Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What do you use to get your hunting knives razor sharp

RH, like Dr. Wako says it is a matter of preference. Perhaps the videos will be useful for other readers of the thread that don't have your experience. (like me )

Pretty much what RJY66 said.

I use two oil stones with a total of 4 different grits and finish with a strop. The stones were inherited so I don't really know what grit, brand, quality, etc of stones I'm using, I just know they work for me.

Tom

I use a lansky diamond set and finish with Black hard Arkansas stone on my good hunting knives. Knock around pocket knives and kitchen knives a chefs choice diamond sharpener.

I use a Japanese water stone, and keep it flushed with running water while sharpening, then use a steel to finish the edge.

I'll touch up the edge with a steel several times between stone sharpening.

Virgil B.

I use this steel that was my grandfathers. A steel can't put an edge on a knife. It restores an edge that's already there by standing the microscopic edges back up after they've been bent over.

Doesnt anyone use a pocket whetstone and some good old fashioned spit anymore?

Interesting idea, I thought I'd give it a go. Holy crap, I shredded both doors on my CJ5 and got into the top before I went back to the Lansky! Doesn't work for sheit man!

That Lansky was way cheaper than a new Jeep top too!

Yea,I guess that did sound pretty arrogant. Sorry about that.

What I really mean is that knives need to be sharp. I want my knives sharp,but I don't obsess about them being scary sharp. I mean surgically sharp,because that surgically sharp edge has to be delicate to be that sharp. It doesn't take much before that very delicate edge will either roll if the metal is soft or micro chip if it is really hard. That super surgically sharp edge will quickly be reduced to just a normal shaving sharp.that I could have put on the knife with a whole lot less trouble.

Personally,I think one of the best things people can do is to learn to use a good sharp knife for sharp knife things and a different tool for rougher work. If they would do that,they could get rid of secondary bevels,have a much thinner blade profile that would be easier to sharpen and cut better in soft tissue. The reason makers don't do that though is because some idiot wants to baton through knotty wood with a 4" hunter and see if the edge will hold up to cutting through bone,wire,and nails. I make my personal knives much thinner and carry a hatchet for chopping.

I agree with those who have said that a slightly "toothier" edge is superior to a surgically sharp blade. A blade that has been sharpened to that level will indeed dull rather quickly. I have noticed that a toothier edge does slice better - think of it as a micro-serrations that enable a blade to bite, thereby slicing/cutting easier. Another way to look at the benefit of a toothier edge is to see which is more effective at cutting sisal rope. The toothier edge will bite into the rope enabling the blade to cut the rope more effectively; whereas, a surgically sharp blade will simply slice across the rope without cutting deeply at all.

I use Arkansas oil stones to sharpen my knives to a level that is shaving sharp, but not surgically sharp. Unless the edge is in very poor shape, I start with a medium Arkansas stone and, occasionally, I will progress to a hard Arkansas stone. I then use an oiled leather strop mounted on a wood base to dress the edge and remove the wire edge. If a blade is in poor condition and I need to establish a proper bevel, or remove chips, I will start with a medium/coarse Norton India stone and then progress to a fine India stone before I move to my Arkansas stones.

I have used ceramic rods, but I view such contraptions as a means to maintain or touch-up an edge, rather than as a tool to fully and properly sharpen a blade.

amazing how many absolutely correct ways there are to skin the proverbial cat, eh?

+1 for worksharp. Watch the 2 min video and anyone can be good at sharpening knives.

Yankees call 'em stones!

To me it's a 'whetrock'!

HEHE, and a Dewalt 4 1/2 grinder to sharpen it with..

Man, I've just start d buying cheap knives and using a big bastard file. I can get one hair popping sharp with that. I could never learn to sharpen a knife worth a damn until I learned how to sharpen broadheads with a file.

^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

I bought the replaceable blade Outdoor Edge knife and I love it. I've done 2 Antelope and a doe Muley and it's about time to change the first blade. Blades are cheap from my local Sportsman's Warehouse. I carry two extras in the sheath and have about a dozen more at home. I have lots of hunting knives and many are pretty damn sharp, but none compare to the razor sharp replaceables.

Those are box cutters.

Not knives.




Dave

I have both the worksharp and the lansky diamond hones. Either one will get a knife really frickin' sharp. To maintain the edge though, I just give them a few swipes on the JA Henckels steel that came with the kitchen knives.

I like a sharp knife....The hunting knives and kitchen knives are kept in a condition my better half calls "scary sharp"

Good thread.

I've got the Spyderco and have been really happy with it. I didn't know what the 30* back bevel was for, but since figuring it out, I've been doing them all this way. Seems to help hold the edge a bit.

I still have all my Arkie stones, but they hardly get used. Never was great using them even after a ton of practice.

Only on softer steel knives. Hair dulls a blade faster than meat and a blade made from D2 will hold it's edge better against that but is harder to sharpen. Depending on the knife I will use stones and strop or stone and steel

This ^^^