Quick note on pumpkin carving experience...

[winmagfrog]

Sorry, no pictures...

The tools of choice were a ST-56, a PBS and a Razorback howler. The PBS was perfect for the task, it excelled at cleaning the guts out of the inside as well. The ST-56 was a little too large and ended up causing a couple of cracks due to thickness, but hey it's a fighter, it's supposed to cause damage! I have to give a big nod to the Razorback, it's sharpened spine really aided in penetration and it was just the right size wise for detailed work.

Two interesting notes:
The Rat stained immediately from the pumpkin blood. No big deal for me, but those of you who like to keep them mint- be warned! I think it makes it look better, more distinguished, like my grey hairs!

I have had enormous success using a kitchen steel on both INFI and SR101. I can give a knife about 5-10 strokes and it comes away scary sharp. I can't sharpen on a stone to save my life, nor can I use a lansky or any other contraption I've come across. But give me a kitchen steel and watch out! Those of you out there that are as challenged as I am give it a try.

 

[Gravelface]

That Pumpkin blood also stained my Scrapper Le pretty good...really wasn't expecting it that quick, but does add character!

The Scrapyard dog Pumpkin is mine:
http://www.scrapyardknives.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=5554&an=0&page=0#Post5554

 

[Deadhead Archer]

When you use a butcher's steel, you aren't sharpening per se but instead are actually reforming an edge through deformation. What you end up doing is creating an edge that is more brittle than a standard edge, and will need to be steeled more often to stay "sharp".

Steeling is fine for kitchen knives, and will work in the field or as a last resort for a dull blade in a pinch, but you'll get better results with stropping on loaded leather. Stropping is just as easy as steeling, and gets an edge hair-popping sharp.

I stuck to kitchen knives for carving pumpkins this year as they worked better for me for fine detail work.

I did the left and middle pumpkin, my wife did the right

 

[coyotesniper69]

The wife choose a SJT, I am really surprised she did not use the PBS as its one of her favorite blades. She did not mention any staining of the blade but then again her SJT has one of those fancy camo patterns on it. Maybe that was the difference.