick and rubbing it with a rock to make it flat before even getting to the sharpening?

The reason people keep recommending to just carry a small, already flat stone with you in all of your threads, is because it is so immediately obvious that it is the best, most energy efficient and easiest solution to your "problem".

You're being obstinate, bull headed and stubborn and trying to find a solution to a problem that shouldn't really exist.

Sincerely,
Just another weekend warrior, armchair glamper.
 
campandtravel said:
Hm. I'm pretty sure the bonehead is the person who - instead of answering the question - is trying to convince the OP that he should have asked a different question.
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Maybe folks are having trouble answering the question as asked, because it goes against their idea of common sense. If you had said, "Sure, bringing a <1oz diafold is a good idea. Just for fun when sitting around a campsite, what other ways could one find to sharpen a knife?"

I have a friend who likes to play with lapping found rocks, and making use of various found bits of ceramic and stuff to sharpen. But he brings along a real sharpener when "in the field", because having something light and dependable is important.

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