The Sharpening Stone in my BK9 Pouch

[coote]

While there are all sorts of fancy sharpening devices out there, I still like using an old-fashioned carborundum stone.

I bought some small pocket stones on Ebay a while back for under a dollar each. I didn't want to drop one straight into the pouch on my 9 sheath because it could possibly cause damage with its sharp corners. I hunted around for something to wrap it in, but didn't want to use cloth because it would hold water. When I saw a toothpaste tube, I just had to try it. It seems to be ideal. I just cut off the top of the tube, washed out the remains of the paste then dried it. Excellent. I fold the top of the tube over before I stuff it in the pouch.

A pocket stone isn't ideal for sharpening a big blade, but it is better than nothing... and easy to carry. I haven't yet sharpened the 9 in the field, but I sometimes like to touch up a smaller knife that I do my outdoor butchering with.

The 'belt' on my 9 probably seems a bit crude to some, and possibly not a worthy accessory for a King. However, the synthetic cord doesn't absorb water and is quick to attach around my waist and to adjust the girth. The loop is attached to the main cord with a prusik knot which can be slid along the main cord when the tension is eased on it. The loop is retained nicely behind the button knot on the other end of the belt.

I get a kick out of simple solutions.

 

[explorer13421]

I wish I had thought of that. I like to find "re-uses" for things, and this is the first one I have learned of for a toothpaste tube.

 

[bearfacedkiller]

I have had good luck sharpening Kabar's knives with natural stones. I like pocket stones and have touched my Bk14 and bk 15 both up with a small pocket Arkansas stone many times. Carbon steels blades and cheap natural stones go together like peanut butter and jelly.

I am a resourceful guy but even for me your belt is a little too hobo. There are few things I appreciate like a thick wide leather belt.

Thanks for sharing Coote! I always enjoy your pics as well as some perspective from around the world. Primitive traps are very illegal where I live so what you do is interesting to me.

 

[coote]

I've recycled toothpaste tubes before. I filled them with lure when I was trapping brushtailed possums. By having my homemade paste lure in a tube, I didn't get as much of the stuff on my hands and clothes (once I got the stuff on my hands, I'd be transferring it to the snares so the possums would chew at them and not get caught.). I filled the tubes by squirting the lure in through the nozzle with a home-made icing bag type of device.

What ??? !!! Bearfacedkiller.... you have a belt that is a byproduct of a dead animal??

I like a decent leather belt too.... but they aren't that common now. I have a couple that will most likely see me out because they are really durable. My wife recently bought me a 'leather' belt to go with some new trousers that I got.... and in a very short time the plasticky-looking coating started to flake off. There is no substitute for decent, heavy, vegetable-tanned hide.

I have several knives and machetes in sheaths that get used outdoors. I have string belts fitted to most of them. I can just grab any knife and go. I do admit though, they don't really look all that nice.

Besides being cheap, the string belts have a quality that is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The main disadvantage is that the knife can slide on the string, so it might not stay where you want it in relation to your working hand. The advantage is that the knife is much easier to slide on the string than on a belt... so you can quickly move it to where you want it.... to get it out of the way of the rifle you might sling over your shoulder.... to move it behind when pushing through scrub.... or to slide it where you can pull the knife with your 'off' hand when your knife hand is otherwise occupied (maybe your normal knife hand is hanging on to a struggling hog's back leg.... or a branch so you don't fall down the hillside or whatever).

In the past I have worn a smaller knife in a horizontal position in front.... under my specially cultured pot gut. I can draw it with either hand if I have to and, sitting under my jacket beneath the bulge in my abdomen, it doesn't say 'hunter' to folks I may meet on the trail. However, none of my big Beckers are really suited to this position. I'd have to grow a bigger belly to accomodate the '9.