Sharpening Knives in the Field

[sndmn11]

Im always looking- grin

I was thinking of trying something with Cru Wear- tho expensive.

You’re a knife guy, what steels do you like in a processing knife?

M4 ish if I had only one.
There was a random M4 blade on the classifieds here that looked cool.

I've almost bought this a few times.

Temperance™ CPM® CRU-WEAR® - Spyderco, Inc.

Designed by company co-founder Sal Glesser, the Temperance was one of Spyderco’s earliest fixed blade models. Now this classic design is back as a limited-edition Sprint Run, showcasing a gray-colored fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle and a fu...

www.spyderco.com

S90v is great if one is a slicer and not a pusher

 

[Rich M]

A diamond hone is an option - couple swipes and yer good if touching up.

Also good for touching up is those little carbide pull thru's they sell at Walmart for about $6-$8. I have an electric diamond chef's sharpener thingy and it does nice with 3 swipes each side on coarse and 1 on fine. Then use the pull thru if needed in field or, more likely on the filleting table on a good day.

Use an old Buck 110 for deer hunting - heavy yes but will clean 4-6 deer without losing an edge.

 

[Wrench]

I boned my buck and bull back to back with my swiss army hunter and all I did was wipe it on my boot a few times.

 

[jlw0142]

I boned my buck and bull back to back with my swiss army hunter and all I did was wipe it on my boot a few times.

Yeah. I’m sure I could get through several animals before totally dulling my knife, but I’d rather keep a sharp knife sharp than have to get a dull knife sharp. Plus, you can justify a little break while quartering. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wrench]

Technique is important. If you try to flesh the hide as you skin it...it's hell on knives. Stay close to the meat and the edge will last.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Pivot™ Knife Sharpener

The fastest, easiest and most affordable way to get your knife sharp and back into service. Breathe new life into your blades with the Convex-Carbide® sharpening stage and fine ceramic hone. Simply place your knife in the slot and pull. Within a few strokes you can get your knife back to cutting...

www.worksharptools.com

Been using this for years...small, light works great.

 

[Beendare]

Technique is important. If you try to flesh the hide as you skin it...it's hell on knives. Stay close to the meat and the edge will last.

Thats a good tip.

FWIW, I was talking to the Benchmade rep- a biddies Bro in law- and he said those Carbide pull through sharpeners are bad for good knives, it can chip them.

 

[doc holiday13]

in theory you should be able to clean up an edge in the field using a piece of river rock.. Its nice and smooth you can can control what part of the blade is hitting the stone. But you must be doing some hardcore butchery if you've messed up a fresh edge in the field

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

There is a reason Mexamet and REX121 are not really used in hand held knives. Even S110V and S125V are not common. They have great edge retention (abrasion resistance) but in use in a human hand their edge holding is poor. There is also a reason HRC is not pushed as high as possible for a given steel on most knives.

I am a fan of the Spyderco Manix. I have a blue on in S110V. That steel SUCKS for a pocket knife. Or at least with my limit skills in sharpening. Just don't like it. Would take way softer, less almost everything. Simply not what I thought of in the steel charts vs how it works daily. Pass...

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

@Marbles Can you explain or expand on your comment of "It's hair popping sharp when I finish sharpening it, but it's never that sharp pulling it out of my pocket"

I have literally thousands of dollar in knives. I am a Nife Nerd. I am TERRIBLE at sharpening. I have an Edge Pro. About every other gimmick sold also.

I used to free hand knives as a kid and did OK. German Solingen steels, which are probably super high carbon and relatively soft. I've watched hours of videos, and experiments for hours.

Then I watch the Dutch Boooshcrafter dudes go pretty primitive on a stone and get record breaking sharpness on some super this stock.

I am envious. To the point I would travel a few hours to a custom knife maker to pay an hourly rate for lessons.

I really crave a hair popping knife to ride in my pocket every day. And I can get a decent edge on some knives on an Edge Pro. But when I go to use it a week later....it's not terribly impressive.

What gives?

 

[doc holiday13]

@Marbles Can you explain or expand on your comment of "It's hair popping sharp when I finish sharpening it, but it's never that sharp pulling it out of my pocket"

I have literally thousands of dollar in knives. I am a Nife Nerd. I am TERRIBLE at sharpening. I have an Edge Pro. About every other gimmick sold also.

I used to free hand knives as a kid and did OK. German Solingen steels, which are probably super high carbon and relatively soft. I've watched hours of videos, and experiments for hours.

Then I watch the Dutch Boooshcrafter dudes go pretty primitive on a stone and get record breaking sharpness on some super this stock.

I am envious. To the point I would travel a few hours to a custom knife maker to pay an hourly rate for lessons.

I really crave a hair popping knife to ride in my pocket every day. And I can get a decent edge on some knives on an Edge Pro. But when I go to use it a week later....it's not terribly impressive.

