The "Hood Rig" a very handy set of tools...

[Don Rearic]

Ron Hood mentioned it a couple of times in various videos.

 

[bladeNUT82]

1. where do you get that sharpener/steel on the cord?
2. is that little pieces of duct tape on the handle, or grippy tape?
3. I would suggest having a brighter cord on the rig, in case it gets dropped
ohh... and maybe add a pealess whistle

 

[Brian Jones]

Very cool, Don! I see your wilderness skills are improving. You even managed to kill a deer and mount its head on the handle of your Swiss Army Knife!

Looks like grippy tape to me.

That sharpening steel is made by Victorinox and comes with some of their models and leather sheaths. Very handy and works well.

 

[1Tracker]

I've carried a rig like this for over 20 years now, and never thought it was that uncommon. At least I know now that other folks think it worthwhile.....I keep an EzeLap pen with me instead of the Vic sharpner, same mag rod/flint stick (though I switched over a year ago to just the Hotspark), LST knife, Photon, p38 opener (that if sharpened works ok as a guthook on fish), all on a piece of paracord with a 1" 'breakaway' of heat shrink tubing as the connector in back. I rarely carry it on my neck, it's more like, "hey, what's that pile of junk in yer pocket there?" on laundry day.

 

[Turner]

Nice kit, not really sure I would like that sharpening rod "spike" dangling around my neck on my chest area. One good forward trip and now you have a little wee sucking chest wound to contend with. Just my .02 worth.

 

[RescueRiley]

that's remarkable similar to my set up...minus the sharpener I've been curious about them, I don't know how to use a rod shaped sharpener like that...you all find the locking saks dependable and rugged? Turner just bring some saran wrap and tape up that chest wound, Just remember to leave a flutter valve...

 

[Thomas Linton]

I wonder if there's some tough, thick-walled, flammable, plastic tubing that could "sheath" that sharpener.

 

[bearthedog]

How do you like that Hunter? I think next to the OHT it is the best alternative for simple usefull woods tools.

 

[1Tracker]

Thomas get electrical shrink wrap tubing and use it on anything tubular you want covered. Another point is get bright colored tubing and you won't lose the items if they are put down. I leave a piece on my firesteel keeps it from rusting until I need it, no nail polish required! On the neck lanyard using the shrink tubing saves you from choking; it'll breakfree before you even feel the need to grab it.

 

[Robert045]

that's remarkable similar to my set up...minus the sharpener I've been curious about them, I don't know how to use a rod shaped sharpener like that...you all find the locking saks dependable and rugged? Turner just bring some saran wrap and tape up that chest wound, Just remember to leave a flutter valve...

Thanks for your honesty about not knowing how the sharpening steel works. Ive been shown how to use one by a very experienced woodsman, there is very little technique involved, however the results are probably far below what you would find acceptable. This is just my opinion and I will stand corrected by the first person who knows better but: I think sharpening steels fill a special niche, that is when your knife blade becomes so dull that you can not use it. This doesnt happen too often with hard modern steel and infrequent use. However when people use softer steels like what you find in a swiss arrmy knife and use it for a prolonged time then you sometimes find yourself in a situation where you just have to get some kind of edge back on your blade so that you can finish working. This happened to me a couple of times when hunting and you will do anything to resharpen your edge just enough to be servicible. That is what I think sharpening steels are for. The technique involved looks alot like stropping, maybe technically it is.

 

[Brian Jones]

Robert, your description of a steel is right on. It's actually not a sharpening device - it's an edge aligner and maintainer. In use, edges can roll or become otherwise slightly "off center." The steel literally pushes it all back into place, without actually removing metal from the blade.

If the knife becomes dull, then you have to sharpen it with a stone, ceramic, or diamond hone, which actually removes steel to get an edge sharp again.

 

[Robert045]

Hmm that is interesting, I didnt know that, it seems to fit with my hunting and field dressing experiences. Hard use knocked the blade off alingment causing it to become "dull". A few strokes with the steel and it was back to work. Thanks. Then maybe the sharpening steel is included on Hood's fob because in survival situations your blade is prone to this kind of situation most often? So he is making a specific choice to put a steel on it and not some other kind of sharpener? Interesting!

 

[Brian Jones]

Make no mistake, Ron Hood always has sharpening gear with him, too, when out in the wilderness or survival situations. I know this for certain because I filmed one of Ron's videos with him as cast and back-up crew for his Solo Survival, Volume 11 video.

Yes, it sounds like your hunting experiences are exactly that.

However, a steel serves an important purpose. It's possible to "over sharpen" a blade, and you also don't want to remove metal unless absolutely necessary. Ever seen pictures of old knives, where they now look like thin fillet blades because they've been actually sharpened continually for years and years? Using the steel to maintain the edge for as long as possible reduces the amount and frequency of metal that is removed from the knife.

 

[Brian Jones]

It's late and I'm tired, but just realized Don's rig also has the ceramic rod/ferro rod piggyback setup that RadioRay, who was also on that trip with, devised. Don's setup has both sharpening options.

 

[Robert H]

That set up is about the good daily EDC, which I highly recommend. I carry a very similar group of items, but scattered around and not on a loop.

A good jacket with decent pockets should have all of those items as a "jacket kit" so even if you forget your normal pocket knife, you're still good to go.

 

[1Tracker]

I do carry a ceramic rod in my pack that I use as a 'steel' with most of my knives. I also carry an Eze Lap diamond pen, that I use in the same manner as a 'steel' if the knife becomes dulled through hard use, and the ceramic can't bring it back to a sharpness level I like in the field. If you do use a diamond pen like this be careful until you get the hang of it, one miss and the blade is in your hand. I agree with Brian saying that over sharpening your knives leads to a shortened life for them, steel them, ceramic steel them, then sharpen as a last resort.

 

[blazink]

Is the leather thong so you won't strangle yourself?

 

[Brian Jones]

I think Don only wears the leather thong when he's feeling kinky...

 

[mtnfolk mike]

great looking set up don....:thumbup: i have one similar as well.. except mine is based around a pat crawford necker....

 

[sketchbag]

Thanks for your honesty about not knowing how the sharpening steel works. Ive been shown how to use one by a very experienced woodsman, there is very little technique involved, however the results are probably far below what you would find acceptable. This is just my opinion and I will stand corrected by the first person who knows better but: I think sharpening steels fill a special niche, that is when your knife blade becomes so dull that you can not use it. This doesnt happen too often with hard modern steel and infrequent use. However when people use softer steels like what you find in a swiss arrmy knife and use it for a prolonged time then you sometimes find yourself in a situation where you just have to get some kind of edge back on your blade so that you can finish working. This happened to me a couple of times when hunting and you will do anything to resharpen your edge just enough to be servicible. That is what I think sharpening steels are for. The technique involved looks alot like stropping, maybe technically it is.

Interesting. In my experience I've found the opposite, that the steel is best used on a sharp, but misaligned edge, either to fix rolling or to remove the burr after sharpening it on a stone. I've never tried using one on a fully dull edge, I never figured it would do much cause they hardly seem to remove any steel.