Smith's 4" Medium Arkansas Stone

[Zaper]

Hi,

I get a very cheap Smith's 4" medium Arkansas stone.

Is this stone good for small knifes like SAKs and for bigger knife like BK16 or ESEE 5 while camping?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

For the SAK and other small blades in fairly simple steels (carbon steel, low-alloy stainless), it may be fine. Arkansas stones aren't as aggressive as modern man-made stones (aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, diamond), because the Arkansas' natural abrasives are less hard. For bigger/thicker blades, like your BK and ESEE knives, assuming the steels used are pretty basic, it might be OK for touching up those also. If much heavier grinding or re-bevelling needs to be done, you might find the small Arkansas to be very slow. Best way to know, is to try it out at home, before you need it out in the woods.


David

 

[pmeisel]

I have a couple arkansas pocket stones. Great for touching up a sharp knife after a little use. Too slow sharpening a dull knife....

 

[Sunyata]

I have some, moved onto DMT diamond plates. Far less time spent per grit.


I couldn't imagine how much time it would take for M4