This is my review of Smith's 2-step Knife Sharpener. Here is a link to the manufacturer's website of the product being reviewed:
http://smithsedge.com/products/product.asp?id=44&cid=4
Introduction:
Often I have seen the question asked, "What sharpener should I take to sharpen my blades in the field when out hiking or camping? Many people just take their regular Sharpmaker or Edge Pro or other kit with them, while some prefer to carry a smaller diamond stone, still others prefer not to take anything with them at all, confident that their edge will remain sharp for however long they plan to stay out.
Lightweight, easy to use, affordable:
To answer the question from the point of view of a lightweight hiker, I want something that is (of course) lightweight, easy to use, fairly rugged, and also very affordable.
I ordered this product online for about $5 shipped, although it is possible to find it for even less at a brick and mortar store. Here is a photo of mine:
Weight and appearance:
Weight is approximately 1.5ounces and is of a highly visible yellow color. It comes with a small metal chain so that you can attach it to your gear. I consider it too big to be used as an actual keychain in case you were wondering. Here is a photo next to a Victorinox Farmer for size comparison:
How to use:
To use, you are instructed to place on a flat surface and to draw your knife through the openings on either side. One opening features coarse carbide blades used to set the edge on a very dull knife, while the other side features ceramic stones which actually give you a 'working edge'. I am told the ceramic stones are approximately 800 grit. Here we can see a photo of the ceramic stones after some use:
That black coloring on the stones is actually the metal that is removed from the knife during sharpening.
Field testing:
So, how does it work? During my roughly 3 weeks of field tests, I determined that it does in fact do a good job of giving you what I would call a 'working edge'. Will it bring your knife to a razor sharp edge? The answer is no. What it will do is get bring your edge back to the point where it is fairly sharp and will handle any normal camp tasks that you throw at it without a problem. It will also encourage you to use your knives, hatchets and machetes more often as you will not be overly concerned about dulling them to the point where they are of no use.
In typical use, I normally use the fine ceramic stones and for me that is plenty to bring the edge back even after hard use. In the event that you have not sharpened your edge for a very long period of time, then that is when you would use the coarse carbide blades. Using this combination I was able to bring back the edge on an extremely dull hardware store machete, and it took less then a minute to do so. On longer blades I actually prefer to set the blade down and run the sharperner over the blade back and forth rather then vice-versa.
Cons, and room for improvement:
One con is that depending on what knife you use, you may not be able to sharpen the entire edge as the plastic can sort of block the portion of the edge that is closest to the grip. Here is a good example illustrating that with the Vic Farmer:
Another con is that I feel that this system can be made smaller and more portable. The actual carbide blades and ceramic stones do not take up very much space, so why is so much plastic needed.
Gerber actually has a very similar design that solves this problem. You can view the Gerber design here:
http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Gear-P...UTF8&coliid=IGQ9AYGAXWMMN&colid=39SI6C02CDLWK
Finally this system will not work with serrated edges. If you have serrated blades that you like to take to the field with you, then you should look elsewhere for a field sharpener.
Conclusion:
Overall the Smith's 2-step sharpener makes a good addition to any hiker's backpack. The weight and size make it easy to stuff into your pack, and it requires no expertise or special training in order to use effectively. Grandma, your girlfriend, and just about anyone can use this to bring a working edge back on their knives.
Notice I say working edge......that is because I do not view this system as something you should use for your main sharpening solution. Basically the edge it gives you will be able to draw cut paper, but not push cut. It will take some hair off your arm, but will require some force to do so and will not shave smoothly. Finally of course it will not handle every type of edge (mainly serrated edges) and limits you to the built in edge angle, which is about 20 degrees.
However, keep in mind that you are paying *less* then $5 total for this system and that is probably including tax or shipping. That price is likely less then you would pay for even a very small size stone, and this system has the benefit of being easier to use, and in some cases being lighter and more portable.
