Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What’s your method of sharpening a hunting knife

A ceramic and then a strop. I’m no master knife sharpener. I try to make it easy by not letting them get to dull. A consistent angle and pressure seems to do the trick as far as sharpening.

Yep.

Bought a diamond bench stone a few years back. Best sharpener I've ever owned!

Was using Japanese water stones before that. The water stones would hollow out pretty quickly, and need replaced.

Virgil. B.

I had the Ken Onion version. Tried to get it to work, ended up tossing it in the trash.

My son uses the water stones and yes those are very good. I have done it my way for so long, I just can't see changing as long as it works for me. I cut meat for Iowa Beef to put my self through college, that is where I learned to really sharpen a knife. I should mention that use of the smooth steel maintains a sharp edge for a long time. It's not often I need to put one on a stone.

Why people don't care to understand the physics of the right steel, putting a proper bevel on a knife by hand, and maintaining that edge is the real question.

Lots of machines out there that put a sharp edge on anything resembling a knife, but knowing cutlery and how to sharpen it is a life skill every outdoorsman... hell, everybody should learn.

Yep. Because when we don't have juice to power 'em, then what?

Screw juice to power them - I'm not burning up my time when I can have a hunt knife razor sharp in a minute and a fish knife razor sharp in two. No power or oil needed.

I hear "I'm ruining my blade" about a hundred times a year but every one of them has to use a microscope to show me how my hair flinging sharp knife is "ruined". Usually hurts their feelings when I laugh in their face. If you have to use a microscope to see that I've done something wrong - I haven't done anything wrong.

This is the worst thing you can do to a knife. Get a knife with good steel, learn to sharpen it and it will actually stay sharp. An accusharp and it’s kind will ruin a knife and create a fragile edge that won’t last long.

Arguments are not necessary. Everyone has their own idea of what "sharp" is. I have a worksharp and several belt sanders I use for lawn tools, axes, and tomahawks. I don't like it for knives because it makes a convex edge. But everyone likes something different.

This one works well for me. Coarse/Fine diamond, and Ark Stone. Gets rid of flats well. My poor Buck 284 gets used more like a multi-tool.😁

Sharp is sharp and measurable.

I will not disagree with you there, but when I am doing a moose in the bush by myself I do not want to mess around and as soon as it dulls in the slightest, 3 swipes it gets and back to work I go in seconds.

When the knife is toast, I simply buy a new one, because I can afford it :o)

Did you plug it in?

I give all my knives to my best friend who went full retard on a $2k+ knife sharpening setup. It is a Tormek T-8 with all the bells and whistles along with a 4000 grit Japanese finishing wheel. Amazing results

If you can afford it, buy a good knife and a good sharpener.

Using a knife properly helps as well. I took this moose to this state alone with only a Havalon Piranha and a couple of blades.

I think I've tried almost all of the above. I just bought an Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife to try this season. We'll see. It's a sharp sucker out of the box, to be sure. At least I can buy a lot of blades for less money than the Japanese $4k strop.

I ruined several good knives over the years because I didn't understand what Rockinbbar mentioned. Just wore out the blades and never got them sharp. I decided to learn to sharpen a knife and the internet has been a good resource. Watching lots of videos and generally learn something from each one. First thing I learned was everyone does it differently and seems to think their way is best. I have several of the sharpening systems mentioned in this thread and they all work to some extent. I am still learning about the different kinds of stones, flattening stones, honing, stropping and lapping. Education is a lifelong process. I can say this for sure, the secret is the burr.

Great job, looks like you did that handy work the gutless method.

Lansky kit and a strop. Easy and quick.

Although I feel keeping a knife sharp is a much better way to go.