How often do you actually field sharpen (when you have WE/EP/Worksharp/etc at home)?

BOSS1

BOSS1

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Greetings all,

Title pretty much says it all...how often do you actually sharpen 'out in the field' when you have specific fixed/jig system at home? And what do you use?

I can see a big skinning task...moose, elk, etc. needing a blade touch up. Or if you're out on an extended (7-10+ day) excursion and using your knife a lot...sure.

But say for a 3-5 day outing...or knocking around the camp site, are you really using your knife so much that it needs to be sharpened in the field rather than wait until you get home?

I'm not saying it doesn't dull. But does it get so dull that it can't wait until you get to your normal system (stone/Edge Pro/whatever) when you get home? In those cases, assuming you don't have your Wicked Edge in your backpack, does trying to sharpen in the field detract from that uber-sharp edge you painstakingly applied with your whiz-bang system?

Just kind of a rambling inquiry...specifically related to the actual value of dedicating some space in a sheath pouch to a stone or (more likely), a rod.

BOSS
 
Anything I take out in the field, for me has a micro bevel on it and I usually only ever strop it while sitting around a fire on a nightly basis. I do have that little handy Worksharp Field Sharpener in my BOB but I have never damaged anything to the point I needed to use more then the strop, assuming because of the micro bevels I put on everything.
 
I never work my knife hard enuf to have to sharpen it in the field. Kinda too bad, I know. I'm missing out on lots of fun.
 
I dont sharpen out in the field. I usually only sharpen at home. But most times im too lazy to dial in my edge pro and simply use the ceramic rod it came with.
 
Often it depends on what I am cutting.
If I have been using my knife around the camp site for two to three days, then go to clean a trout I just caught, I will touch up my knife.
The nights food prep will often get a pass, as will my chopper or hatchet.

Most of the time, when camping, I will do a few quick passes on a ceramic rod when I first get up. I find that it is rather relaxing sitting in my chair with a french press or cup o' cowboy coffee listening to the birds, and one of mankind's most primitive tools.
 
I have both the WE and WS. I'm terrible at freehand sharpening and would never use a pull through. So I usually go with a better method when in the field.

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I'm close to Alberta Ed on this. I use a DMT Medium Credit Card stone. All my knives are convexed with a micro bevel and I don't like sharpening scandi grinds in the field.
 
I usually just use a fine ceramic stone, or a mini whetstone if I'm in the woods. I carry oil in a old mouthwash bottle because it's water tight.

-TR
 
like Alberta I keep a dmt diafold with me always for my touchups or others.But I rarely need to but it is small and easy to carry with you.
 
I carry a small 2X4" India stone or a light small coarse diamond for touch ups in my day pack. It's not for full sharpening but touch ups. I don't mallet. But just gut, skin and quartering a 225 lb. Mule deer your knife may require some attention. If you get a Bull elk on the ground and gut, skin & quarter that you'll want to sit and sharpen your knife.
While eating some lunch before the long hike out. For me,-- at least once during a week hunt or even a week camping and fishing. For a 3 day weekend--it depends on how many fish I catch. DM
 
I carry a small double sided aluminum oxide stone. Between that and the inside of my leather belt for a strop I've never needed more.
 
I don't have a WE/EP/Worksharp at home, just a lansky that never gets used.
Sometimes sharpen in the field.
But when carrying a steel known to damage or dull easier than my usuals, I always have a back up blade to finish the job, if needed.
I keep two wallet diamond plates on me at all times, a coarse and fine.
 
When I'm out camping all my knives and tools are either carbon steel or low carbide stainless. I sometimes bring a small piece of compound with me to smear on a smooth piece of wood or bark, most often I just use ash from the fire.

I have a small puck made from natural silt stone - approx 400-600 grit that has a small depression in one side to double as a socket for a bow drill. Otherwise I've used some fine silt smeared on a board and if I'm using harder steels or stuff with carbides I bring a Norton combination puck.

If the steel is relatively simple, it can be sharpened in the field a lot easier than many of the sport stainless out there.
 
When fileting tough skin fish, sheepshead, redfish, tripple tail, I (dont laugh please) take a couple swipes through one of the global minosharp wheels Nd then strop on a bamboo cutting board after every fish. Axe and machete, file and puck. Chainsaw, :) file every tank of gas or more if needed.
 
Earlyer I lived around 6 month at the time every year outdoors in the Swedish alps above the actic circle. My knifes, a normal size and a chopper, was my only tools and I maintainence sharpen them daily. After every long use of the knife I also check the edge and if needed I maintaince sharpen the edge I have use.
Every evening I also check my edges beside the campfire before I go to bed.

In that type of life it was important that both my knifes are perfect functional at all times.
 
If we are talking about knives only when I'm skinning game then just before and if it's big game then maybe half way through.....

If I'm chopping wood with an axe I might touch it up too......
 
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