Sharpening on the go - what are my options?

[The Zieg]

I find myself on the road with knife, but seldom a sharpener of any sort. An upturned coffee cup always does the trick.

Zieg

 

[jackknife]

Thanks jackknife and Securis... I'll look into small and portable stones. Still a bit worried that I'll mess up that nice convex grind with them.
But generally I like the take of sharpening not being rocket science!

You're very welcome, Sil.

Try this; take a dry erase marker and color the blade edge real good. Then lay the knife on the stone at 90 degrees just like your going to try to saw the stone in half. Then lay the blade over abut half the distance to horizontal. That puts you at about 45 degrees. About. Thats a key word.

Now from about that 45 degrees angle, cut that distance in half again. That puts you about at an angle that you will be sharpening at. N ow that your there, start to hone the blade in a small circular pattern starting at the blade kick, and use over lapping circles start to work your way up to the blade tip. DO NOT LIFT THE BLADE FROM THE STONE. That's important so I used all caps to gt your attention.

Take at least a full minute to get to the blade tip, all the time using overlapping circles while in constant contact wit the stone/hone/coffee mug bottom/dilithium crystal or whatever your honing on. By keeping constant contact with the honing medium, you will maintain a more constant angle, but there will always be some minute rocking. That won't matter in the end. Just keep honing. When your done with one side of the blade and the marker is looking even, do the other side of the edge.

The small circle method was taught to me as a boy scout a life time ago, and it's worked for me for about 60 years. Thers also a means the Japanese use that's like a scrubbing motion that seems good, and Murry Carter uses that I believe. They all work well by not breaking contact with the stone. Tales a bit of practice, but you'll learn in the end to sharpen your knife anywhere, anytime, with a minimum of materials. A simple stone, coffee mug, soup bowl, brick wall, smooth stone from a creek.

There's a very good reason some folks like to make it seem like there;s more to it than there is. It's called money. They get your money out of your wallet and into theirs by selling you all these complex gizmos that they convince you that you need. Go to the local big box hardware store and get a Norton economy stone ad just practice with some kitchen paring knives. You'll get it. :thumbup:

 

[silvaticus]

You're very welcome, Sil.

Try this; take a dry erase marker and color the blade edge real good. Then lay the knife on the stone at 90 degrees just like your going to try to saw the stone in half. Then lay the blade over abut half the distance to horizontal. That puts you at about 45 degrees. About. Thats a key word.

Now from about that 45 degrees angle, cut that distance in half again. That puts you about at an angle that you will be sharpening at. N ow that your there, start to hone the blade in a small circular pattern starting at the blade kick, and use over lapping circles start to work your way up to the blade tip. DO NOT LIFT THE BLADE FROM THE STONE. That's important so I used all caps to gt your attention.

Take at least a full minute to get to the blade tip, all the time using overlapping circles while in constant contact wit the stone/hone/coffee mug bottom/dilithium crystal or whatever your honing on. By keeping constant contact with the honing medium, you will maintain a more constant angle, but there will always be some minute rocking. That won't matter in the end. Just keep honing. When your done with one side of the blade and the marker is looking even, do the other side of the edge.

The small circle method was taught to me as a boy scout a life time ago, and it's worked for me for about 60 years. Thers also a means the Japanese use that's like a scrubbing motion that seems good, and Murry Carter uses that I believe. They all work well by not breaking contact with the stone. Tales a bit of practice, but you'll learn in the end to sharpen your knife anywhere, anytime, with a minimum of materials. A simple stone, coffee mug, soup bowl, brick wall, smooth stone from a creek.

There's a very good reason some folks like to make it seem like there;s more to it than there is. It's called money. They get your money out of your wallet and into theirs by selling you all these complex gizmos that they convince you that you need. Go to the local big box hardware store and get a Norton economy stone ad just practice with some kitchen paring knives. You'll get it. [emoji106]

Jackknife thanks for taking the time and writing up this tutorial, greatly appreaciated!

I'll plan on doing exactly as you recommended: getting some basic stones, and practicing on some cheap knives I have lying around.

Excited to go freehand!

 

[lonestar1979]

Norton makes smal pocket stone,silicon carbide,and is inexpensive and pretty good.Dmt folding and credit card sharpeners are excellent too,I use coarse dmt folding sharpener,and get hair whittling toothy edges just with that one .Key is the practice.

 

[jpm2]

An eze-lap 203 is with me everywhere I go.