Overall I give the system a solid 7.5 out of 10 as a field sharpener.
http://smithsedge.com/products/product.asp?id=44&cid=4
Introduction:
Often I have seen the question asked, "What sharpener should I take to sharpen my blades in the field when out hiking or camping? Many people just take their regular Sharpmaker or Edge Pro or other kit with them, while some prefer to carry a smaller diamond stone, still others prefer not to take anything with them at all, confident that their edge will remain sharp for however long they plan to stay out.
Lightweight, easy to use, affordable:
To answer the question from the point of view of a lightweight hiker, I want something that is (of course) lightweight, easy to use, fairly rugged, and also very affordable.
I ordered this product online for about $5 shipped, although it is possible to find it for even less at a brick and mortar store. Here is a photo of mine:
Weight and appearance:
Weight is approximately 1.5ounces and is of a highly visible yellow color. It comes with a small metal chain so that you can attach it to your gear. I consider it too big to be used as an actual keychain in case you were wondering. Here is a photo next to a Victorinox Farmer for size comparison:
How to use:
To use, you are instructed to place on a flat surface and to draw your knife through the openings on either side. One opening features coarse carbide blades used to set the edge on a very dull knife, while the other side features ceramic stones which actually give you a 'working edge'. I am told the ceramic stones are approximately 800 grit. Here we can see a photo of the ceramic stones after some use:
That black coloring on the stones is actually the metal that is removed from the knife during sharpening.
Field testing:
So, how does it work? During my roughly 3 weeks of field tests, I determined that it does in fact do a good job of giving you what I would call a 'working edge'. Will it bring your knife to a razor sharp edge? The answer is no. What it will do is get bring your edge back to the point where it is fairly sharp and will handle any normal camp tasks that you throw at it without a problem. It will also encourage you to use your knives, hatchets and machetes more often as you will not be overly concerned about dulling them to the point where they are of no use.
In typical use, I normally use the fine ceramic stones and for me that is plenty to bring the edge back even after hard use. In the event that you have not sharpened your edge for a very long period of time, then that is when you would use the coarse carbide blades. Using this combination I was able to bring back the edge on an extremely dull hardware store machete, and it took less then a minute to do so. On longer blades I actually prefer to set the blade down and run the sharperner over the blade back and forth rather then vice-versa.
Cons, and room for improvement:
One con is that depending on what knife you use, you may not be able to sharpen the entire edge as the plastic can sort of block the portion of the edge that is closest to the grip. Here is a good example illustrating that with the Vic Farmer:
Another con is that I feel that this system can be made smaller and more portable. The actual carbide blades and ceramic stones do not take up very much space, so why is so much plastic needed.
Gerber actually has a very similar design that solves this problem. You can view the Gerber design here:
http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Gear-P...UTF8&coliid=IGQ9AYGAXWMMN&colid=39SI6C02CDLWK
Finally this system will not work with serrated edges. If you have serrated blades that you like to take to the field with you, then you should look elsewhere for a field sharpener.
Conclusion:
Overall the Smith's 2-step sharpener makes a good addition to any hiker's backpack. The weight and size make it easy to stuff into your pack, and it requires no expertise or special training in order to use effectively. Grandma, your girlfriend, and just about anyone can use this to bring a working edge back on their knives.
Notice I say working edge......that is because I do not view this system as something you should use for your main sharpening solution. Basically the edge it gives you will be able to draw cut paper, but not push cut. It will take some hair off your arm, but will require some force to do so and will not shave smoothly. Finally of course it will not handle every type of edge (mainly serrated edges) and limits you to the built in edge angle, which is about 20 degrees.
However, keep in mind that you are paying *less* then $5 total for this system and that is probably including tax or shipping. That price is likely less then you would pay for even a very small size stone, and this system has the benefit of being easier to use, and in some cases being lighter and more portable.
Overall I give the system a solid 7.5 out of 10 as a field sharpener.
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It also looks like a pain to clean the ceramic parts. But for me the biggest con is that you are stuck with what looks to be about a 40 degree inclusive edge bevel, which is about twice what I have on almost all my knives.
