Steel Rod Sharpener????'s

[txjaws2000]

Have looked on the internet and found something called a steel rod sharpener.
Has anyone used anything like this and if so what kind of edge would it put on my SOg FlashII, if I was without a regular sharpener?

How do you use it since its round piece of steel rod and you can't hit the angles?

Thanks

 

[Cliff Stamp]

There are many smooth steel rods, either just straight rods, or sometimes dual like this :

http://beast.voltztech.com/~razoredge/images/rs10.jpg

Some are more complex and spring loaded. They are not for actual sharpening but more for restoring a lightly blunted edge. You use them inbetween sharpening with an actual abrasive.

The method is similar to how you would use a ceramic rod, you just attempt to pretty much cut into the steel rod at an angle higher than the edge bevel and it straightens and flattens the edge.


-Cliff

 

[txjaws2000]

Ok thanks mine that I have is one of those round ones that look like a rat tail file except stainless with lines going vertically up and down it tapering at the end. Didn't know if this method would be ok on AUs 8 steel, seems like this steel is hard to sharpen.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

That sounds like the common "butchers steel", if use lightly it will act similar to a smooth steel and mainly straighten the edge. If you press really hard against it, it will try to file the edge, it will likely succeed against AUS-8A, but against some of the other cutlery stainless which are typically ran harder and are more wear resistant like ATS-34, the edge will just break apart and the sharpened steel itself will get damaged.

-Cliff