What knife sharpener does everyone recommend for me? I need a small light weight one to carry with me while hunting. The sharpener I have now seems difficult to achieve a good edge with and it is quite large and heavy. How much money would a good one cost? Or do you recommend one of the large multi-stone home sets and then just a small field sharpener? Thanks
Knife Sharpener
- Thread starter 8BaLL
- Start date
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- Dec 25, 1998
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the spyderco sharpmaker 204. It is compact enough and has its own case so you can take it with you. And it will take care of almost all of your sharpening needs.
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Dennis Bible
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Dennis Bible
There are a couple of options.
1) Use a higher quality knife so you don't need to sharpen it while hunting. This may or may not be possible depending on what type of hunting and type of use you expect from your knife.
2) Is a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker too large or heavy? I believe the model number 204MF.
Stay Sharp,
Sid
1) Use a higher quality knife so you don't need to sharpen it while hunting. This may or may not be possible depending on what type of hunting and type of use you expect from your knife.
2) Is a Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker too large or heavy? I believe the model number 204MF.
Stay Sharp,
Sid
- Joined
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Sid does bring up some good points. Ideally you would probably want a knife that has a decent quality steel that will not need sharpening on a single excursion.
It is a good idea to have some kind of sharpener with you anyway. When I am on a short excursion I usually take a DMT diafold sharpener.
They are fairly inexpensive and compact. They are not as easy to use as the sharpmaker though and if I could only have one sharpener, it would be the sharpmaker. It is pretty easy to get some outstanding results. The sharpmaker can be had from for about $50 and the diafolds are about $25.
According to the Spyderco website, the sharpmaker weighs in at 16.25 oz. It has a fairly compact carrrying case. I don't think it would be too large or heavy to take with you.
I started a thread in the wilderness and survival forum about the best wilderness sharpener. The thread is here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000011.html
There is a review of the sharpmaker here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000665.html
There is also some favorable comments at: http://www.knifeforums.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000201.html
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Dennis Bible
It is a good idea to have some kind of sharpener with you anyway. When I am on a short excursion I usually take a DMT diafold sharpener.
They are fairly inexpensive and compact. They are not as easy to use as the sharpmaker though and if I could only have one sharpener, it would be the sharpmaker. It is pretty easy to get some outstanding results. The sharpmaker can be had from for about $50 and the diafolds are about $25.
According to the Spyderco website, the sharpmaker weighs in at 16.25 oz. It has a fairly compact carrrying case. I don't think it would be too large or heavy to take with you.
I started a thread in the wilderness and survival forum about the best wilderness sharpener. The thread is here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000011.html
There is a review of the sharpmaker here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000665.html
There is also some favorable comments at: http://www.knifeforums.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000201.html
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Dennis Bible
- Joined
- Nov 25, 1999
- Messages
- 1,499
8BaLL,
SPYDERCO Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is an excellent tool, it allows to obtain great results without difficulties. I recommend the Sharpmaker as primary sharpening tool in your home, but I think it isn't intended to field use. You need a solid base to work with Sharpmaker, table or working bench for ex. In really field conditions it can be pretty difficult to work with Sharpmaker and easy to lose it parts, in deep snow or high, thick grass for ex.
A set of SPYDERCO Pocket Stones 303M & 303F or double-sided Pocket Stone 303MF would be much better choice for field use, but you would need to place them on the flat solid base too.
If you need to restore your knife edge in really field conditions go to DMT Double Sided Diafold, I think Fine/Coarse one would be the best choice, especially if you have an axe in your equipment. With Diafold you can resharpen knife or axe even holding it in free hands, without any solid base. Of course this sharpening would be not as precise as if you would work with the Sharpmaker, but your knife will work. At home you can correct sharpening angle with Sharpmaker.
If you are extremely limited with weight conditions or/and use knife with serrated blade try GATCO Tri-Seps Serration and Knife Sharpener. It's one of smallest and lightest (if not the smallest and the lightest) really working sharpeners what I whenever saw and used. You can place it in your backpack, pocket or even on chain on your neck. Minor disadvantage - a bit tricky to work with, but possible.
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Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland
SPYDERCO Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is an excellent tool, it allows to obtain great results without difficulties. I recommend the Sharpmaker as primary sharpening tool in your home, but I think it isn't intended to field use. You need a solid base to work with Sharpmaker, table or working bench for ex. In really field conditions it can be pretty difficult to work with Sharpmaker and easy to lose it parts, in deep snow or high, thick grass for ex.
A set of SPYDERCO Pocket Stones 303M & 303F or double-sided Pocket Stone 303MF would be much better choice for field use, but you would need to place them on the flat solid base too.
If you need to restore your knife edge in really field conditions go to DMT Double Sided Diafold, I think Fine/Coarse one would be the best choice, especially if you have an axe in your equipment. With Diafold you can resharpen knife or axe even holding it in free hands, without any solid base. Of course this sharpening would be not as precise as if you would work with the Sharpmaker, but your knife will work. At home you can correct sharpening angle with Sharpmaker.
If you are extremely limited with weight conditions or/and use knife with serrated blade try GATCO Tri-Seps Serration and Knife Sharpener. It's one of smallest and lightest (if not the smallest and the lightest) really working sharpeners what I whenever saw and used. You can place it in your backpack, pocket or even on chain on your neck. Minor disadvantage - a bit tricky to work with, but possible.
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Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland
Leave your sharpeners at home and take a
steel with you. You don't need a base. Any
quality blade that has a good edge will only
require a steel to realighn that edge's
bevel to its' original state, even after a
week or two of usage. For ease of carry and
storage, try a DMT Diafold serrated knife
sharpener in medium or fine grit. Although
intended for sharpening serrated edges, it
works great for steeling plain edges and is
very compact (approx. 6"x1"x1/2"). A few light strokes on a steel every evening, after
even heavy usage, should maintain your edge.
steel with you. You don't need a base. Any
quality blade that has a good edge will only
require a steel to realighn that edge's
bevel to its' original state, even after a
week or two of usage. For ease of carry and
storage, try a DMT Diafold serrated knife
sharpener in medium or fine grit. Although
intended for sharpening serrated edges, it
works great for steeling plain edges and is
very compact (approx. 6"x1"x1/2"). A few light strokes on a steel every evening, after
even heavy usage, should maintain your edge.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 1998
- Messages
- 7,394
I recommend the one with fine on one side and coarse on the other. They also make an excellent serration sharpener.
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Dennis Bible
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Dennis Bible