How do you keep 'em sharp?

B

Brian.Evans

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Mods, please bear with me. I didn't put this in maintainance for the simple fact I'm not interested in sharpening per se (I have a bunch of stones up to 8000+ grit), but I am interested in sharpening traditional knives via "old time" means.

So, how do you keep them sharp when you aren't around your big bench stones? I'd like to find a decently cheap hone for away from home use. I'm away 24 hrs every third day, and I'd like something easy to throw in my go bag.

Please, no one say the bottom of a coffee cup or the window edge. I've tried. I can't do it.
 
If I'm going away and expecting to use my knife enough to dull it some, I throw my sharpmaker in my bag. I don't like those pocket sharpeners one bit.

Thinking about it a bit more, I will occasionally strop on a piece of cardboard or rough paper if a blade gets dull and nothing else is handy.
 
I took an old leather belt, cut off a 4 inch section. Then rubbed in some green compound into the rough side(preferably, just so it holds the compound better) (chromium oxide, like 3 bucks at harbor freight or ebay, you could use black or white compound if you wanted). And you can either put in on a flat work area or glue it to a piece of plywood. And just use it as a strop obviously.
 
I'm away 24 hrs every third day, and I'd like something easy to throw in my go bag.
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Ummm...to be honest, if your knife cannot go more than 24 hrs without sharpening because you use it that much, I'd go find something with steel having greater edge retention. That's one of the reasons I prefer Buck over Case. The Case alloys don't last long enough for me.

However, If I were needing something for on the go, I'd look at one of the DMT pocket stones.
 
diamond pocket stone in my wallet, has done wonders for upkeep and touch ups on kitchen knives.
 
Yes there are a hundred ways to emergency sharpen. But, this is what I take large game hunting, in the vehicle or camp.

There are several of the same type available from different manufacturers. I like the two different rod set option. I once skinned and cut-up three cow elk in one day. Used this two times on three knives. (Two 440c and one 420hc) Only my buddies cermaic blade did better. I could barely close my hand the next day. 300Bucks

AG3750.jpg
 
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I sharpen on a wide variety of things, but if lacking anything else and assuming some forethought/planning ahead, a DMT credit card hone (Coarse or Fine) and the inside face of my leather belt (w/green compound pre-applied) could handle 99% of everything I'd ever need to do with a folder-sized blade. And if things really get desperate, any concrete or stone would at least put a serviceable edge on most of the knives I typically carry. Stropping can be done on virtually anything, if needed.

The above is an example of why I increasingly believe a simple 1095-bladed knife is likely the best option, if/when I really, really need a knife. Takes great edges, and can be sharpened on most any stone or other available abrasive. Simpler is always better when things get tough.


David
 
I like a lot the efect of the bottom of a ceramic dish or cup instead of the strop, nevertheless I almost always carry this on my bag:
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-Fallkniven DC4, amazing what you can do with this little stone (from touch ups to reprofile a chef's knife in someonelse house)
-homemade strop with flexcut gold and bare leather(rough side) I use this for whittling because for general cutting chores I prefer the toothiness of the edge left by the ceramic.
 
We had a missile plant in town that shut down. My grandfather worked there for years and they used pure ceramic rings that went around the head of the missile. Well all the seconds my grandfather got and he broke them up and they make the best sharpening stones.
 
medicevans said:
Please, no one say the bottom of a coffee cup or the window edge. I've tried. I can't do it.
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Maybe you're not holding your mouth right.

Okay we won't go there. But I will mention that I keep a little Eze-Lap model L in my wallet. I sawed off most of the red plastic handle, and it fits in the zipper compartment with the P-38 and Sear's keychain screw driver. I only use it when there's no coffee mug around. :D

For stropping in a pinch, I just use the back of my Dickies work belt.

Carl.
 
I like the small DMT credit card sharpeners or the DMT folding sharpeners. Spyderco also makes a nice pocket-sized ceramic stone with coarse and fine sides (double stuff). A leather belt works fine for final touch up.

