Sharpening your convex in the field?

O

oguruma

Joined
Jan 3, 2010
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I know a lot of you convex your ESEE knives, and that seems to be easy to sharpen at home, but what about in the field? What would be the lightweight and compact method of sharpening a convex edge when you are out and about?
 
I dont have one but ive heard good things about JRE Industries field strop. it rolls into a ball about the size of your palm when not in use. Ive also heard your belt works well. Just a few thoughts, hope it helps.
 
Thats why i never convex my knives, V grind and freehand sharpening works always and everywhere.... sorry i know it did not help to you:)
 
You can make a small strop loaded it up with compound on both sides and it will fit in your back pocket.

Option 2 you can purchase the field kit from KSF. Field Sharpening-Kit KSF also sells a leather pouch to carry the field kit on your belt.
 
I love this thing. highly recommend it.
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I find it rather easy to take a piece of sandpaper with me. I usually just prop it up against a leather belt if I am wearing one and strop it to sharpen a little bit. I usually don't do heavy duty sharpening in the field, though. Just a quick touch up if I feel my blade needs it.
 
I use a ceramic rod to sharpen any convex I have in the field. I barely have the patience to set up a nice convex sharpening set-up at home. I certainly am not going to bother with it in the field.

Once I get home, I'll refine the edge using convex techniques. But generally, I only use convex knives for hunting/butchering, and they don't get dull during the one or two animals I have to do while I'm out.
 
ive seen pics of people with altiods tins with a section on mouse pad on one side with sandpaper in the tin and a small section of leather on the other for stropping.
 
You can carry all the normal convex sharpening stuff into the woods if you want, but I generally just use a ceramic rod or diamond hone just like I would with any other edge. Any minute change that you might cause the convex edge will be easily undone the next time you sharpen at home.

Don't over think it.
 
Haha, a arkansas stone? Heaven forbid you lug that massive Spyderco Sharpmaker to the field just to get your perfect flat grind... just hand sharpen with an arkansas stone and finish up with wet and dry. That's the less-than-one-ounce, 3 dollar field method. Or you could drop 30 bucks on a field strop...
 
yeah, if i need a quick touch up to a convex edge, i'll use whatever stone's available. paper/mousepad at home when i feel like it.
 
ccr said:
ive seen pics of people with altiods tins with a section on mouse pad on one side with sandpaper in the tin and a small section of leather on the other for stropping.
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i've been meaning to do that, but i'm pretty lazy.
 
Wear a belt and take a piece of 400 grit wet'n'dry sandpaper and you have the small and light means to sharpen a convex edge well enough to keep a knife sharp enough for any task.
 
400 grit? I use 1000, 1500 and 2000 and that still doesn't produce a shaving sharp edge. At 400 grit you might as well use a bastard file or a rough stone...
 
PayetteRucker said:
400 grit? I use 1000, 1500 and 2000 and that still doesn't produce a shaving sharp edge. At 400 grit you might as well use a bastard file or a rough stone...
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i can put a shaving sharp edge on a machete with a bastard file...

400 grit's a rough edge, but but can get it servicable. if you can't get the edge shaving sharp at 2000 grit, you're doing it wrong.
 
PayetteRucker said:
400 grit? I use 1000, 1500 and 2000 and that still doesn't produce a shaving sharp edge. At 400 grit you might as well use a bastard file or a rough stone...
Click to expand...

either its bad technique or bad skill if you cant do it on those grits. 600 and beyond should provide a shaving edge.
 
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Can't remember where I saw it, but someone made a sweet little sharpening kit.

It was an Altoid tin with a piece of mouse pad glued to one side and a piece of leather glued to the other. On the inside was a couple pieces of sandpaper and a small chunk of stropping compound.

Take out the paper, put it on the mouse pad and sharpen. Flip it over and strop it on the leather.
 
Have to agree with everyone else PayetteRucker you suck...just kidding, but seriously I am new to sharpening and I can get my knives shaving sharp with 400 and 800 grit sandpaper, you might check you technique
 
KSF also makes field hones, they are currently out of stock atm, but they were basically a small double sided strop.
 
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