What's your preferred in the field knife sharpener?

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The faceted heads are also set at angles of typical bevels.
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Interesting. So you could set the sharpener on end, with one of the facets flat on a horizontal surface and then hold the knife blade vertical while sharpening and have a fairly decent angle guide that way. I've used these for years and never realized that.

The pictured model is by Gatco. There are other companies that make this type of sharpener, but the faceted heads may be unique to the Gatco product. I know I've used the Gatco product and, I think one by Lansky. I have some others but can't remember who made them.

You can even make these yourself by buying the Spyderco stones for the Sharpmaker in the grit you want (including diamond and cubic boron nitride), cutting them off to the preferred length (which is not a simple task given the hardness of the material) and putting your own ends on them.
 
Well, depends on your knives. If you have high-carbide modern steels at high hardness, I'd make sure I had diamond stones. A DMT Diafold or something like that would be nice. With simple stainless or carbon steel at lower hardness, nearly any stones should be fine.

Also I would avoid those v-notch sharpening tools unless you have one that you know matches your secondary bevel angles. Otherwise you're just dulling or slowly reprofiling your blade for no reason.
 
These days preferably one someone else carries.....up until about three years ago I still carried my palm sized two sided stone and craftsman file I carried in my Light Infantry days. 'Hey Bob, real light infantry don't carry nothing they don't have too." This one felt being able to sharpen things like e-tools in the field and not just my knives but folks around me knives was worth the weight. Some people think "travel light, freeze at night" is an instruction. We viewed it s a warning. Thus "crap" like squad stoves, poncho liners, extra ponchos and such got toted. I generally even carried a spare shelter half stakes and poles in case there was an odd number at the end of the day. If nothing else the spare shelter half mad a fine ground cloth in the hope of protecting your air mattress. Yes I spent some European winter nights in subfreezing weather rolled up in a poncho with only the shelter of a rock to block some of the wind or with my teem under several snapped together ponchos fighting all night over wh gets to be in the center ....but not if I could avoid it. In the light fighters if you (or someone in your outfit) don't carry it you don't have it when you need it. Same same day hikers, hunters and campers. If you need a shovel, hatchet, axe, or machette you need a way to keep it sharp and most of what I have seen here likely won't get it.

-kBob
 
DDDWho said:
I use a Work Sharp at home and make sure the knife I take with me is scary sharp. For the field, although I've not needed it yet. I picked something up at Wally for < $2.50, made in China. Its a nasty little stone I hope I never need to use.

View attachment 819254
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I have one of these. It sux. You are better off picking a rock up off the ground and using that.
 
CerberusRagnar said:
That is a neat trick! I will try that next time. Thank you.
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It's in the Boy Scout Handbook of the late 1970s early 80s. A nickel will give you approximately a 20 degree blade angle on your blade, which is considered the best, all-around angle for a utility knife blade.

Ultimately, enough practice and you'll develop a muscle memory such that you no longer need the coin.
 
kBob said:
'Hey Bob, real light infantry don't carry nothing they don't have too."
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Funny because I remember a ton of stuff on the grunt packing list that I never did or never would use. And being part of a mountain unit we often had snow shoes, skis, ski poles, crampons, and rope climbing rigs to haul around with everything else. In my case a knife sharpener was very important for me to carry. I kept a small sharpener right next to my rifle cleaning kit, which was next to my primary water source.
 
I use this most of the time
 

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