Stone for the BK16 Sheath & Straight answer on how sharpen a knife

I'm not sure if it will fit in the little sheath pouch, but the Worksharp Field Sharpener looks to be a great tool to carry in the field. Has angle guides, dual stones, ceramic rod, and even a strop.
 
DMT makes stones that will fit in the pouch. As far as sharpening, there is no "straight" answer, most of the ones you've been given are all correct and will work, and as Goose said, practice, practice, practice. Personally, I prefer to freehand, however there are times it is easier to use a system. I just purchased a KME and a DMT Aligner for those times. Usually though, I will knock the shoulder off, then strop the piss out of it on an assortment of strops I have made over the last couple years until I get it right where I want it. A working edge is much different from a super high polished beyond razor sharp edge, and the determining factor is usually how much time I feel like putting into it. Can I make one sharp enough to cut falling cigarette paper? Sure, but that doesn't mean I'm going to for a knife that I carry in my pocket and use to open clamshell packaging or cut my sandwich with. It can take that kind of an edge, but it would be wasted effort. For a knife you are going to use in the woods, unless you plan on using it exclusively for skinning, you should be able to achieve exactly what you want using a stone, or one of those DMT doohickeys. My sharpening got better when Gutsy introduced me to the DMT Diafold red/green, and if that was all I had, I wouldn't be that bad off.

Unfortunately, we have a plethora of choices available, and those choices are something you are going to have to make. A convex edge is fun, and in some ways easier to freehand back to sharpness, and easier to maintain. But if you don't feel like putting the work in learning how to freehand sharpen, then a KME or similar device will work wonders too. It is ultimately up to you. We have a ton of great threads here in BK&T and even more out there in the rest of Bladeforums, but like I said before, where you go with it is up to you. Decide how sharp you want to get (while understanding that if you want it to be a mirror polished edge and sharp enough to cut falling cigarette paper that is going to require a lot more work than just being able to shave arm hair) and then get to it.

The concept of sharpening is pretty straightforward and while there are a ton of options, if all you want is something that will cut, you're over thinking it. Lowe's sells Smith's diamond sharpening stones, those things work fine, and can get you where you need to be. Wal-Mart sells similar devices as well. Convex requires a bit more work to get there, but again, the stuff to do it is fairly easy to come by or get ahold of if you want to. Whichever way you go, good luck, take lots of pics and keep us posted, and if you have any questions feel free to ask, we are always around to help.
 
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The Worksharp field sharpener has been mentioned here a few times and I can report that its is a great piece of gear.
It will NOT fit in the pouch on the sheath but is compact enough to put in a cargo pocket, fanny pack or ruck sack and not know its there. It has a course and fine diamond plate as well as a unique ceramic rod that is course on one side which you can really feel the burr getting ground away and a fine ceramic on the other side that hones very well. There is also a leather strop which is impregnated with a polishing compound that I would guess is diamond paste because it really works well. As part of the design it has build in 20 angle guides on the diamond plates that can really help anyone at any level establish the correct angle on each side. One thing that I find troublesome is the angle guides for the ceramic and the strop are 25 degrees. I guess since it is a "field" sharpener, Worksharp decided to make a tool that produces a micro bevel to speed up the process and make a roust edge.

I really like this tool. The angle guides helped my technique and basically taught me to free hand sharpen on any flat stone or plate.
At a price of under $30 it has a lot of value since it has two diamond plates and 2 ceramic grits as well as a leather strop in one well designed package.
 
Thanks for all the info so far.

Are stones necessary for sharpening can you just use a strop with an abrasive like the Bark River stuff? Also what's the difference between "India" stones and Japanese stones? I was looking at the Chosera stones but they ain't cheap that's for sure. I think to get a decent set, 400/800/2000 grits, would be around $200.
 
You can just strop for sharpening (especially after convexing the bevel), but it will take longer to repair nicks, etc. on a coarse strop than on a coarse stone.--you will need coarse to as fine as you want your edge to be. The bark river black looks similar to porter cable black, and their green looks similar to porter cable green or the legendary "green chrome".

The biggest difference between the India and Japanese stones is literally that the India stones are oilstones while most Japanese stones (eg. chosera, king, etc.) are waterstones and must be soaked with water prior to use. Indias are synthetic and most high end waterstones are natural (excepting shapton and a few others). For a similar finish to a waterstone on a budget, hard Arkansas stones are hard to beat.

ETA:
I find a good budget setup to be a synthetic coarse stone (in my case, India), a natural fine stone(in my case a Hard arkansas), and a strop pasted with a fine compound (in my case an old belt rubber cemented to a piece of wood and treated with green) -- see DerekH's howto thread here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1120793-Make-a-strop-Part-1

should put you out less than 50 quid and an old belt for the lot of it.
 
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I might have just been brainwashed by my reading around but I also thought the way to go was really Japanese waterstones or diamond whetstones like a DMT duo something.
 
the main advantage to diamond stones is the fact that they don't need water or oil - and so are easier to use in the field.
they are also the most durable of the "stones" - and never need to be flattened.
water stones are the softest and need to be flattened frequently -- they can also produce some of the finest polished edges.
Oil stones - need to be cleaned periodically and possibly flattened.
 
both are GREAT tools, diamonds cut really,really,really fast; and I can't think of anything that comes in higher polishing grits than a waterstone. Heck, my dad has a DMT duo and that's all he uses.

