Looking for a good field sharpener

intheshaw

intheshaw

Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
163
Im looking for a good field sharpener. I currently use a carbide v quick sharp, and a smiths medium arkansas stone. But im thinking about getting something better than that. Im not looking for any crazy sharpening setup because im currently in iraq and really cant have anything big. The only reason i have what i have right now to sharpen is because that is all they have at the PX.

Ive currently been looking at the DC4 but the internet here is slow at best so its hard to research other stones. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Try any of the Eze-lap diamond pocket hones. Thats all I ever use anymore to sharpen all my pocket knives. I carry a Eze-lap model L with most of the red plastic handle cut off so it will fit in the zipper part of my wallet. It's always with me, and it does sharpen the knife. SAK's, Henckels and Case sodbusters.

I finish off with a stropping on the back of my belt.

Eze-lap also makes very flat hones designed to go in a wallet. Very field portable.
 
I really like the Spyderco Double Stuff. It has both a medium and fine side, and its ceramic so it will sharpen any kind of steel. It doesnt need water or oil. it also comes in a small leather pouch thats great for stropping. Its a great value at $30 shipped.

ETA: And thanks for your service. Be safe over there.
 
A DMT Diafold makes a nice sharpener. Get one that is Coarse/Fine, and you will be able to fix an edge or keep an edge, depending. It is very light, and folds into the handles. I take one all the time. I end up using it most of the time on my machete.
 
Any Cal. said:
A DMT Diafold makes a nice sharpener. Get one that is Coarse/Fine, and you will be able to fix an edge or keep an edge, depending. It is very light, and folds into the handles. I take one all the time. I end up using it most of the time on my machete.
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This :thumbup:
 
Any Cal. said:
A DMT Diafold makes a nice sharpener. Get one that is Coarse/Fine, and you will be able to fix an edge or keep an edge, depending. It is very light, and folds into the handles. I take one all the time. I end up using it most of the time on my machete.
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While I dont necessarily disagree, I will just say make sure your comfortable using diamond sharpeners before getting one. I have the red/blue Diafold and cant get it to sharpen anything. Its not the tool, its just me. Now give me an Arkansas stone or even the Double Stuff and I'll put a great edge on.
 
Any Cal. said:
A DMT Diafold makes a nice sharpener. Get one that is Coarse/Fine, and you will be able to fix an edge or keep an edge, depending. It is very light, and folds into the handles. I take one all the time. I end up using it most of the time on my machete.
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By the DC4 do you mean this?
http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-DCS4-COARSE-Diamond-Sharpening/dp/B00009YV6L

I like it more than the diafold. For one thing there's the price, then the entire thing has a thick rubber-gripped handle and a construction that's very rigid and easy and comfortable to work with if your hands are cold/tired. Then there's also the fish-hook and micro-pad tool sharpener ( which I find most useful for sharpening knife tips when they get caught in the interruptions ), and its fine side is 750 versus the 600 of the DMT.

I do wish that the edge off the fine side was a little bit more polished, but it's not bad, it'll cut stuff just fine and should be a lot better than the carbide/ceramic.
 
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intheshaw said:
Yep thats the one im looking at. I was also considering the sharpmaker since everyone seems to love those and they are just a little bit more.
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The sharpmaker is nice but its a touch-up tool more than anything. The DC4 or DMT products would probably be your best choice. I'm guessing this will be carried on your person? if so you want small and light right?

From using the scrapper tool your going to need something a bit coarse to re-set the profile on your blade because of the damage the carbide tool has done. The fallkniven is nice but the DMT is extremely light, effective, and a more usable grit configuration when your out and about.
 
The scrapper tool ive only used im a cheap gerber knife i found. I usually just use the arkansas stone on my other knives. But yes im looking for something small and light because its either going to be on my or on my kit. I guess ill look into the double stuff, dc4 and dmt for now
 
The DC4 is the way to go, if youre going to carry it with you. Its what i use when im backpacking.

The sharpmaker stays at home, its way too heavy to lug around. The sharpmaker is more of a stationary touch-up device. The medium rods that come with it, are not aggressive enough for blade reprofiling. Sure, eventually theyll do the job, it just takes ages.
 
Any Cal. said:
A DMT Diafold makes a nice sharpener. Get one that is Coarse/Fine, and you will be able to fix an edge or keep an edge, depending. It is very light, and folds into the handles. I take one all the time. I end up using it most of the time on my machete.
Click to expand...

The Diafold sounds like what I'm looking for also. Would the Coarse/Fine grit combination be the best to maintain my hunting knives, or would I be better off with the Fine/Extra Fine grit combo?
 
blacktails said:
The Diafold sounds like what I'm looking for also. Would the Coarse/Fine grit combination be the best to maintain my hunting knives, or would I be better off with the Fine/Extra Fine grit combo?
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It depends on what you want. The Coarse would be good if you put a small nick in the edge, and the fine will get it sharpened back up to where you could keep using it. I would probably go with this one, as it will sharpen to a nice toothy edge.

The Extra Fine is good, whether it will be an improvement probably depends on you and your style. If you just have crazy sharp knives, and you take excellent care of them, then the Fine/Extra Fine may work out, but unless you take both, you lose the ability to do any coarser sharpening.

You could buy the Magna Guide set, it comes with a coarse/fine and a extra-fine/extra-extra fine Diafold paddle. It is also a neat little setup for guided sharpening. If you like it, take it with you in your pack. If you don't want to go to the trouble, just take the double sided paddle(s) with you.
 
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Ok so im pretty much settled on the dmt diafold. I used the smiths one today and it just seems pretty big but it worked very well. Now i was considering getting the magna-kit but im wondering if its worth it. I found the course/fine one on amazon for 28 bucks or the kit with extra/extra extra fine paddle with the sharpener guide thing but idk how much of a difference it makes. First off does the kit really help that much? Im fairly good at free hand. Also is it worth getting the e/ee since this will mostly be used just for the field. Im thinking about just getting the one paddle but i want to know what you guys think.
 
You can buy just the guide setup to go along with whatever paddles you have/buy...

I just started playing with one, and IMO, they are good. Because they hold the stone at such an accurate angle, you are as efficient as possible with the smaller stones. The edge also turns out extremely nice. They have the usual irritations with changing the angle towards the tip, but it seems so far to be more of an issue on some blade shapes than others.

IMO, for $17 or so for the guide itself, it is definitely worth it. I will probably take it when I travel, because I usually take a couple diamond paddles for sharpening kitchen knives where I stay, and the guide takes some of the work out of using the small stones because it makes every stroke count.

If all you want is a pocket stone to touchup your knife when necessary in the field, I wouldn't worry about it. If you want a cool little kit that you plan to use all the time for one particular knife, it would be worth the trouble to get ahold of.
 
any cal thanks for the help. I think im going to just go with the coarse/fine for right now.
 
I bought a DMT Diafold Magna-Guide Sharpening System and the stones are hitting the clamp and skipping over the blade at the higher settings (lowest inclusive bevel). It's being a real p*sser! :grumpy:

Anyone with one have any tips as the instructions are almost impossible for me to understand. :o
 
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