Fixed blade, outdoor/camping knife?

Once your knives are sharp, they are easy to maintain. Plus, I don't like powered sharpening systems.

Maybe an impromptu Spyderco Sharpmaker with some wooden dowels sat in the predetermined angled holes drilled into a 4x4. Wrap the dowel with sandpaper and go to town. You can go from 38 to 5K grit SiC.

If you would rather have the easier method, just buy the sharpmaker and the diamond stones.

Personally, I sharpen all of my knives on bench stones. Well, not the BK4, I use a round diamond coated rod by Lansky, and a ceramic rod for touch up.
 
If you're lazy and cheap like me, here is your quickest/cheapest way to a wicked edge:
1. Quickest
2. Cheapest - and I'll explain why below
Video 2 is the cheapest because ~$20 gets you the work sharp replacement water stone (400-600 grit being ideal). Then with old jeans, a flat piece of scrap wood and basic wood glue, you can make your own strop for very cheap (~$10 at most). You will have to drop ~$40 on some Chromium Oxide to rub on one side of your strop (see the one I made here http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/nBX16lPtcCJIlnD), but then you are set for life with $60-70 bucks investment (Canadian Prices) all in. Plus this whole rig fits in a pocket or backpack super easy.

And if a Jean strop is too hard, fold a newspaper 4 times the long way and rub some CrOx on that!

Then spend all your extra money on more knives, right?
 
Last edited:
If I even carry a sheath knife while backpacking, it's a paring knife.

GEC%2520%25231%2520Paring%2520in%2520Sheath.JPG



Otherwise, I've found a $30 Condor Kephart does every thing I need from a large knife.

Condor%2520Kephart.JPG

Condor%2520Kephart%2520in%2520JRE%2520Sheath.JPG
 
Last edited:
Y
xyrium said:
I probably should do an intro at some point.
Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in excellent CTS XHP (I really like this for everything except batoning, and my current camper)

Here's the part that hurts, I sharpen these on either a Chefs Choice 120 or a Smith's portable...I was thinking Spyderco Sharpmaker, but will probably, and eventually get a Worksharp because I'm wayyy to lazy for stones.

Someone please help me with this craziness! ;)
Click to expand...
You are following your learning curve. And getting input is usually helpful, and quite expensive at times!

The BK 16 is a very versatile blade. The BK 10 is something you would not regret. Personally I prefer the 12 but it is expensive. Have fun.
 
Thanks guys. Good tips here too on sharpening, thanks. At this time, I have a BK7 and 10 in my cart, though I'm leaning towards the 7 for length in splitting wood if it ever happens. Damn that BK12 is haunting me though...

BTW, I have the Chefs Choice 130, not that it probably makes a difference, but it does have a diamond wheel, so I get to waste even more steel when I'm careless. However, the S110v Spydie got nowhere fast on the portable Smith's.
 
Two great options for a traveling sharpening kit is a Fallkniven DC4, or the DMT card sharpening set.
 
Nice, good tips. Those card sharpeners are neat. One thing I never understood about using stones, is, how do people know what angle they are imposing on the blade? I would imagine after tons of practice, you get a feel for a common 20 degree angle, but otherwise, I'm not I believe that anyone is nailing a specific angle. The same applies to the portable groove sharpeners, because you definitely have some room to move the top of the blade to the left and right of the groove.

BTW, anyone here compare an ESEE 6p to a Becker BK12?
 
You can get clip on guides to fit to your knife once you know the manufactured angle so you grind it correctly until you want to go free hand, lots of video`s on youtube.

