Sharpening Knives in the Field

[mtnbound]

Eventually might snag the Worksharp field sharpener but I thought it might work to just take like 800 grit sandpaper instead to save some weight. Is this a dumb idea? Was also considering just bringing one of my diamond plates.


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I have good luck with this DMT Dia-Folder Sharpener, with extra extra fine grit, I also use the fine file on my Leatherman and carry a small piece of a ceramic sharpening rod.

 

[brancher147]

I have a cheap gerber fixed blade ised for 20 years and carry a rada wheel sharpener that gets it really sharp. It becomes dull after one or two deer and I just sharpen it again. I know there are better knives and better sharpeners but it’s quick and easy and it works. Carry a havalon for skinning also if needed.

 

[sndmn11]

@Marbles who did those?

 

[svivian]

@Marbles who did those?

Hey that’s what I was coming to ask

 

[sndmn11]

Hey that’s what I was coming to ask

@feanor has done a bunch for me; the reblade of the bugout is a unique thing though.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

My Grohman Number 1 fixed blade’s sheath has a slot in it for a small sharpening rod. Works great if you know how to touch up an edge with a rod. I usually also carry a Tyto with replaceable blades.

 

[feanor]

@feanor has done a bunch for me; the reblade of the bugout is a unique thing though.

Yeah I like that reblade on the bugout too.

 

[sndmn11]

Yeah I like that reblade on the bugout too.

What have your magnacut ones come back for Rockwell?

 

[Marbles]

@Marbles who did those?

Hey that’s what I was coming to ask

Greg, Gersh Blades. https://www.gershblades.com/shop

He was great to work with.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I have a KOA alpha wolf with D2. I can work through an elk with a minor touch up in a ceramic rod.

 

[feanor]

What have your magnacut ones come back for Rockwell?

These came back at 62 HRC. I only have one blank left though. This batch is for family.

 

[sndmn11]

@Beendare didn't you get a cruwear Spyderco fixed blade recently?

 

[ahawk116]

Has anyone ever just put stropping compound on their pack? I’ve been pondering that idea for a bit.

 

[coiloil37]

I’ll be the odd man out and disagree with the consensus.
If you have a quality blade, know how to avoid bones and aren’t sticking the knife in the ground AND can’t get through and elk or moose without losing an edge you don’t know how to sharpen it.
What I mean by that is a clean, properly formed and deburred apex of appropriate grit and refinement.
My guess is guys with decent knives are leaving a burr or “wire edge” and losing cutting aggression mid animal. I’m speaking from experience on this too, not just throwing stones at glass houses. I’ve lived that myself.



I’ve written about it before on various forums but in 2015 I gutted and skinned three elk and six deer without touching the edge on my dozier. It still shaved arm hair at the end of the season. I gutted, skinned and deboned my moose in 2018 and gutted/skinned three deer the same year with my dozier and it shaved arm hair after I was done.
I always found bears to be the hardest on an edge but for the last few years I lived in Alberta and the last few bears I skinned I could easily go the distance without losing an edge on my knife and easily shaving my arm after finishing the bear.
We’ve moved over seas but I just skinned eight fallow deer last week with my dozier and didn’t have to touch the edge through it all. The hunt prior (a few weeks ago) I did six fallow with my Sponaugle and didn’t lose an edge.
I’m as demanding as anyone can be about cutting aggression and will not tolerate any loss of cutting performance so I’m not talking about going the distance and the knife being dull by the end.
If your experience is different, you may need to consider your sharpening technique, the media your sharpening on, your finish grit, the quality of your knife or how your using the knife because somewhere in that list your going to find the problem.

I don’t take any sharpening media with me. I know from experience I can go an entire hunt and however many animals I might shoot with one edge.

 

[Marbles]

I’ll be the odd man out and disagree with the consensus.
If you have a quality blade, know how to avoid bones and aren’t sticking the knife in the ground AND can’t get through and elk or moose without losing an edge you don’t know how to sharpen it.
What I mean by that is a clean, properly formed and deburred apex of appropriate grit and refinement.
My guess is guys with decent knives are leaving a burr or “wire edge” and losing cutting aggression mid animal. I’m speaking from experience on this too, not just throwing stones at glass houses. I’ve lived that myself.



I’ve written about it before on various forums but in 2015 I gutted and skinned three elk and six deer without touching the edge on my dozier. It still shaved arm hair at the end of the season. I gutted, skinned and deboned my moose in 2018 and gutted/skinned three deer the same year with my dozier and it shaved arm hair after I was done.
I always found bears to be the hardest on an edge but for the last few years I lived in Alberta and the last few bears I skinned I could easily go the distance without losing an edge on my knife and easily shaving my arm after finishing the bear.
We’ve moved over seas but I just skinned eight fallow deer last week with my dozier and didn’t have to touch the edge through it all. The hunt prior (a few weeks ago) I did six fallow with my Sponaugle and didn’t lose an edge.
I’m as demanding as anyone can be about cutting aggression and will not tolerate any loss of cutting performance so I’m not talking about going the distance and the knife being dull by the end.
If your experience is different, you may need to consider your sharpening technique, the media your sharpening on, your finish grit, the quality of your knife or how your using the knife because somewhere in that list your going to find the problem.

