What do you use for field sharpening?

I carry three DMT 'credit card' hones, shown in the photo below, everyday in my wallet. Between the Coarse, Fine & EF in those, they'll handle literally anything I need or want to tune up, even repairing some pretty major edge damage. It's very rare that I'd actually NEED to do so in most of the typical uses of my knives everyday. But it buys a lot of peace of mind in knowing I have them if I need them. I've carried them for years now and I feel the weight of those steel plates every time I put my wallet in my pocket. I'd feel nearly naked anymore, if I wasn't feeling that weight in my back pocket. And the 4" Norton Fine India shown in the pocket slip is another one I like to use for touching up the knives I like to carry (examples from Case & Buck shown in the photo). Very simply, I just LIKE the edge the Fine Norton India leaves on steels like 1095/CV and 420HC. So that one's a favorite of mine, even when I'm at home. I even radiused one edge of that stone for use with recurved edges, which comes in handy on occasion (2nd photo).
JvK0xlW.jpg

BSWIDUF.jpg
Well then you’re clearly entitled to your username. 😉
 
I carry a small 2"x6" double sided diamond hone. One side 600 grit, other 1200 grit in a plastic slip case (in wallet).
I use mainly on folders, but have used it on 4" puukko blades also. Has served me well. Looks like the Buck hone above, but another maker.

The rocks above are pretty but likely hurt to sit on ;)
 
When you are out and about (or as the Canadians say "oatin' a boat"), do you normally carry anything to keep your blade(s) sharp, or do you usually just wait until you get home?

If and when you do carry some type of edge maintenance gear with you, what is it?

Depends what I'm doing and what I'm carrying. For heavy and machete work, I usually have a baryonyx mutt puck to rough out dents and dings I may get. If it's a knife and not for a long duration, I wait until I get home. For longer trips, it will be a buck flipstick or one of the little diamond rod dealies that are the size of a pen.

I also have a small baryonyx pocket stone and a field strop, but I haven't used them too much yet. They're so small it's inconvenient to use with the bigger tools that usually need touchups in the field.

The backpackers I've talked with like the litte pen sized diamond thing I have, which I picked up on their recommendation.
 
oscillate perpendicular to the apex line?

i like sharpening along (=parallel to) the apex line, i.e. edge-following movements. they're the most natural movements if you have a short small stone (say a pebble lol!) vs a long blade
 
I carry a small 2"x6" double sided diamond hone. One side 600 grit, other 1200 grit in a plastic slip case (in wallet).
I use mainly on folders, but have used it on 4" puukko blades also. Has served me well. Looks like the Buck hone above, but another maker.

The rocks above are pretty but likely hurt to sit on ;)
I really just use the rocks around the kitchen/house - I don’t carry them out on hikes, etc., but will sometimes end up carrying one (or several) home.
 
Back
Top