This is a project I've been working on for a bit and it's not quite done yet. Got a few changes that I want to make soon and I'll point those out as I go. The base kit is a small Pelican case.
I carry a lot of different knives when I go in the woods. Some have flat bevels, some have convex edges, some are large and some are small. I wanted a kit that I could keep in the pack that way no matter what I was carrying I could sharpen it. This universal application criteria meant that it was going to be a bit larger and heavier than some of other kits I've seen.
Here's what is in the kit, well not the knives. From top is a DMT Course diamond pad with hook velcro on the back.
To the right is a small ceramic rod then a Medium Arkansas stone with hook velcroe on the back. This will be replaced by two more of the DMT thin diamond pads here soon to give me more capability in the same space.
Next is a leather pad loaded with white polishing compound. This, along with the one with green compound have hook velcro on the back.
The little roll is strips of waterproof sand paper (400, 600, and 1500). I'll get to those in a moment.
At about 10 o'clock is a piece of mousepad with hook velcro on the back to be used with the strips of sandpaper for convex edges.
Mounted on the top and bottom of the case is loop velcro that will mate up with the various sharpening accessories in the case.
Here is how I use the strips of sandpaper. They don't mount up skin tight but so far it's worked very well.
Here's the DMT diamond pad mounted. This is the course pad and I plan to add the medium and fine here sometime soon. I like having the course in case I bugger up a blade pretty badly I can restore it in the field. These little pads are so thing I've always wondered how people actually used them. With the velcro on the back it's very easy to. Holding the case in the hand gives you a bit of protection from the blade you're sharpening.
This is how I use the medium arkansas stone. This will be replaced with two more of the DMT diamond pads pretty soon.
The leather pads work great for stropping. I carry both white and green compound loaded pads and use them both.
Of course this set is easy to use with smaller knives such as the #8 Opinel in the pics but I can use it with larger knives as well. Just recently I convexed the edge on my Ka-bar Cutlass Machete and used the kit, working through the 600 and 1500 grit sandpapers then the leather strops, and now I can shave with the Cutlass Machete.
This is how I use it with very large blades. I brace the blade in one hand and move the kit across the blade. Keep the large blade still and do the work with the kit. Works great.
Thanks for looking. Any suggestions are always welcome.
Charlie
I carry a lot of different knives when I go in the woods. Some have flat bevels, some have convex edges, some are large and some are small. I wanted a kit that I could keep in the pack that way no matter what I was carrying I could sharpen it. This universal application criteria meant that it was going to be a bit larger and heavier than some of other kits I've seen.
Here's what is in the kit, well not the knives. From top is a DMT Course diamond pad with hook velcro on the back.
To the right is a small ceramic rod then a Medium Arkansas stone with hook velcroe on the back. This will be replaced by two more of the DMT thin diamond pads here soon to give me more capability in the same space.
Next is a leather pad loaded with white polishing compound. This, along with the one with green compound have hook velcro on the back.
The little roll is strips of waterproof sand paper (400, 600, and 1500). I'll get to those in a moment.
At about 10 o'clock is a piece of mousepad with hook velcro on the back to be used with the strips of sandpaper for convex edges.
Mounted on the top and bottom of the case is loop velcro that will mate up with the various sharpening accessories in the case.
Here is how I use the strips of sandpaper. They don't mount up skin tight but so far it's worked very well.
Here's the DMT diamond pad mounted. This is the course pad and I plan to add the medium and fine here sometime soon. I like having the course in case I bugger up a blade pretty badly I can restore it in the field. These little pads are so thing I've always wondered how people actually used them. With the velcro on the back it's very easy to. Holding the case in the hand gives you a bit of protection from the blade you're sharpening.
This is how I use the medium arkansas stone. This will be replaced with two more of the DMT diamond pads pretty soon.
The leather pads work great for stropping. I carry both white and green compound loaded pads and use them both.
Of course this set is easy to use with smaller knives such as the #8 Opinel in the pics but I can use it with larger knives as well. Just recently I convexed the edge on my Ka-bar Cutlass Machete and used the kit, working through the 600 and 1500 grit sandpapers then the leather strops, and now I can shave with the Cutlass Machete.
This is how I use it with very large blades. I brace the blade in one hand and move the kit across the blade. Keep the large blade still and do the work with the kit. Works great.Thanks for looking. Any suggestions are always welcome.
Charlie
