I have been using a Spyderco Doublestuff ceramic stone for keeping an edge in the field. I am now wondering whether I should move over to a natural stone to sharpen my blade. What are people's thoughts about natural stone and ceramic-type stones? Which are better/ more effective?
Sharpening stones
- Thread starter Springchicken
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Naniwa certainly seem to earn praise but I am not really looking for a full-size bench stone. I should've made it clearer in my original post: I'm looking for a small, 'pocket' stone to use when I'm out in the woods and was wondering about natural stone options as opposed to the Doublestuff/DC4 ones. I notice that Naniwa do make a 'pocket' stone but it's still quite big and heavy...
IMO the spyderco doublestuff is probably the best pocket stone currently available. That said, my go-to is the ceramic half of a very old dc4 and a DMT diamond "stone" (the red one). I only use the DMT because the diamond wore out on my dc4 and I don't like the "new" style ceramic that fallkniven use. If I was starting from scratch I'd get a couple of DMT stones in different grits, and maybe try and find a nice smooth piece of ceramic from some old hair straighteners, the only reason I wouldn't get the spyderco is that they're a bit expensive to my mind. The "best" option is probably a few different grades of wet and dry glued to pieces of plywood, they stay flat, they're always "fresh", you can make them whatever size you want, having many different grits is always going to give a better edge than having just two...however, you need to look after them a bit more and they don't look quite so gucci.
tl:dr, stick with the spyderco, you've already spent the money and they're really very good.
tl:dr, stick with the spyderco, you've already spent the money and they're really very good.
I picked up an Ezelap double-sided folding stone last year.
One side is very fine diamond, 1200 I think, and the other is ceramic.
Unless you need to take out big chips it's flipping brilliant.
With a go over my homemade pocket leather strop with compound it gets scary sharp enough for field use and carving, for me. I love it.
Not cheap, but you get what you pay for.
But it's most unnatural however, so maybe not what you're looking for.
One side is very fine diamond, 1200 I think, and the other is ceramic.
Unless you need to take out big chips it's flipping brilliant.
With a go over my homemade pocket leather strop with compound it gets scary sharp enough for field use and carving, for me. I love it.
Not cheap, but you get what you pay for.
But it's most unnatural however, so maybe not what you're looking for.
If you really mean natural stone, as in stone you can find on the floor, the answer depends on the knife (as a tool) and what you plan to do with it in the field. If you're knocking out kindling, it doesn't need dressing in the field. If you insist on making feather sticks you'll need it pretty much carving sharp (which is why, if I need it, I prefer fuzz sticks). If it's for eating and general camp duties you only need it somewhere in between. Over-sharpening a tool is wasteful on time and the blade.
What natural stone you use in the field will depend on where you are and the material to hand. Slate makes a great dressing stone (as do other fine grained sedimentary stones) but won't grind away chips. For that you'll need a more aggressive material. Use plenty of water in either case. If your blade is already sharp and just needs a touch-up for a finer job consider just stropping on your belt.
What natural stone you use in the field will depend on where you are and the material to hand. Slate makes a great dressing stone (as do other fine grained sedimentary stones) but won't grind away chips. For that you'll need a more aggressive material. Use plenty of water in either case. If your blade is already sharp and just needs a touch-up for a finer job consider just stropping on your belt.
If you are keen to move over to a natural stone you will do a lot worse than a punt on an Arkansas stone. Small and light they are all I used until I discovered DMT Diafolds.
If you want performance and lightweight then the Diafold takes a LOT of beating IMO. If you go for a double-sided "Fine/Extra Fine" then you should be able to get a shaving edge in the field every time as long as the blade is not dulled stupidly to start with.
'In the field' sharpening does not need to be to the level of what we can achieve at home. It just needs to make to blade sharp enough to be useable to a reasonable level.
If you want performance and lightweight then the Diafold takes a LOT of beating IMO. If you go for a double-sided "Fine/Extra Fine" then you should be able to get a shaving edge in the field every time as long as the blade is not dulled stupidly to start with.
'In the field' sharpening does not need to be to the level of what we can achieve at home. It just needs to make to blade sharp enough to be useable to a reasonable level.
THIS ^^^^^^^^^ is the most sensible thing that I’ve read about sharpening on this forum.
Me?
I carry a two sided axe puck in my rucksack for nearly everything Camping. (as opposed to chisels and gouges.)
Thankyou Pattree. Sharp enough is sharp enough. Those who know me are aware of what I can do with an edge. With good steel a hair-whittling edge can be achieved with the correct approach and the right tools. I do it often. Making mini-feather-sticks with a human hair is fun, but it's not a level of sharpness required for field use of a knife. Sharpening 'in the field' is simply keeping a tool working well. It should be mastered by anyone who regularly uses edged tools outdoors, but it does not have to reach the levels of what can achieved at home with equipment we wouldn't want to add to our packs.