It really is a case of too many options so definitely go with what fits your budget+needs+taste+comfort
 
Yeah but I guess that's the problem as a newbie. It's easy to blow a lot of cash learning what works and what doesn't. I'm getting the feeling I should just start our stropping with compound. Then if I need to just shell out the cash for diamonds or Japanese waterstones so I don't have a closet full of stuff I don't use.
 
Norton India combo stone - 1x2x6 fine/coarse can be found for around $20.
DMT duafold med/fine or fine/x-fine can be found for $20-30.
add a homemade stop to those 2 and you'd be covered for just about any sharpening need
 
Something to keep in mind is the steel that the knife is made of. Harder the steel, the more need for a diamond stone of some sort. The BK-16 can be easily sharpened with a Norton India Stone (use oil or WD40 as a lubricant). Ethan pointed me toward the Norton oil stone and I have been pleased. It is fairly large with two grits, but is good for home use. They make smaller versions of it that can be carried in the field.

I like DMT duo stones a lot too. I use a coarse and fine and have a separate extra fine DMT to do final passes. The large DMTs are expensive. Use gentle pressure with the blade held at as nearly a constant angle as you can.

I have been sharpening knives since I was a kid. Long time. But the DMT people demonstrated free hand sharpening to me at the Blade Show and it was very easy to follow and understand regarding angles. Hold your knife vertical on the stone (edge down) > that's 90 degrees. Halve that and you're at 45 degrees. Halve that again and you are at approximately 22.5 degree. Then I make the angle just tad more acute and sharpen or about 20 degrees for the most part. Sharpen a knife free hand like you would be trying to cut a thin slice off the stone. Make a couple passes and flip the knife and do the other side. It takes practice. The angles and consistancy are the key to being successful. If you want hair popping sharpeness, then after you get it sharp to your fingers free hand, then go to a strop or perhaps cermic V sharpener.

I touch up knives on the V sharpener a lot and they are extremely simple to use for touch ups.
 
Howdy,

I am new to the art of knife sharpening myself and have also searched for a financially sound solution to keeping my blades razor. I created my own home-made set of "crock sticks" using a few 2x6's, 3/4" dowel, and 3D sand paper (grits from 150 - 3000 grit). In total I believe it costs me $20 ($7 of which was the 3k grit paper pack).

Use an angle finder or protractor to find the desired angle for your blade. Align up your 3/4" drill bit on your 2x6. Drill the holes for your dowel. Re- measure with your angle finder to make sure that you have it perfect. Do again on the opposite side to create a "v" shape. Drop in your dowel. Wrap your sandpaper around the dowel and secure with alligator clips. <insert any youtube video on how to use crock sticks> and interchange the sandpaper like you would your stones. Finish it all off with an extreamly light stropping and congratulations you have a razor edge that will shave wrapping paper.

This is just my personal "newbie" method but I can shave with any one of my knives.

Cheers,

TBL
 
TBL said:
Howdy,

I am new to the art of knife sharpening myself and have also searched for a financially sound solution to keeping my blades razor. I created my own home-made set of "crock sticks" using a few 2x6's, 3/4" dowel, and 3D sand paper (grits from 150 - 3000 grit). In total I believe it costs me $20 ($7 of which was the 3k grit paper pack).

Use an angle finder or protractor to find the desired angle for your blade. Align up your 3/4" drill bit on your 2x6. Drill the holes for your dowel. Re- measure with your angle finder to make sure that you have it perfect. Do again on the opposite side to create a "v" shape. Drop in your dowel. Wrap your sandpaper around the dowel and secure with alligator clips. <insert any youtube video on how to use crock sticks> and interchange the sandpaper like you would your stones. Finish it all off with an extreamly light stropping and congratulations you have a razor edge that will shave wrapping paper.

This is just my personal "newbie" method but I can shave with any one of my knives.

Cheers,

TBL
Click to expand...

Cool idea thanks.
 
1066vik said:
Norton India combo stone - 1x2x6 fine/coarse can be found for around $20.
DMT duafold med/fine or fine/x-fine can be found for $20-30.
add a homemade stop to those 2 and you'd be covered for just about any sharpening need
Click to expand...

Where are people getting leather from for homemade strips?
 
22-rimfire said:
Something to keep in mind is the steel that the knife is made of. Harder the steel, the more need for a diamond stone of some sort. The BK-16 can be easily sharpened with a Norton India Stone (use oil or WD40 as a lubricant). Ethan pointed me toward the Norton oil stone and I have been pleased. It is fairly large with two grits, but is good for home use. They make smaller versions of it that can be carried in the field.

I like DMT duo stones a lot too. I use a coarse and fine and have a separate extra fine DMT to do final passes. The large DMTs are expensive. Use gentle pressure with the blade held at as nearly a constant angle as you can.

I have been sharpening knives since I was a kid. Long time. But the DMT people demonstrated free hand sharpening to me at the Blade Show and it was very easy to follow and understand regarding angles. Hold your knife vertical on the stone (edge down) > that's 90 degrees. Halve that and you're at 45 degrees. Halve that again and you are at approximately 22.5 degree. Then I make the angle just tad more acute and sharpen or about 20 degrees for the most part. Sharpen a knife free hand like you would be trying to cut a thin slice off the stone. Make a couple passes and flip the knife and do the other side. It takes practice. The angles and consistancy are the key to being successful. If you want hair popping sharpeness, then after you get it sharp to your fingers free hand, then go to a strop or perhaps cermic V sharpener.

I touch up knives on the V sharpener a lot and they are extremely simple to use for touch ups.
Click to expand...

I'd like both stones for home and something for the field so size in this case should be that much of a problem.
 
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