Which DMT?

[Bare Rib]

I know many here like the DMT sharpeners, myself included. My dilemma is this I can't decide which two-sided sharpener to put in my BOB the coarse/fine or fine/extra fine.

Also, thinking about getting one for a friend of mine that is starting to get into the "outdoors thing" which one would you guys recommend for him (he is a knife newbie)?

 

[unit]

tough question.

I would have to know your intended use and desired finish for the scenarios in which you will use the hone.

Personally, I could get a lot accomplished with only the coarse. You can profile out damage with enough time, but still get a good enough edge to do some fairly fine work.

If you think you will NEVER get significant damage for the duration of your outing/scenario, you could opt for something finer.

My outings never seem to last long enough to need any significant sharpening media...in a pinch I will use what is available in my environment to touch up my edge. There are MANY options for a make-shift strop (palm, pant leg, various vegetation)

 

[jiggyfly16]

I have the green/red dia-fold and it works great for quick touch ups. if you need a courser edge then run it only on the red, but if you need a finer edge, run it through the green.

 

[Bare Rib]

tough question.

I would have to know your intended use and desired finish for the scenarios in which you will use the hone.

Personally, I could get a lot accomplished with only the coarse. You can profile out damage with enough time, but still get a good enough edge to do some fairly fine work.

If you think you will NEVER get significant damage for the duration of your outing/scenario, you could opt for something finer.

My outings never seem to last long enough to need any significant sharpening media...in a pinch I will use what is available in my environment to touch up my edge. There are MANY options for a make-shift strop (palm, pant leg, various vegetation)

I'm leaning to the fine/extra fine for my BOB as in an emergency situation if I really ding up a blade I always have my leatherman with me which has a file on it or if nothing else a decent smooth rock (as you pointed out) works as a good coarse grit stone.

For my friend I'm thinking a coarse/fine cause he'll prob have an easier time getting a good cutting edge on a blade or with that model. Then if he get's into it more/better at it I can always get him the fine/extra fine model.

 

[tarditi]

I have the coarse/fine - my theory is that if I do something in the field to mess it up I can bring it back to shape with the coarse and then refine it... if all I have was fine/extra, it would be great to keep the edge optimal, but not too useful if you were to munge it up.

 

[hiwa]

I have the fine/X-fine ( 600/1200) in a benchstone but for the bush or field, the coarse/fine ( 325/600) is what I like better. There's not much surface area on it and when I want to touch up I don't want to spend a lot of time doing it. I want to take metal off and get back into service quickly. The coarse/fine combo lets you establish or repair an edge quickly and the 600 fine side is plenty fine enough for a good usable very sharp edge. I save the higher polishing ( time-consuming) for when I'm back home.