Knife sharpener

[mblauch]

Looking for recommendations on a good knife sharpener to touch up my knife while in the field

 

[aaron600rr]

Worksharp field sharpener. Dummy proof.
The diamond plates will sharpen supersteels as well as regular carbon steel.

 

[Marbles]

I like the SpiderCo Double Stuff. It really depends on your skill and requirements.

 

[aaron600rr]

I like the SpiderCo Double Stuff. It really depends on your skill and requirements.

Agreed. The spiderco is nice but some ceramic stones won't sharpen a very hard steel like magnacut because the carbides are harder than the ceramic.

 

[Marbles]

Agreed. The spiderco is nice but some ceramic stones won't sharpen a very hard steel like magnacut because the carbides are harder than the ceramic.

It sharpens S90V, S30V, and M380 without issue. All of those are more wear resistant than MagnaCut. I have yet to try it on MagnaCut simply because I haven't needed to yet.

I also use water stones on the above steels without issue though.

 

[mblauch]

I’d say skill is relatively minor lol, I like the idea of something fairly dummy proof that’s hard to screw up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marbles]

With any stone, holding a consistent angle is important to freehand. A strop will touch up an edge and the angle is not so important, but it will not work on a heavily dulled or damaged edge.

Pull through sharpeners work ok, use a light touch. I personally would not use one and would be pissed if someone used one on one of my knives, but for a no skill option that is light they are worth considering. Make sure they match up to the angle you are setting with your primary sharpening system.

 

[rifletuner]

Worksharp field sharpener. Dummy proof.
The diamond plates will sharpen supersteels as well as regular carbon steel.
View attachment 667645

Yes, I carry one in my kill kit. Its the best I have found for field sharpening. I have loaned it to a few people and at least one went out and bought their own after using mine.

 

[11boo]

Worksharp field sharpener. Dummy proof.
The diamond plates will sharpen supersteels as well as regular carbon steel.
View attachment 667645

That one is my favorite

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I carry one of these in my pack all the time:

Sportsman's Hone - Lee Valley Tools

www.leevalley.com

 

[aaron600rr]

It sharpens S90V, S30V, and M380 without issue. All of those are more wear resistant than MagnaCut. I have yet to try it on MagnaCut simply because I haven't needed to yet.

I also use water stones on the above steels without issue though.

Vanadium carbides are harder than the ceramic. Now because the vanadium carbides are harder than the ceramic the ceramic won't necessarily cut the carbides. What happens is the steel matrix gets abraided away until the ceramic stone imparts enough pressure on the vanadium carbide to fracture the carbide and than the carbide basically breaks. It breaks into pieces on a microscopic scale. So something like diamond is cutting through the carbide the ceramic and or aluminum oxide will fracture the vanadium. So you are getting a knife somewhat sharp with your ceramics but not nearly as sharp as can be achieved with a proper sharpening stone for that specific steel. It also really depends on the HRC of your particular knives.

 

[aaron600rr]

It sharpens S90V, S30V, and M380 without issue. All of those are more wear resistant than MagnaCut. I have yet to try it on MagnaCut simply because I haven't needed to yet.

I also use water stones on the above steels without issue though.

Also a steel like magnacut is all vanadium carbide and S90V has a bunch of chromium enriched vanadium carbide which is softer. So for example s90v has more carbide volume and wear resistance than 10V but 10V is significantly harder to grind

 

[mblauch]

Sounds like my best bet might be the worksharp field sharpener and just spend some time practicing with it, thanks for the feedback


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[5MilesBack]

I used to carry a Smith pocket diamond sharpener, but for even less weight and no need to sharpen, my Havalon with extra blades has replaced that. But I still carry my S30V fixed blade as well.

 

[Blackdog317]

+1 on the Worksharp. I'm not good at sharpening knives, but that thing makes it easy. The ceramic hones and leather strop are enough to keep my knife (BM Steep Country - S30V) shaving sharp through multiple animals if I touch it up periodically. The side plates can be removed to save some weight. Small, light, effective. Stays in the kill kit 100% of the time.

 

[Boonie327]

Check out the $15.00 Work sharp pocket knife sharpener. It’s a few ounces and really small and works great. I have one in my pack and inside the door pocket of my truck.

 

[Marbles]

Vanadium carbides are harder than the ceramic. Now because the vanadium carbides are harder than the ceramic the ceramic won't necessarily cut the carbides. What happens is the steel matrix gets abraided away until the ceramic stone imparts enough pressure on the vanadium carbide to fracture the carbide and than the carbide basically breaks. It breaks into pieces on a microscopic scale. So something like diamond is cutting through the carbide the ceramic and or aluminum oxide will fracture the vanadium. So you are getting a knife somewhat sharp with your ceramics but not nearly as sharp as can be achieved with a proper sharpening stone for that specific steel. It also really depends on the HRC of your particular knives.

The vanadium carbides in MagnaCut are 1-2 microns, DMTs finest diamond lapping compound is 1 micron. DMTs extra fine diamond stone is 3 microns. The fine ceramic of the Double stuff is about 6 microns.

The MagnaCut knives (Hogue, MKC, NorthArm) I have used all sharpen very well on Shapton wet stones (which are ceramic) and stropping with traditional abrasives.

Also a steel like magnacut is all vanadium carbide

MagnaCut is vanadium carbides and smaller niobium carbides. Both are harder than ceramic though.

and S90V has a bunch of chromium enriched vanadium carbide which is softer. So for example s90v has more carbide volume and wear resistance than 10V but 10V is significantly harder to grind

I don't know what to tell you. MagnaCut definitively sharpens with less effort than S90V using ceramics as fine as 1.5-3 microns. Theory is great, but reality always does not bow to it.

 

[DayBreaker]

Worksharp field sharpener. Dummy proof.
The diamond plates will sharpen supersteels as well as regular carbon steel.
View attachment 667645

+1 this. I have had the hardest time keeping my blades sharp, until this. This thing makes me feel like a knife wizard.

 

[bluetick]

That one is my favorite

I just bought one today. Super easy to use and sharpened easily

 

[ZAK13]

I used to carry a Smith pocket diamond sharpener, but for even less weight and no need to sharpen, my Havalon with extra blades has replaced that. But I still carry my S30V fixed blade as well.

Ditto.