Sharpening on the go, best method?

[Daniel Saucier]

I currently sharpen at home only with a Wicked Edge sharpener. Going away for a week, bringing a couple knives with me and want to know how you guys are sharpening while out and about? I have no hand sharpening experience. Looking for something quite portable that could go in a backpack.

Thanks for any info………:)

Sauce

[Jed Bowen]

The option of portability is tough as far as backpack size as the think weighs a lot. Clay came up with a carry case that is a great design and is already cut out for your WE and accessories. The other thing is that the base is 12″x12″ and the height is about 7″ tall. I break my WE down to transport it for now. I have a small Pelican 1450 case that I carry mine in for right now. I have a layer of foam on the bottom then put my base down with my vice jaws next to it with a pair of gloves. Then another piece of foam with stones in a Plano case with the arms and arm bar then another piece of foam over that with a cigar box with some goodies in it and the angel cube in it is box.
My next step up is my Pelican 1510 carry on case with wheels and layed out like Clays design and see if I can attach a chair and my Rigid work stand and table.
http://m1348.photobucket.com/albums/jethro1975/WE%20BreakDown/

[Mikedoh]

I’d probably just take a few different knives and assign them tasks, from a beater knife to a razor edge.

The lansky or DMT guided systems might work for you.

[Daniel Saucier]

Thanks Jed for the idea. I know this is a WE forum, but there is a lot of knowledge within that I’m looking to pull from. When I say portable, that’s exactly what I mean. I.E. Backpacking, hunting, fishing, vacationing around with the kids, places you are not going to lug around a WE with you.

Thanks,
Sauce

[Jed Bowen]

DMT has some small diamond stones that are coarse, medium and fine and are about the size of a credit card or a couple of double sized stones that open up like a butterfly knife. They all work great and are very compact and light. But the edge I put on with the WE lasts a very long time so out camping and does not need to be re-sharpened but I strop my knife on the back of my belt and it will whit the edge back into shape for that razor polished edge. And if I go out of town to see family or friends I throw my case in the car and go.

[Mark76]

Going away for a week, bringing a couple knives with me and want to know how you guys are sharpening while out and about? I have no hand sharpening experience. Looking for something quite portable that could go in a backpack.

When my car is with me, the WEPS is. But I agree it’s not the ideal solution for a backpack.

I have a Fallkniven DC4 diamond/ceramic stone. Probably similar to the DMT stones Jed referred to. This is ideal for sharpening your outdoor knives, provided you are somewhat proficient in manual sharpening. (I am not and I have used it more than once to make a knife blunter rather than sharper.)

A sort-of guided angle system that is very portable and of pretty high quality is the Spyderco sharpener. I used it before I got my WEPS and still love it. Just be aware that it is more for touching up edges. You’re going to have a hard time if you want to use it to reprofile a knife.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Alfredo Luna]

When I go away for a couple of days of hunting or fishing I just throw in my pack a DMT double sided stone Fine/Extra Fine.
If my knives are already sharp (WickedEdged) most of the time they will just need a touch-up, which you can do with some light strokes on the DMT stone.
When I get back home, I put the knives back on the WickedEdge to restore the edges.

Al

[Mikedoh]

Vacation may be a good time to learn a little free hand sharpening. The thing that helped me to learn how was the statement “pretend you are trying to slice the stone”.

Get the stone that Aelt mentions. Take a sharpie along and a “sacrificial” knife sharpened at 22 per side. Practice using the extra fine side and let the sharpie marks be your guide. You may pick up the hang of it quite quickly. You aren’t going to get a mirror like polish, but you’re likely to be able to keep things adequately sharp.

Just a thought

[cbwx34]

Hey Sauce…

Consider just putting a fine WE diamond stone, and/or strop in your pack. One of the advantages of sharpening with the WE, is that it leaves a nice flat bevel, that can be matched pretty easily freehand for minor touchups. And the size/shape of the WE stones makes them easy to hold and perform this task. I’ll sometimes use mine this way for a quick touchup. No need necessarily to buy another stone or strop that essentially accomplishes the same thing.

[Phil Pasteur]

Thanks Jed for the idea. I know this is a WE forum, but there is a lot of knowledge within that I’m looking to pull from. When I say portable, that’s exactly what I mean. I.E. Backpacking, hunting, fishing, vacationing around with the kids, places you are not going to lug around a WE with you.
Sauce

I guess we go back to the often used “it depends”. What do you want to be able to do?