What gives?

It all depends on the grit you finish the sharpening to. A blade finished at 8K grit is sharp but won't feel sharp. But if its a kitchen knife it'll push through whatever you're cutting with ease

I sharpen hunting blades to ~1200 grit

800-1200 will get your hair to pop but will drag and be very grabby. 1500 grit if you are genuinely shaving with it. Any finer than that and it won't grab the hair very well

 

[Beendare]

The Edge pro is far superior to anything else I've used.

JJ, have you tried a micro bevel? I used to do that on my S30v processing knife and I swear it held an edge better than my s90v Altitude.

Judging by BH's which are easier to test....the very thin bevels on replaceable blade BH's dull easy for 2 reasons; Its a very acute angle on the blade which makes for an unsupported edge....AND the steel used in those BH's is poor. Test them on Manila rope and you find out quickly the problem with thin replaceable blade or the blades on Mech heads.

There are things BH companies can do...like use a more tapered design that puts less pressure on the edge.

So when it comes to knives, the very thin edges need to be very good steel and these are made for slicing with little pressure...not pushing hard on tough stuff.

A micro bevel....or a less acute bevel angle gives us a more supported- stronger- edge. I think thats the problem with my Altitude- its a thin bevel. Don't get me wrong- Its a great knife- but not a 'do a whole elk without touchup'

 

[Beendare]

Here is a knife test I pulled from somewhere. It's a detailed and precise test process involving cutting manila rope against a scale- too long to post all of it- but it looks to be scientific. Credit Ankerson Testing

here is how the different steels tested, note # of cuts is the key factor;


Same method as above, (manila rope cutting) but with a coarse edge, 400 grit congress Silicone carbide, more optimal edge finish for max edge retention to highlight the differences in the steels.

Steel - # of cuts - Model - HRC Hardness - Geometry Measurement -

CPM 10V - 2400 - Phil Wilson Coyote Meadow - 64.5 RC - .004" behind the edge
CPM S125V - 2340 - Phil Wilson Bow River - 62.5 RC - .006" behind the edge
CPM S125V - 1960 - Big Chris Custom - 63.5 RC - .006 behind the edge
MAXAMET - 1940 - Spyderco MT-24 - 67-68 RC - .018" Behind the edge
CPM 10V - 1180 - Darrin Sanders Custom - 63 RC - .012" behind the edge
S110V - 1120 - Manix 2 - 62 RC - Regrind to .005" behind the edge.
CPM 10V - 1100 - Spyderco/Farid K2 - 63 HRC - .020" behind the edge.
CPM S110V - 1080 - Spyderco Military - 63-64 RC - .020" Behind the edge
CPM 20CV - 960 - Michael Raymond Starlit - 62 RC - .007" - .008" behind the edge
Z-A11 - 880 - Darrion Sanders Custom - 62.5 RC - .020" behind the edge/.070" spine thickness.
K390 - 820 - Mule - 62-64 RC
CPM S35VN - 760 - Darrin Sanders Custom - 62 - 62.5 RC - .006" behind the edge
CPM 4V - 740 - Big Chris Custom - 63 RC - .008" - .010" Behind the edge.
CPM M4 - 740 - Phil Wilson Custom - 65 RC - .015" Behind the edge.
S110V - 720 - Manix 2 - 62 RC - .030" behind the edge
Cru-Wear - 700 - Phil Wilson Custom Bow River - 63 RC - .005" behind the edge.
S30V - 620 - Michael Raymond Estrella Custom - 60.5 - 61 RC - .006" behind the edge
S110V - 600 - Mule - 60 RC - .015" -.018" behind the edge.
S90V - 600 - Benchmade 940-1 - 59-61 RC - .018" Behind the edge.
S35VN - 560 - Fiddleback Forge Kephart - 60-61 RC - .015" Behind the Edge.
CTS-XHP - 540 - Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter - 63.5 RC - .020" behind the edge
CPM M4 - 500 - Spyderco Gayle Bradley - 62.5 - .022" behind the edge
S90V - 460 - Military - 60 RC
S90V/CPM 154 - Para 2 - 460 - ? RC
White Steel Laminate - 460 - HSC Custom - 63-64 HRC - .020" behind the edge
RWL-34 - Mule Team 22 - 440 - 61-62 RC - .020" Behind the edge
CTS 204P - 420 - Para 2
ZDP -189 - 420 - Endura 4 - 65 RC
Niolox - 420 - LX Blades - 59 - 59.5 RC - .006" behind the edge
BD1N - 420 - Phil Wilson - 60 HRC - .020" behind the edge
M390 - 400 - Benchmade 810-1401 Contego 60-62 RC
M390 - 380 - Military - 61 RC
ELMAX - 340 - ZT 0770CF - ? RC
ELMAX - 340 - Para 2 - ? RC
AEB-L - 340 - Tim Johnson Custom - 60 RC - .006" behind the edge
HAP-40 - 320 - Spyderco Endura - ? RC - .024" behind the edge
S35VN - 320 - Chris Reeve Sebenza 25 - ? RC - .021" behind the edge
CruForgeV - 300 - Bluntcut Custom - 62 HRC - .012" behind the edge
S30V - 300 - Military - 60 RC
PSF-27 - 280 - MT-19 - ? RC
Cru-Wear - 260 - Military - ? RC
CTS-XHP - 240 - Military - 60.5 RC
CTS-B75P - 240 - Mule
Sleipner - 240 - LionSteel PM2
Dozier D2 - 220 - Dozier K2
ELMAX - 220 - Mule - 58.5 RC
VG-10 - 160 - Stretch
AUS-8A - 160 - Recon 1
12c27 MOD - 120 - Opinel #8 - .012" behind the edge
XC90 - 80 - Opinel #8 - .012" behind the edge

