Sharpening solution for hiking

M

mudriver

Joined
Dec 17, 2005
Messages
24
I have a sharpmaker but hate to travel with it since breaking the ceramic rods on a trip. What is a good travel sharpening solution for a hunting/camping knife?
 
i carry one fallkniven DC3, like the one in photo
dc3blue.jpg

small and capable :D gives very good polished edges
comes with a small black leather pouch, and has two sides, one diamond and one fine ceramic
the sharpmaker stays home, but sometimes, when im away for months, il take it with me
 
Those Fallkniven sharpeners look pretty nice. I have one of the fine pocket ceramic stones from Spyderco. It works pretty well. One of the double ones with a medium on one side and fine on the other might be a bit nicer, depending on the situation. They're very light, at least.

Not sure how durable they are, I'm sure you could snap one in half without too much effort. I keep mine pretty well protected inside a tin or pot most of the time.

Another option is an altoid tin or similar with various grits of sandpaper stored inside.
 
I made a little sharpening/knife care kit out of an altoids tin, based on an idea I saw here. Couple of sheets of leather, some polishing compound, a few pieces of wet/dry...

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I've gotten some really good results with those Smith brand pocket arkansas stones. At least on the softer steels like gerber uses. Haven't tried it on VG-10 yet, but doesn't do well on S30V (takes forever and for what ever the reason the resulting edge isn't very durable).
 
Try a small diamond stone, they won't shatter on you and it can help take out nicks from your blade.
 
The best thing I have found for quick field touch-ups while hunting, packing, or etc away from home, are the small diamond rod sharpeners. Several companies make them. I am talking about the small ones that fit in a shirt packet (or pack) like a writting pen and about the same size and weight. They make arough edge, but they are durable and work great and fast for a field touch-up.

You can dress up the edge when you get back home.
 
I agree w/ Lizard. Those pen size rods w/ a flat side and diamond are portable, easy to use and give a good, quick, toothy edge. Also, they make sharpening serrations a snap. DM
 
Some wet/dry 600 sandpaper folds up flat in your wallet. You can wrap it around a stick or flat rock, or put it on your thigh and strop with it.
 
Alberta Ed said:
DMT two-sided folding hones are great for camping and backpacking.
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That's what I usually carry. I have a green/white combo that seems to do a good job until I can get back home to the Sharpmaker or Edge Pro. I also have a set of 701s but the DMT packs easier. It lives in my M1 bag in the Jeep with some other essentials.
 
At the risk of heresy :p I'd say no sharpener at all is the best solution.:thumbup:

If you have a quality knive made from a quality steel, and it's properly sharpened before you take the field, there will be no need to re-sharpen before you get home. :)
 
i can tell you dont hunt , the double sided dmt is a constant nessecity on elk hunt s and i carry s90v military , things in the outdoors are dirty , including animals ,nothing is harder on a knife than an elks muddy hide.
 
Actually, I'm an avid deer and elk hunter. I've never had to resharpen my Doziers when dressing out elk. :thumbup:

I haven't tried my Spyderco Military S9VC on game yet, but there's no doubt in my mind that it will poerform as well as the Doziers.

My son field dressed a bull moose in Montana with a Cold Steel Master Hunter without resharpening it. :p

I don't understand how you're dulling S90V on an elk. Are you batonning the blade through the pelvic bone?????:confused:
 
Try completely butchering one with one blade.. Ive done it twice with my AUS-8 Kershaw Echo.. Id like to see a knife that can fully butcher an elk and not need to be sharpened..
 
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