Whats the best knife sharpener? Also whats the best test for how sharp a knife is? I fully expect smart a$$ answers but would also appreciate serious ones too. Thanks

havel piranta. Hands down. Just finished cleaning 2 deer, caping both, wiht the same blade. And had 20 spares just in case...

This right here, they work great, two carbide bits, and the sharpen quick. Made by Gatco

http://www.cabelas.com/knife-sharpeners-gatco-carbide-knife-sharpener-2.shtml

The best knife sharpener is a new blade, Havalon Piranta.

Les my friend, I would NEVER run a knife I cared about through one of them there thingamajigs!

I use an Edge Pro "Apex" knife sharpener......best sharpener I've ever had!

i use the Smith's carbide/ceramic sharpeners.

How sharp and how long it holds an edge are two different things.

Lots of folks end up with a wire edge, that fells wicked sharp and will be for a few swipes and then is dull again. If you are haven to resharpen VERY often you are likely putting a wire edge on your blade.

Of course the quality of the blade factors greatly and the type of material. I expect to have to hit carbon steel more often than tool.

You should have no problems going through a couple of deer with a good blade.

There it is. In fact, any good chef/cook/butcher will tell you that! Good info.

Tune a good knife as often as and everytime you use it.

agreed!

Worksharp...

Hit a good knife on a loaded leather strop and it will feather curl the edge off newspaper print.

I use a Smith's (Diamond???) Stone, the orange one. Coupled with a good knife it is a very good system. It is used like a conventional wet stone, but requires no oil. I clean it occasionally with a wet paper towel. My knife is a Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter. I stopped looking for knives and sharpeners when I ended up with this combo. I almost always skin, dress and quarter all my game due to warm temps here in TX. This knife can go through several deer and require no sharpening. But, as the poster above says, I do clean and sharpen my knife after every use.

Don't have any good tests for knowing when a knife is sharp. I usually just rub my thumb over it to feel the edge.

years ago I could put a razor edge on with a set of good Arkansas stones but I have lost my touch. i would like to find a good strop.

Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Shave hair and cut meat without pressure.

By "deer camp" I assume you mean for multiple people sharpening knives to get butchering/processing done. The Spyderco solves a lot of problems because it is simple for anybody to use, can adjust to suit most edge bevels, and can sharpen serrated, as well as plain edge knives.


Travis

I've use a Lansky for 20+ years. All but the filet knife get the 25% edge. I consider a blade sharp when it will shave the hair off my arm dry, in both directions.

At Camp--Built right into each side of the hearth is 1/2 of an old circular whetstone

Smith's diamond stone or carborundum (sp?) stone

When my knives will easily shave the hair off my arm..........there sharp! I won't carry a knife that won't shave

Same here but probably only 15 years.

Way cool!

And I do shave hare with mine too.

I used to carry a good steel but never really needed it. A hint from professional meat cutters: steel early and steel often. Had an uncle at Morrell's that made a few bucks on the side by regrinding the edge on knives for people every so often when the steel didn't work, like after a week or so of shifts depending on usage. Meat cutters keep a couple ready so when one won't respond to the steel they use another while waiting for the edge to be ground.

Sharp is as sharp does. Not really a smartass answer, if it's sharp enough to get the job done to your satisfaction what more do you want?

That's funny!

I'm old and still learn toward the classic highest density Arkansas oil stones. For an expediency edge, I'll use a quartz element from the large stadium sized lights. That leaves a ragged edge though that needs some final dressing to bring it back to shaving sharp.

I use the Red Green method. A piece of leather belt on a paint stick loaded with mothers mag polish works great.

In a pinch the backside of a legal pad will polish up an edge.

well, a good knife, sharpened in advance should not need work at camp.

That said, I would take my EdgePro.

I test a blade edge the way my Grandpa did; I place it against my thumbnail as if I was gonna cut it. A dull blade will slide right along it. A sharper blade will catch and dig in.

A really sharp edge will dig in with just the weight of the blade forcing it into the nail, and it will do it the entire WORKING part of the blade.

TFF

Any kind of fine stone and some honing oil. When you're done with it just put it in your day pack.

I drank the S30V koolaid a few years back. Glad I did!!! Knife will stay sharp for two deer easy.

I sharpen with the Frost Cutlery Blademaster - 19 deg "angle-of-the-dangle".

The best. I have a commercial 2" by 70" Burr King grinder in the garage I make knives with and I can put an edge on a knife that will scare you. If you use a slack belt you can put what is called a Moran Edge on your blades which kind of resembles a watermelon seed or apple seed. Most consider it to be the best slicing edge there is, but you're going to have to have a slack belt grinder to sharpen it. You can maintain it for a pretty long time with a strop, but eventually, you're going to have to sharpen it. I also have a tormak water wheel I use to put a 20 degree secondary bevel edge on knives. I finish that on a Lansky fine stone in their apparatus.