 

[Beendare]

I think a guy has to read the above and consider some of those steels are very high Rockwell....which can make them horrible to resharpen. I have a Spyderco S110v knife that holds an incredible edge....but it's harder to sharpen.

 

[steelheadmike]

I have always carried one of the small worksharp field sharpeners but may change that up. I've found that my new knife really only needs a leather strop, I may look for a compact strop to carry. But the knife seems to hold an edge well enough that I haven't needed to touch it up while doing an animal.

 

[Marbles]

@Marbles Can you explain or expand on your comment of "It's hair popping sharp when I finish sharpening it, but it's never that sharp pulling it out of my pocket"

I have literally thousands of dollar in knives. I am a Nife Nerd. I am TERRIBLE at sharpening. I have an Edge Pro. About every other gimmick sold also.

I used to free hand knives as a kid and did OK. German Solingen steels, which are probably super high carbon and relatively soft. I've watched hours of videos, and experiments for hours.

Then I watch the Dutch Boooshcrafter dudes go pretty primitive on a stone and get record breaking sharpness on some super this stock.

I am envious. To the point I would travel a few hours to a custom knife maker to pay an hourly rate for lessons.

I really crave a hair popping knife to ride in my pocket every day. And I can get a decent edge on some knives on an Edge Pro. But when I go to use it a week later....it's not terribly impressive.

What gives?

Hair popping, to me, is when it will shave clean in a single pass.

I us water stones, but good diamond stones would als be great. I have Shapton orange and wine stones, using them alone it is hard to get a great edge, but possible.

I finsh with a strop, green (fine) compound followed by extra fine. I strop at a slightly steeper angle that I set the shoulders at, in effect creating a micro bevel. I did not use a stop for years, now that I have one, I regret that as sharpening goes much faster.

M390 and S90V will still be hair popping sharp after riding in my pocket and light use. I've not actually tested it, but it feels like that never happens with S30V, even if all I did was open a box. However, it does the actual work I need it to just fine.

Does that answer your question?

 

[White Falcon]

I carry one of the small 4-5” fine diamond stones that don’t weigh much.

I have had performance vary between the same steel. My Altitude S90v can’t make it through an entire elk but my other S90v can.

It seems like S30 v holds an wdge better than the charts claim.

I like My pma11- i made a lefty handle for it- it holds a good edge but stains.
View attachment 785570

I like the screw driver on the left. Done that also.

 

[Alpha Echo]

I highly recommend this article:

Knife Steels Rated by a Metallurgist - Toughness, Edge Retention, and Corrosion Resistance - Knife Steel Nerds

Steel Metallurgist Larrin Thomas uses tests of knife steels to rate the steels and explains the factors that control performance.

knifesteelnerds.com

The creator of Magnacut compares steels for toughness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention. Lots of other great articles from him too (he's a pro metallurgist).

Like many things in hunting (think recoil vs rifle weight), it's a balance, and figuring out what's most important.

 

[sndmn11]

[

What gives?

Send me your best and worst

 

[intunegp]

On the pull-through sharpener topic, think about it this way-

When sharpening with an abrasive, you are creating a series of finer and finer micro-serrations that run perpendicular to the edge. These "teeth" are what grab material and make a knife feel sharp. As stated above, the more you refine them, the less "grabby" they feel while the edge continues to become finer, and the knife will cut better with a pushing motion rather than slicing.

When using a pull-through sharpener, you are removing material perpendicular to the cutting edge. With the carbide sharpeners, you are literally scraping off that material with something harder than the knife steel. With the diamond and ceramic ones, you are still creating a scratch pattern that runs parallel with the edge, and thus not obtaining the teeth/micro-serrations that make a knife feel sharp. This type of edge, while it can still feel "sharp enough", will never be as sharp or last as long as a properly sharpened cutting edge.