Mini Sharpener Question

[Brian6244]

I'm looking for a mini diamond sharpener and the smallest quality sharpener I have found is the DMT 2.75" X 1" pocket/keychain sharpener. My question here is which grit to choose. I have three choices... Course, Fine and Super Fine. This would be for a two very different knives that both see regular use in batoning and carving wood, cutting rope, and other hard feild uses as well as some very fine intricate tip work on paper, foil,, thin aluminum, wood and leather. One knife is a BM S30V blade and the other is a Laminated Carbon Steel Frost Mora blade. I only have room for one shapener. Which grit do I want/need? Also ... these are the smallest high quality sharpeners right?

 

[ErikD]

Diamonds are very abrasive, so for just regular maintence I would think that the Extra Fine would be good. I have one of those in extra coarse and use it for reprofiling along with the Sharpmaker. Cuts through steel real fast no problem.

 

[Don Luis]

I have those folding DMTs in blue (coarse) and red (fine), red one is probably right one to carry for touch-ups if you like a fine edge, blue if you want it a bit toothy, I´ve never tried the black one (extra fine), I used to carry a pocket Eze-lap that also worked OK.

I´ve been moving away from diamonds and back to stones and ceramics lately, they cost less and last much longer, currently carrying a natural stone about 3 by 1 inches in back pocket.

 

[yoda4561]

The Extra Fine folding DMT I have is "really really" fine, as in barely removes any material at all. Coarse stones seem to remove too fast for general use, I'd suggest the fine stone.