John.
 
xyrium said:
...Here's where I'm at:

Spyderco PM2 in S110V
Spyderco Dragonfly stainless in VG10
Spyderco Bill Moran in VG10
Benchmade Osborne Rift 950SBK in 154CM (my original camper)
Benchmade Nakamura 484 in lovely M390
Ka-Bar Fighter Serrated 1214 the usual 1095
Kershaw Blur in coated 14C28N
Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in excellent CTS XHP (I really like this for everything except batoning, and my current camper)
Mora Companion in Stainless (camp food prep, sometimes feathering)
Kanetsune Kissui in a very hard VG-10
Some oddball HigoNoKami 7 parkerized
Opinel No 6 and 8

Here's the part that hurts, I sharpen these on either a Chefs Choice 120 or a Smith's portable...I was thinking Spyderco Sharpmaker, but will probably, and eventually get a Worksharp because I'm wayyy to lazy for stones.
Click to expand...
I probably couldn't come up with a list if someone asked. So, I'm impressed. I also have a Chefs Choice electric sharpener that only sees occasional use on some of my kitchen knives or when I am feeling really lazy. I have to wipe the dust off of it when I dig it out. You need to work on your sharpening. A Silky is a good addition. I have one. I carry it on extended hikes or camping mostly.

The BK-7 will handle all the splitting you might need within reason. It's a good knife. It's a little weak chopping, but how much chopping does one do? Get yourself a good machete for car camping.
 
Last edited:
xyrium said:
Nice, good tips. Those card sharpeners are neat. One thing I never understood about using stones, is, how do people know what angle they are imposing on the blade? I would imagine after tons of practice, you get a feel for a common 20 degree angle, but otherwise, I'm not I believe that anyone is nailing a specific angle. The same applies to the portable groove sharpeners, because you definitely have some room to move the top of the blade to the left and right of the groove.

BTW, anyone here compare an ESEE 6p to a Becker BK12?
Click to expand...
I found one of a BK10 vs BK12. Most of the pics are gone due to photobucket kicking the bucket, but take a look here:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bk-10-vs-bk-12-picture-request.1080709/

That link came from this thread:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/first-fixed-blade.1310715/
 
Thanks guys. I did manage to leave an MCusta MC16 quincewood that I have off the list... I do like that little knife as a "gentleman's folder" of sorts.

Yeah, I have to get up to speed on doing some better sharpening. The whole knife hobby is something I'd like to pass on to my son, along with tearing it up on a Les Paul. Right now, he's only 3, and my wife is going to school, so I'm essentially a single parent caring for a home and a very active little monster. Thus, the allure of machines like the Worksharp line, particularly the KO model with variable speed and angle.

Barring KaBar coming out with a slightly longer BK10 in the next week or so, I think I'm just going for the 7. Camping season is coming up in a month or so for me. I did a quick search for a used BK12 but came up empty. So, the 7 seems to be the best compromise right now, even though I really wanted a drop point. If the 10 was only an inch longer....

BTW, that Buck 124 was in my cart, though I felt as if I might be paying more for polish than capability since it was over my price range. Great knife though, defintely got moved t y "Save for later" section. :)
 
leghog said:
If I even carry a sheath knife while backpacking, it's a paring knife.

GEC%2520%25231%2520Paring%2520in%2520Sheath.JPG



Otherwise, I've found a $30 Condor Kephart does every thing I need from a large knife.

Condor%2520Kephart.JPG

Condor%2520Kephart%2520in%2520JRE%2520Sheath.JPG
Click to expand...
I think the Condor Kephart compares favorably with a "paring knife". My first reaction when I bought it was that it felt like a steak knife. I misplaced mine. Believe it fell behind a book case as I often pile my knives on top of that small book case. You still hate the leather sheath?
 
I keep one of the DMT's in my day pack. They are good, small but usable.

I mostly freehand my knife sharpening on bench stones of one sort or another. Have a number of choices in that department depending on the knife steel.
 
Ok guys. Because I really don't want to suffer from buyer's remorse, you just made me do the following:

Items Ordered
Product Name SKU Price Qty Subtotal
Doug Ritter RSK Mk2 Perseverance (Knifeworks Exclusive)
DR-RSKMK2-I-178 $125.00
Ordered: 1
$125.00

I managed to convince my bud to buy the Spydie Bill Moran off of me, it was completely unused, just received it last month. So, I'm looking forward to the Mk2!
 
I'm too late, but at $100 prime the Ontario blackbird sk5 could be the "only" knife you take! Except the bk9, if only to have something that understands and doesn't judge you
 
Hah, it's never too late! I'm already amassing a list for the next purchase! :) THanks.

And thanks Bill, I'll check that out now!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top