Why is this honesteel popular with British bushcrafters?

U

ukknifer

Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
424
Why is this honesteel popular with British bushcrafters?
Over a diamond hone for example?


HS1.jpg
 
That looks a lot like the old Gerber sharpening steel. Course on the edges and smoother on the flat sides :D

The older Gerber sharpening steels worked for a lot of different knives :thumbup:

Since most British Bushcrafters I have read seem to think the only steel suitable for a bushcraft knife is O1 :yawn: , then if the Schrade steel is anything like the old Gerber it would work fine for them. After all, O1 isn't that hard to sharpen that you need a diamond stone :D.



Kind regards
Mick
 
I'm not in the UK but since I have owned a couple of these I'll add my two cents. I have the Gerber and Schrade versions, and they are both good tools. Beyond sharpening they make good digging and prying tools. I've had both since the seventies and have carried the Gerber the most. I found the Schrade version not to work as well as a sharpener, but that's just my experience. My Gerber steel seems to be especially effective for sharpening stainless blades.
 
I dont take mine with me so it doesnt get used anymore. I was never very good with it anyhow. I could touch up an almost sharp blade with it ,but if the blade is dull Its useless too me.
 
How does it work though? Is it just a piece of steel, or are there carbides or something stuck onto it, like a diamond hone? I can't see how something like this, if it's just a piece of steel, would sharpen anything more than a chef/kitchen steel would. (Chef/kitchen steels being only for realigning the edge if you've rolled it.)
 
aarya said:
How does it work though? Is it just a piece of steel, or are there carbides or something stuck onto it, like a diamond hone? I can't see how something like this, if it's just a piece of steel, would sharpen anything more than a chef/kitchen steel would. (Chef/kitchen steels being only for realigning the edge if you've rolled it.)
Click to expand...

I don't know about the new version but the USA made Honesteel is coated with chromium carbide and is basically a flat butcher steel. They work well for touch ups inbetween sharpenings but are not aggressive enough to bring a dull knife back. They work well for the final finish after using more abrasive sharpeners.
Scott
 
I'm British... and I'm into bushcraft! but never had one of these. I use a fallkniven DC4 diamond/ceramic stone followed by a leather strop to achieve that much desired "atom splitting" edge :)
Do these steels actually remove steel from the edge or just realign the "teeth"(I think the latter is defined as honing)... So technically even if you have one of these honing steels you would still require a stone to sharpen now and then.
Gabriel.
 
I had the Gerber one. My Dad gave it to me back in the 70's when I was 14. Danny pretty much summed up my experience with it also.

Geoff
 
Maybe I am mistaken, I read that it was popular in England somewhere a while back. Maybe I was mistaken.

Cheers :)
 
I have the shrade in my pack...its a cool little tool, but as others have pointed out, without a stone, you arent gonna fix a dull blade, but for a stainless mora, it will touch it up fast.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top