I have bought a number of Lansky kits for gifts. They're cheap and they work. Easy to use... What's not to like. As for testing. The true test of a knives edge is to push it through a hemp rope until it stops cutting. They don't slice the rope. They just push it down through it... Over and over until it stops cutting. That's how the American Bladesmith's Society does it. I find that I need to go back to the stones and get an edge scary. Really scary, before I push it through a hemp rope. My blacksmith friend and I have little contests from time to time with knives we make and sharpen up.

What's your advice regarding using a steel? I mean insofar as processing game (at deer camp, the original question). I'll admit to being prejudiced in favor of using a steel often rather than resorting to a stone, having come from a family of meat cutters.

x2, I've had one for a few years.

Use good steel, set a 23 to 27 degree angle, go forth and skin critters.

Assuming the deer camp does not have electricity to run power equipment, and possible limited space, hand held sharpening systems are about all that could be used.

With the very hard steel found in many of today's knives, both handmade and store bought, I think one of the Diamond Hones would be the most useful. I have one that has a course side and a fine side.

Also, a very fine Silicon Carbide Whetstone is helpful, as are a set of ceramic sticks.

I think a better description for sharpening a knife at a deer camp would be 'restoring the edge' instead of sharpening.

Make sure the knife is very sharp before leaving home. Then, after dressing out a deer (or a few deer, depending on what the blade is made from), and the knife begins to dull. Restore the edge immediately--do not let the blade get extremely dull before sharpening.

Touch it up on the diamond hone, then use the whetstone or ceramic sticks. If the steel is very hard, in the Rockwell C61-62
range, you probably will not be able to get it shaving sharp.

The diamond hone will leave the edge sort of rough and toothy. This blade will cut very well, although it will not shave.

The diamond hone might leave a small burr on the edge. This burr will make the blade feel sharp, but it really isn't. What you are feeling is the burr, and it will be gone after the first small cut. The whetstone and/or ceramic sticks are for removing this burr, and whetting the edge under the burr.

At this point, by honing, either on a leather strap or the fine grit stones, you could restore it to a shaving edge, if you want to take the time to do it, but for field dressing and skinning, you don't really need it shaving sharp.

That is sort of the way butchers do it in a meat market. They cut a little, then use the steel a little. This keeps the blade sharp at all times.

Thanks everyone. I learned a lot. Merry Christmas, and may your blades be always sharp.

Good point, as the first time I set into a knife I am actually setting up the edge angle it will have, or repairing one. After that it is kind of touch up unless you let it go too long.

I use both an Arkansas stone and crock sticks. I have had one set of my crocks sticks for more than 20 years. I tend to use the Arkansas stone more for the kitchen knives. I test the edge on my hunting knives by shaving hair off of my arm lol. tom

I use a two sided arkansas Stone for sharpening hunting knives, eh76 has seen me do it. For those that have never sharpened knives I was suggesting the galco sharpener.

all good info thanks

norm

Les Christmas spiders for ya

Keeping it sharp has been mention, best advice there is.

Once dull, if it gets dull, or to very quickly touch up an edge. Not much better stones then an India stone.



With Arkansas Stones having there place as well.

Use a lot of water, spit or oil and stay consistent. Clean the stone regularly finish with a strup (the grain-side of your leather bell, cardboard or even a stack of newspaper) going the other way (not like your shaving) and your good to go.

used one of those for years, but another poster has a better idea

I saw one of those at sportsman's authority last month and bought one, comes with i think 12 replacement blades that are scapel quality. Salesman said one would do an elk. We just did two elk about two weeks ago, and i used that little knife. Sales man was right, I have done a number of big game animals, never had one take a hide off as easy as the above. You can also get even more blades for a few bucks. They are going out as christmas presents this year.

I like an arkansas stone with liquid soap for a lubricant.

The liquid soap keeps the stone clean and the pores unclogged when you wash it off with water.

Been using a Lansky Medium Diamond for the initial angle/edge & finish up with the Pink, followed by White for the last 20 something years. My thicker blades (Kershaw, Gerber, Buck, Etc.)get the 25 degree 'cause they touch up damn quick & are pretty durable & don't seem to chip on bone.

I haven't touched the Ingram, or the Damascus built by Droptine, yet. Don't wanna even touch them! Of course they're staying sharper than most, so I've got some time before I have to mess with 'em.