I don’t take any sharpening media with me. I know from experience I can go an entire hunt and however many animals I might shoot with one edge.

I'm not convinced. I already do most of what is in the video, but perhaps I've gotten sloppy. So I'll start doing more than feeling with my fingers and see if my opinion changes. Certainly will not hurt anything to be more careful sharpening for a bit.

 

[coiloil37]

I'm not convinced. I already do most of what is in the video, but perhaps I've gotten sloppy. So I'll start doing more than feeling with my fingers and see if my opinion changes. Certainly will not hurt anything to be more careful sharpening for a bit.

I’m not going to watch the video but from what I see it appears to be as much about burrs as anything. That’s part of what I said. Here’s the paragraph from my original post

“If your experience is different, you may need to consider your sharpening technique, the media your sharpening on, your finish grit, the quality of your knife or how your using the knife because somewhere in that list your going to find the problem”.

I’ll stand by that irrespective of your opinion.

 

[Marbles]

I’m not going to watch the video but from what I see it appears to be as much about burrs as anything. That’s part of what I said. Here’s the paragraph from my original post

“If your experience is different, you may need to consider your sharpening technique, the media your sharpening on, your finish grit, the quality of your knife or how your using the knife because somewhere in that list your going to find the problem”.

I’ll stand by that irrespective of your opinion.

Wow. Take a step back and stop thinking everyone is arguing.

Quite literally my post was because I'm taking your advice. The video is because I had to start examining my technique and thought others might find the video helpful as well as it supporting your position.

I'll be convinced if I see results, until then I remain skeptical.

 

[coiloil37]

Wow. Take a step back and stop thinking everyone is arguing.

Quite literally my post was because I'm taking your advice. The video is because I had to start examining my technique and thought others might find the video helpful as well as it supporting your position.

I'll be convinced if I see results, until then I remain skeptical.

I think you’re missing my point and getting caught up in my assumed tone. Granted, the last line wasn’t worded correctly and I’m not into excuses so I’ll wear it. I should have put a little more finesse in the wording.


It’s not just about burrs. It’s the entire, comprehensive package which is why I pointed it out twice. If some of you are creating a burr in your sharpening process then yes, it’s “ALSO” about burrs but they’re only one part of the equation.

I’ll break it down.

What steel
How thick is the stock
What heat treat
What grind
Primary edge bevel angle
Secondary edge bevel?
Type of sharpening media
What strop media
What’s the strop loaded with
What’s your technique for sharpening AND stropping
Are you creating a burr
Are you removing the burr
Is the apex properly finished
What grit did you finish at
Does the apex have the required support under it for the cutting it’ll be asked to do with the angles you’ve chosen and the steel it’s made of
How much dirt/mud is on the animal?
How careful are you around bone?
Do you stick the knife in the ground?
Is the steel rusting along the apex?

Those all need to be considered and optimised if you want to see the performance a knife is capable of. The best knives will underperform if you’ve missed any of them.

 

[Wyoming300]

I kust keep a pocket finishing stone. In the field you only need to do a steep microbevel to realign the edge that has been pushed around. You dont need to regrind the bevel.

 

[Marbles]

I think you’re missing my point and getting caught up in my assumed tone. Granted, the last line wasn’t worded correctly and I’m not into excuses so I’ll wear it. I should have put a little more finesse in the wording.


It’s not just about burrs. It’s the entire, comprehensive package which is why I pointed it out twice. If some of you are creating a burr in your sharpening process then yes, it’s “ALSO” about burrs but they’re only one part of the equation.

I’ll break it down.

What steel
How thick is the stock
What heat treat
What grind
Primary edge bevel angle
Secondary edge bevel?
Type of sharpening media
What strop media
What’s the strop loaded with
What’s your technique for sharpening AND stropping
Are you creating a burr
Are you removing the burr
Is the apex properly finished
What grit did you finish at
Does the apex have the required support under it for the cutting it’ll be asked to do with the angles you’ve chosen and the steel it’s made of
How much dirt/mud is on the animal?
How careful are you around bone?
Do you stick the knife in the ground?
Is the steel rusting along the apex?

Those all need to be considered and optimised if you want to see the performance a knife is capable of. The best knives will underperform if you’ve missed any of them.

Fair, the only one I can see being of any significance in my case is if I'm leaving a burr that is then rolling over in use.

I'll have some answers for myself as I have a 120x loupe coming to inspect my work following sharpening, and 3 hogs to slaughter in a few weeks to see if there is any meaningful change in performance.



Just for general information for others.

Currently I strop about 4 times (give or take a few) processing a pig. If an edge can stay sharp enough to hold the knife with similar contact amount and pressure as a pencil for skinning the entire animal without stropping I'll have to change my opinion. I really hope to find I am the problem as it would be nice.