Can you use a rock to sharpen a knife?

golok

golok

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Oct 20, 2000
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Let's say it so happens you don't have any sharpening stone of any kind with you. And you are out there in the bushes.

In this instance, will a rock do?

I have heard that some people just find an appropriate rock and go on from there.

Of course, it is not the best of solutions but under the circumstances, better a half-sharpened blade than a dull one, right?
 
You bet that you can!
You just need a suitable rock. After all, what do you think _natural_ sharpening stones are?
Rocks in rivers work best, as they have rounded, smooth surfaces.
Also from the same "Lying Around Inc" manufacturer
- ceramic bits
- microchips (often have ceramic cases)
- glass shards (canm be used as a steel)
- wood (good for polishing or even sharpening if used with river lime)
and so on.
 
My experience has been that a river rock is good for straightening a blade edge, but only moderately good for sharpening.
 
In the Sept. 2000 issue of TK Jeff Randall authored an article called "Using Rocks as Sharpeners for Emerigencies in the Field!" He talks about the Moh hardness and suitability of different rocks such as quartz and sandstone. Basically, he says that sharpening stones are, of course, better, but rocks can work in the field. The texture and hardness of a rock determines its effectiveness for sharpening.

Regards,
David
 
Sure, a rock would work, unless of course you have a knife made from one of the 'super steels' that are a bitch to sharpen even with good equipment.
 
You can sharpena knife to a super razor edge with a rock and a piece of wood, trust me.
You have just to choose very carefully the rock and the piece of wood. You can't obviously think that just by picking up the first rock you see you'll even come near to sharpening your knife, but mother Nature has a lot of interesting things for those who know how to look :D
 
Originally posted by mikemck
Sure, a rock would work, unless of course you have a knife made from one of the 'super steels' that are a bitch to sharpen even with good equipment.
Click to expand...

What would happen then?... would it sharpen the rock?!? :D

Or, how about this: your knife is made of POJ pakistani steel - otherwise known to knifemakers as "butter" - sharpening it with a rock would only make it worse.
 
It isn't difficult to find a rock that can abrade even the hardest of steels. However the best rock you can find is going to be much worse than a hone so badly damaged you would never even think of using it. Just think of all the trouble that goes into making a hone to eliminate inclusions, and produce a flat and even surface.

Concrete works decently well on softer machetes. The edge you will get is very rough, so it would tear up the edge on a fine hunter and give you a jagged saw. Finding a rock that is smooth enough to produce a fine edge isn't going to be easy. The knife edge would need to be seriously degraded before you would improve it on a rock. This is either weeks of serious use, or something really taxing like digging.

There are lots better methods available usually, such as alignment off of a hard and smooth object, or stropping with or without paste which you can make fairly easily from river silt for example. That being said, it doesn't hurt to experiment.

-Cliff
 
I was wondering when Cliff would reply on this one...:D

Just be careful what advice he gives you about rocks - he also uses them to BREAK knives...and on purpose!:D:rolleyes: :p
 
Originally posted by Penentive:
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Or, how about this: your knife is made of POJ pakistani steel - otherwise known to knifemakers as "butter" - sharpening it with a rock would only make it worse.
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Hey, I resemble that statement! Seriously, I use a POJ Pakistani steel Bowie as a thrower. I removed the brass handguard and taped the handle. I sharpen it on a rock all the time and I get a jagged but functional edge. That "butter" steel is good for throwing and light chopping but that's about it. With a good throw it will stick "three fingers deep" into a railroad tie! Try stabbing a piece of wood and getting that deep.

Anyways, sorry for getting off track but a grainy, flat rock will work.
 
Speaking of sharp, how about that S30V?!?

My S30V blade is in a different realm from what I am used to. Before, I only thought I knew what sharp was..Best of all, I can easily get my S30V beyond scary sharp with nothing but my Sharpmaker ceramic rods.
 
Back in the day, that is to say before anyone ever heard of anything like "blade steel", the Aztecs (and i'm sure several other primitive cultures) used to actually use "knives" made of obsidian, they'd actually take obsidian slices and apply them against a harder rock (obsidian is very soft), doing so allowed them to attain something resembling a sharp edge, however because of the weakness of material, it was prone to dulling and chipping often, it wasn't very efficient, but it worked. If you can locate a smooth rock harder than your steel, then the same rule should apply, it will be more difficult, but at the same time it is just basic physics. It's true that fresh running water (particularly rivers and streams) yield the best "natural" sharpening equipment.
 
Here's a couple of neat little tricks I read about in one of the knife mags, I know these work, I've tried them both.

Need to steel your blade, try the rounded edge of your car window, works great.

Need a strop, try the cardboard backing on a legal pad, also works in a pinch.

Anybody else have some make shift sharpening hints? ;)
 
Originally posted by YoungCutter
used to actually use "knives" made of obsidian, they'd actually take obsidian slices and apply them against a harder rock (obsidian is very soft), doing so allowed them to attain something resembling a sharp edge
Click to expand...

Obsidian? Soft? :confused:

In our neck of the woods we have good soft and flat sandstone that will put as good of an edge on a machete as most commercial stones.
 
Can you use a rock to sharpen a knife?


No. It is a little-known historical fact that no knives were ever sharpened prior to the invention of the diamond-impregnated ceramic rod.

[/sarcastic]
 
Originally posted by Gollnick
Can you use a rock to sharpen a knife?


No. It is a little-known historical fact that no knives were ever sharpened prior to the invention of the diamond-impregnated ceramic rod.

[/sarcastic]
Click to expand...
LMAO. Thanks!
 
I was caught by the missus using the unglazed circle on the bottom of our best teacups (read coffee cups for you lot) but it worked real well.
 
my grandma always used to sharpen her kitchen knives on the concrete door step, I have a large flat snadstone I found on a beach once, I got a half decent edge with that. but its definately possible to get a razor edge with a natural stone, look at arkansas whetstones...
 
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