If you want to take a dull knife to sharp, the answer is one thing. If you want so simply put the great edge back on a previously sharp knife after a bit of use.. there is a different answer.

So, what are you looking to do?

Backpacking… in the back country for several days where every ounce counts, is way different than car camping and back packing for a few hours.. As is fishing where you just walk from the place your vehicle is to a fishing site within a mile or so.

When I used to vacation with the kids… mostly it meant taking more stuff than would be required for two weeks, on a two day trip..
:silly:

If you want economy of weight and space, I don’t see much in the way of your options other than a stone or two and learning how to hand sharpen effectively, or at least adequately. As Curtis mentioned, a couple of paddles with 4 grits on WEPS handles would keep things real simple, and cost you nothing.

When I used to…and the operative terms are “used to” backpack for a day or more… I sharpened any knives that I would be using first. I then only carried a 3 X 1 X 0.125″ white Arkansas stone for touching up. I simply never planned on doing much more than keeping things sharp.

If you want to go on a survivalist hike… get a similarly sized medium carborundum stone… learn to sharpen by hand, an accept the fact that it is unlikely that you can get anything hair splitting or paper push cutting sharp. But in that situation, I don’t think that those should be goals.

So really, what do you need to do?

[Phil Pasteur]

BTW the Spyderco system

“

A sort-of guided angle system that is very portable and of pretty high quality is the Spyderco sharpener. I used it before I got my WEPS and still love it. Just be aware that it is more for touching up edges. You’re going to have a hard time if you want to use it to re-profile a knife.

Is exactly as Mark describes it… SORT OF a guided system.. But not really. It is a hand sharpening system that gives you fixed references for setting the angle. Still a significant learning curve!

[cbwx34]

BTW the Spyderco system

“

A sort-of guided angle system that is very portable and of pretty high quality is the Spyderco sharpener. I used it before I got my WEPS and still love it. Just be aware that it is more for touching up edges. You’re going to have a hard time if you want to use it to re-profile a knife.

Is exactly as Mark describes it… SORT OF a guided system.. But not really. It is a hand sharpening system that gives you fixed references for setting the angle. Still a significant learning curve![/quote]

And you also have to pay attention to how the angles used relate between sharpeners.

[Phil Pasteur]

http://www.razoredgesystems.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=20&category_id=4&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

I used one of these for a few years… it works. You do need a full size stone … I think, to use it effectively. I would think that something around a 1K stone should do… if you are just touching up a bit.

You can also look at their full kit. It would be a bit much for backpacking for days, but not too much for car camping or touring while staying at hotels.

http://www.razoredgesystems.com/products/kits?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ilvm_fly2_grey.tpl&product_id=37&category_id=3

They have several different kits with different size stones and upgraded carrying cases.

http://www.razoredgesystems.com/products/kits

Just a thought…
This will not replace your WEPS…obviously
😛

[Kent]

You can always order the WE field kit

The spyderco sharpmaker is a nice all in one kit. You can buy the ultra fine stones as well as the diamond stones. Put one of each in the case and have a system for nearly any knife. I dont have the diamond stones for mine. I just use sand paper wrapped around another stone. I do have the ultrafine stone though.

Really depends on how long u are gone. For a weekend I wouldn’t see the need for anything sharpening related. I used to do a lot of traveling.

2 days nothing
4 day maybe the WE strops only
5-7 days out the 800/1000 and strops depends on where going.
7+ sharpmaker as described above with the strops or home made large single sided strop

[Daniel Saucier]

Thanks for all the ideas…..good stuff!

Philip, you always break it down pretty good, don’t you? :whistle:

Here’s what I’m looking for: the most versatility in a small package(portable), something I can have in my backpack all the time whether I’m close to home or not, without having to remember to load WE paddles back and forth. Will not be doing complete reprofilings. Something that can put an edge back on that requires more than stropping.

What I’m leaning towards so far are these two: the Spyderco Double Stuff or the DMT credit card stones 3 pack(I know, hand sharpening learning curve, I’m looking forward to it). Seems each can be taken with you easily, and quite capable with limitations I understand. Comments on these? Does anyone know if you can strop on the Double Stuff pouch? Which also leads into my next question:

Recommendations on strops? Again, something portable I can keep with most likely one of the above two without taking WE stuff with me. This will get more use than the stones as 95% of sharpening will be done at home on WE.

Thanks again,
Sauce

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