I used to travel with a small 4" medium washita stone (Buck brand).
 
Ok...I am going to be honest here and tell of my sharpening experiences.
I have only been into knives for a few odd years, never have I had the experience of my poppa or dad teaching me-as no one carried knives ( as per 99.999 of New Zealand ) so it was try and read then try...I tried using the ordinary Carborundum, fine/coarse stone - that had results - but the stone with my lack of experience ate up a couple of knives inside one night!!! :eek: by eating up.... I mean loosing a belly on a blade-flattening it out some what :( - I used older knives, but my precious GEC Serpentine did get stung by one of these visits to the stone.
I soon canned this stone and went to an Arkansas Stone, its one hang of a dear stone, and I only had certain success - I know it sounds silly...it seemed almost too hard??
I since have graduated to a Diamond stone, it has been pretty darned good, I can get some blades razor sharp....usually by getting them 80% there by stone and concentrating on stropping.
I still however have certain knives I cannot get right!
I also still have a lot of trouble with stropping-again only because my technique..I am getting there.

I still have the problem of the edges not keeping sharp!...this is extremely frustrating, and on different metals, CPM154, 1095, D2, and good Stainless...and I heavily suspect it it because of my angle?...but gees c'mon after just one day of good heavy use !!!
So it looks as though I may not be alone?
Also my Strop is a home made one with my old Weightlifting belt glued onto a wood slab( smooth leather side up )...I do notice that ( most ) times...my Stropping gets the blade better...but I am sure there are peopl who would laugh at my techniques...and I am ok with that..because I can sharpen a knife now-where I never used to , and I can do one thing and that is keep a very nice even line with out butchering the blade.
 
Hi
I use big bench stones, artificial and natural. From my experience I have found out that some stones work better on certain knives, which is obvious because of the different blade stills and different specs of the stones. I also use strop with green paste between sharpening.
For sharpening while away I use small piece of stone.
Mike
 
medicevans said:
So, how do you keep them sharp when you aren't around your big bench stones? I'd like to find a decently cheap hone for away from home use. I'm away 24 hrs every third day, and I'd like something easy to throw in my go bag.
Click to expand...

Just go to that big auction site and search for "pocket sharpening stone." You'll find loads of good ones for under $15 or so.

-- Mark
 
These days, I don't expect to have to sharpen my knives mid-trip (and generally I have more than one with me). In the past, I've tried various pocket sharpening ideas; small stones, mini steels, diamond-coated rods, etc. I eventually settled on a couple of Spydeco pocket ceramic stones (come in a nice flat leather slip), the same grade as the standard Sharpmaker rods. Unfortunately, I no longer have the coarser stone, but they're still available, I just don't know if it's worth me replacing it. Stropping on jeans or cardboard, or on the back of a belt, or a few strokes on the smooth ceramic is all I'm going to need I think.
 
Not what you were asking, but at home I use a Lansky. Just not good enough free hand yet.

For travel, I keep a DMT credit card stone in my pack, along with a homemade angle guide (PostIt note folded paper airplane style twice to get a 22.5 deg angle). I also have a small section of old belt glued to a short section of a paint stirrer for a strop. Keep them both in a small Baggie.

On thing I've found is that by having this in my pack, I'm more likely to practice my freehand sharpening technique when I have a few spare moments. I'm getting better.

It's really nice to have the DMT fine stone on trips if/when I'm doing a bit of whittling. Nice to be able to touch up a blade. Wouldn't want to reprofile a blade this way, but real handy.
 
Unless you are dealing with super steels, a Norton fine India hone and a piece of leather for a strop will keep you in business. I use my fine india bench stone for touching up my blades and diamond hones for reprofiling. Norton makes a wide variety of india stones for a wide variety of uses. I'll try to round up my fine india "slip" and put up a picture.

Ed J
 
I have always been a big fan of the Lansky Deluxe Turn-Box. Nice compact package and everything stows away in itself. I usually "strop" on the corner of a thick cardboard box.
 
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