Why is this honesteel popular with British bushcrafters?

So, basically.. A hone steel is simply a piece of hardened steel, that has striations in it.
What are files? I mean.. Isn't really a hone steel, a very very very fine and hard file? That's what it sounds like to me atleast.. Please help, cause i'm kinda confused.
 
I thought a hone steel was just a solid piece of steel used to realign the edge of the blade when the micro serrations become misaligned(when it gets dulled) but as I've read in some previous posts some are now either coated or contain carbide/oxide which is also used for polishing steel on a leather strop to achieve a razor sharp edge.

Perhaps one of these would be a better option if you wish to keep your bevel very flat(scandi's for example lose there efficiency when the bevel becomes rounded off as they function much like a plane on wood when the bevel is perfectly flat). A leather strop is great for maintaining convex edges more effectively since the leather has some give and "cushions" the area in contact with it.

This is my hypothesis anyway!!! Take it or leave it :D
 
I've carried one for years. The edge striations are more aggressive than the flat ones. The chisel point works well for cutting through a deer aitch bone.

It's a field tool. For that, it works great. My guess is that more angels could dance on the head of a pin sharpened with something fancier.
 
Judging by their effectiveness (or lack thereof) as sharpening tools, I think the Gerber steels may have been charged with some type of abrasive material as mine worked way better as a sharpener than my Schrade. The Gerber steel, slid flat across the blade of my old Vic' Huntsman will scratch its finish. I'd have to dig around and find my Schrade to see if it would.

Edited to add: Found this link stating that the Gerber was charged with diamond abrasive...
http://www.gerber-tools.com/Gerber-Sportsman-Honing-Steel-1372.htm
 
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as has been said the shrade steel is a wedge and a carbide sharpening tool, the gerber comes either in carbide or diamond the diamonds are of two grit, the edges or narrow sides are coarse , the flat wide sides are fine grit, and the tip is wedge shaped, i have used both when horse packing for elk , they are heavy and since i carry a 3/4 axe i don't need them for splitting. i would not carry them on a walking hunt, and since for eastern white tail i just field dress them where they are then process them later i don't need it to split pelvis in the field.

i have them both and have tried them, i don't carry them for hunting purposes. i have used them at home, not my favorite sharpener.

i have found that for field carry a small carbide sharpener that they sell t lowes in the garden section is satisfactory for burnishing an edge, it is unlikely that i would need more than this it is light and packs easily. it will reform a very dull edge or it will burnish an edge depending on how you use it and can with a light touch keep your blade sharp enough to get through several elk. the garden plus sharpener or the corona sharpener is at lowes next to the garden pruners, they also throw some good sparks off a fire steel. i had once thought about cutting one down adding some small handle slabs and making into a sparker/ sharpener for a kit.

alex
 
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I have had mine for a year now. I love it. Touches up the edges on my knives and my axe beautifully.
 
The Schrade HS-1 Honesteel coating is chromium carbide. They were made from c.1971-2000. The hole configuation changed several times over the years. The one shown with the single teardrop hole was the second type, post circa 1973. Previously they had two round holes, and the type 3 had a single round hole.
 
I've seen people use those before, usually people more partial to scandis. I think Skogkniv uses one in his videos. Good for putting micro-bevels on, or at least honing micro bevels.
 
I have had one since the 70's. It was the Gerber one with the folding attached leather sheath. Haven't used it for years. Hard on the edge of a good knife. I might dig it out again. Wasn't into machetes or axes then. Might work well on my Kukri as hard as it is. Since the leather sheath is attached to the handle, you can move your hand out of the way and use it as a wedge to split thinner pieces of wood and save damage to your knife. I have heard of using it to split the deer pelvis, but I always just cut around the anus, tie it off and pull through. I have used it as a steel for cheap softer kitchen knives like Chicago Cutlery. Works O.K. for that. I will say that during the 70"s it was innovative. Now ceramic hones, diamond stones etc are probably better. Makes a small pry bar as well.
 
Loosearrow said:
I I will say that during the 70"s it was innovative.
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Yep, they were a pretty trick item back then. Fact is, anything with the Gerber name on it was pretty well regarded in that era. How the mighty have fallen!
 
I used one in the late 70's early 80's to keep a german eye brand stockman sharp to skin hundreds of coon and muskrats. anyone not wanting the one they have laying in a drawer could send it to me :D mine went awol many years ago
Roy
 
I keep one in my hunting gear. At one time I was using mostly Schrade and Old Timer knives for skinning and quartering game. Like a butcher's steel the honesteel will fixed a rolled edge in short order. Used more aggressively it will remove steel from the edge and restore the micro bevel on a flat ground knife. this will allow you to finish the job without a complete resharpening process. They also work pretty well on hatchets and axes that are not too hard.

These days I mostly use Bark River knives for game duty. I rarely roll an edge on one of Mike's knives. If they dull at all during normal use a chromium dioxide charged hone usually fixes the edge in a few passes. I favor the kind that looks like a paint stirring stick with leather on both sides.
 
I’m A Brit. Those honing steels aren’t used much in the UK. I’ve seen them more in the US actually while instructing over there. And the notion that we only use 01 tool steel is another complete figment of someone’s imagination. A lot of steels were developed in Sheffield for sale to the USA. Most bushcraft knife makers give multiple options during orders. 01 and 02 tool steel. High carbon steels, stainless steels etc. K720 is popular in bushcraft here.
 
I'm a Brit too but its an 8 year old thread

Back in 2010 01 was the steel we used. Besides K720 is basically German 02 I don't know anyone used it then or even now?

As for Sheffield they had some influence in steel development such as Harry Brearley who invented stainless steel by the addition of chromium but they were hardly chucking out different steels every 5 minutes. Aside from stainless the main claim was they started the mass production processes but very quickly once it caught on tables turned
 
ukknifer said:
Why is this honesteel popular with British bushcrafters?
Over a diamond hone for example?


HS1.jpg
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This type of honesteel doesn't remove any steal like the diamond ones. These are called honesteels and sometimes unofficially steel sharpeners, but contrary to its name it doesn't sharpen your knife in the way all other sharpeners and hone tools do. While sharpeners remove steel, and hone tools scratch and remove slightly to make the edge more perfect by remove the access or I can't remember what it's called but decreasing the space between the groves or "scratches" what ever there called I'm sure someone will correct it. These hone steels push the edge back straight without removing any material. If leather straps are to be down between sharpening to keep the amount of times you sharpen less. Think of this as what you do between stropping. Or what ever it's called forgive me 😅. You can find a few proper tutorials on blade forums or YouTube in how to use them it's pretty much doing a reverse stroke on the chromium contained side of the steel bar. Or like using a solid leather strop. But this will not sharpen your knife if it's dull. It's not a Sharpener. It just fixes the if I remember the term correctly, the apex of the blade or as I call it, the point. And moves it back center. Chrade aka old timer. Makes these still if your interested. They come on special often on knifecenter.com or dlttrading.com. these are my favorite go to stores from the top 4 online that I trust.
 
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