Can someone suggest a good small knife sharpener for hunting knives? something full proof, as i am not someone who is good at using a stone. Just looking for something to put in my pack to keep my hunting knife sharp if it gets dull.

i have looked at the Lansky blade medic and Smith PP1 but looking for suggestions.

You need to get hold of michiganroadkill

Wicked Edge...thank me later.

I've been using the Spyderco Sharpmaker with the extra stones but have been eyeing the Edge Pro or KME. The Wicked Edge looks great but the price might make you pucker a bit

Another vote for the Spyderco. Easy to use and portable. The key is keeping an edge and touching up the blade before it dulls too much.

Work sharp field sharpener. 20-$25, throw it in your backpack.

I’ve learned to not let knives get dull. Strop often.

I use a Gatco at home and carry a backup knife in my pack and have never needed to sharpen in the field. I'd like to upgrade my setup at home with an Edge Pro or Wicked Edge but wouldn't want to carry one in my pack.

with knife sharpeners, there is always the good old Norton three stone oil bath set

Don’t let it get too dull, strop often as said above. Knife with the right steel and good edge geometry won’t need touched up too often.

Most of the systems are training wheels for not learning hand sharpening.... some are actually dangerous because the stones can twist if you go too fast and then it’s your fingers contacting the knife blade and not the stone.

I recommend the Edge Pro system because it’s a mix of hand sharpening & something to help you control angles.

The wicked edge is very very much training wheels and controlled angle but really, really, really expensive... and the damn stones can twist on you... NOT cool.
Lansky is pretty good and cost effective as well... there is another lansky like system with wider stones that are a bit easier to grip as well.

In the end -

ALL the systems still require some time to get proficient with knife sharpening —- WHY because the remove the feedback your hands get between the blade and the stone.

Personally once I learn a system I want to go a bit faster with it... remember they control your movement so this can become a pain you don’t enjoy.
That’s what lead me to the edge pro - I still get decent feedback, and the ability to move things around so I can go at my own speed, yet it controls the angle.

What ever system you get ... guy a “angle cube” that will help you track the angle you are sharpening your knife at, AND use a sharpe on the knife edge to see how well you are following the edge with the stone..

Best of luck

I’ve used a Lansky for over 30 years. Have sharpened hundreds of broadheads and many dozen knives. I have the non diamond stone stones that you need to use oil with. The key is have the blade solidly clamped in so it does not move.
I’ve worn out several sets of stones, but they’re easily replaced and not expensive. The Lansky works best on shorter blades, 4” or less.

So simple even your wife can do it. And it puts on a wicked sharp edge.

Quick Edge

Deflave touted these back awhile and by damn they work.
Remember Deflave?

^^^This^^^

Have you considered just buying a knife with one of the new high hardness, high toughness steels and forgetting about the sharpener? I have a Tim Olt M4 blade that I cannot imagine getting dull on one hunting trip. I have a number of VG-10 blades that are very similar. You could just drop the knife by a shop to get it sharpened should you get it dull.

It doesn't make up for not being able to use a sharpening stone, but it is a work around that more people use than not.

I've used all kinds of stones and crock sticks, but lately I've just been using the Smith PP1 pocket pal. It works great.