What stone is the most durable?

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ackeith4570

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Aug 31, 2012
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I am looking for a stone to put in my long term survival bag. A stone that would last a long time. Which stone would last the longest Diamond stones, ceramic, Arkansans, India ,water stones, and any other type of stone i did not mention. When i sharpen at home i use 5 stones and stops to get a mirror polish i just want a stone that will get me a good utility edge that wont break if i drop it. Thanks!
 
Try a piece of wet/dry sandpaper (about 400 grit) around a paint stirrer stick. Very light and easy to carry. Good in a pinch and if you load the stick with compound you also have a strop of sorts.
 
White ceramics will last essentially forever, unless you happen to drop & break them. BUT, they're only useful for fine-finishing of edges (polishing), for the most part.

Having said that, if used PROPERLY, a diamond hone can last for years, even decades. Same can be said for most other stones, including silicon carbide (Crystolon), aluminum oxide (India), and natural (Arkansas) stones. These will all be more useful for all-around sharpening and upkeep. The Arkansas stones are somewhat limited in effectiveness with more modern stainless steels, but any of the others would be useful for most of the rest. Diamond is best-suited for the most wear-resistant steels (S30V, etc).

FWIW, my first choice for a field/utility/emergency sharpener would be a Fine diamond hone, or a Coarse/Fine combo diamond. It'll handle most any situation, with any steel. The DMT 'credit card' hones are perfect for this, and as compact and portable as any hone could be.


David
 
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If you are looking for "a stone that will last a long time," to put in your "long term survival bag," then I have to assume you want something small, light, and durable that could last for years of bugging out. You're in luck. There are many options (sandpaper being the worst of them): Fallkniven DC3 or DC4, Spyderco Double Stuff, DMT Dia-Fold C/F and Credit Cards... all fantastic options. I own them all.

But the best option by far: you. Learn to sharpen on a very small contact surface, and you can sharpen a camp knife with a good river rock as small as a large pebble. Learn to make a strop from improvised materials. A good, flat, dry wooden stropping board with some sun-dried clay powder or ashes from your fire pit can make for a very good strop.
 
If you plan on "surviving" out there long enough that you will outlast a sharpening stone you might as well just spend the time digging your own grave. You will give out long before any sharpening stone will.
 
retzius said:
If you plan on "surviving" out there long enough that you will outlast a sharpening stone you might as well just spend the time digging your own grave. You will give out long before any sharpening stone will.
Click to expand...

Another good point. I was going to say something along those lines, but I figured, hell, I'll play.
 
Though I do not consider a diamond stone 'durable', it is light, portable, non-breakable, stays level and can be used with water or saliva. I'd go with the X-coarse and coarse and should you want to strop it use the ashes from your fire. This grit is more durable. At base camp I'd keep a 2X6" Norton coarse/ fine India. This is durable, heavy, can break and some leveling in time could be required and it could be used with water. Your call. DM
 
Have you looked at pucks? They mostly come in aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Their shape helps them from breaking when dropped and from damaging what ever you put them in. Plus they're small and light
 
Why settle? You can get the Worksharp guided field sharpener for $30. It has coarse/fine diamond, coarse/fine ceramic, and a leather strop. Hard to say if it'll survive being dropped. The ceramic rods might crack if you drop it on an uneven surface. Would this be for a camping type setting? Because you can just as easily get a coarse/fine DMT diafold, though price wise I'd say the Worksharp would be better.
 
fervens, Glad you brought up pucks. I have one a coarse/fine stone and use it some. This one is handy and portable. I've seen other models that are over an inch thick and basically a 4x4" stone. Those would be very durable and handy to have around. DM
 
DM, Yeah, they are very comfortable to hold and use on anything from an axe to a pocket knife. I'm sorry i ever "lent" mine to a friend. Since then though, i've moved onto 4x1 stones. So many more options in that range. Even chosera's if you know where to look.
 
DMT offers a SET OF THREE "pocket stones" in 220 (coarse) 320 "medium," and 600 (fine). approximately 4 inches, very light and will do anything you need to sharpen, from a penknife to a splitting wedge.
 
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