Do I need a pocket sharpening stone.

[BigMonster]

Hi guys.
Got my new custom knife and I'm debating some accessories for it. Do I need a pocket sharpening stone/device? Couple of years ago I had DC4 and honestly can't remember using it in the field really, I'm considering Fallknivens new CC4 at the moment. But do you really sharpen in the field? This is M390 steel at 61 hrc and apart form the Moot where I can take my full size lansky I will be using it for a long weekends to make couple of tarp pegs and split some wood. Every bushcraft book says I need one...

 

[MartiniDave]

My DC4 is really only used for my pocket knives, I've never really managed to master using it on a larger blade if I'm absolutely honest about it.

Dave

 

[Leecrutcher]

I wouldn't go as far as saying you will always need one. But considering how light they are it wouldn't hurt too much to take one

 

[Paulm]

Pick up a dmt diafold, red/green (fine/extra fine) for touch up's, and black/blue (extra coarse/coarse) for chips and similar. Even if you don't use them in the field you will at home as the fold out handles make them much easier and safer to use than the credit card type stones/hones.

Even though I've got a great choice at home of full sized diamond plates and ceramic stones, I usually pick up the dmts' or the wet & dry paper wrapped hones

 

[Trotsky]

I've got a DC4 but, it only really sees use at work for keeping my knife in good order.

 

[Samon]

Yeah why not!? with such a hard super steel though you may want to get a very high end pocket stone, or you'll just make a mess of the edge and get no where lol.

A fine hard arkansas stone or man made ceramic emerald type deal (older version of the dc4, new one pfffttt).


Show the knfie

 

[BigMonster]

What I was thinking is that this steel would still be shaving sharp at the end of the weekend. And If I manage to get a chip in it that would be a job for my full size kit at home anyway.
I'm just really curious, do you people really sharpen in the field?

Knife turned out to be crap so deleting details.

 

[Samon]

What I was thinking is that this steel would still be shaving sharp at the end of the weekend. And If I manage to get a chip in it that would be a job for my full size kit at home anyway.
I'm just really curious, do you people really sharpen in the field?

Link to the knifemakers facebook, that's my knife in this post: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1418810014903047&id=253893974727996

Nah, not really. few whips across your belt will do plenty to keep it tidy. Only needs a lick across a stone if it gets too dull to get sahrp from a stropping. So if youre cutting bits of wood and food then you'll be fine, but as it's a special knife get a ncie stone for it anwyay, just incase.

 

[Jared]

Sharpening knives in the field, not so much. But have spent whole days using a billhook, or slasher and they definitely need sharpening multiple times a day.

 

[Janne]

Sharpen at home before you go, it removes the need for sharpening in the field.

 

[Nice65]

Another vote for DMT Diafolds. I have a blue/red that does such a good job my Sharpmaker and EdgePro copy don't get any use at all. Mine lives in the kitchen drawer, I don't take it camping, but it's certainly small and light enough to do so.

 

[Herbalist1]

I do have pocket stones but for the most part I agree with Samon - strop your knife every time you use it. If you're doing a lot of work with the knife, I'd give it a quick strop every half hour. It will save you lots of time sharpening. And if you normally wear a leather belt, you don't even need to take anything extra with you. Mind, you might need to sit down while you strop - being caught stropping a knife with your trousers round your ankles is likely to get you taken in for questioning

 

[Janne]

With my trousers down, I might be able to strop a legal carry, a Kukri not so much.....

 

[Robson Valley]

Sandpapers, stones, plates, whatever. Better yet, take a second knife along.
Figure out what total included bevel angle you need and figure out how you are going to keep that in the field.
A sausage won't notice a chip out of my blade edge. That really takes workshop supplies to fix.
Do nothing. How much of the precious outdoor experience time is needed to mess with some knife edge?

 

[Samon]

Take another knife when he's clearly spent alot of money and time investing in a special one?..

In all seriousness though, strop it when you're done. If you've managed to ding a 61hrc mega steel knife edge then you're probably being doughnut, normal knife stuff doesn't really do anything like that unless you press your edge against very hard material. And even then it's most common with a softer carbon steel with a fine edge on something like animal bone or a knot in some wood. Even then a 'sharpening' stone isn't the answer, a butcher steel or hone steel is. Those types of things iron out the dings and put the edge back in line, whereas a stone removes metal to create an finer edge.

 

[Robson Valley]

Yes. Spend a dime and buy lesser knives to take along for lesser jobs.
Don't think I'll carry my J.A. Henckels kitchen rod any time soon.

True, knots and bones do have a sameness to them.
Chopping ribs is not a knife job, even in the field.
Cracking a sternum with a big knife works just fine.

1/2 sheets of 600, 800 and 1,000 3M W&D fine automotive sandpapers take up little space and weigh next to nothing.
Some sort(s) of hard mandrels like shotgun stocks. I can't see needing any finer field edges than that.

 

[BigMonster]

I think you are confirming what I was thinking.
Slim chance I get my main knife dull through couple tasks over the weekend trip.
Pocket devices are not goin to be very effective to bring a big knife back to 100%.
If I expect a lot of use/long trip I be better off bringing with me more comprehensive sharpening kit, which in my case means my Lansky turnbox as most compact/hassle free full size sharpening device.
I think I'll divert those £20 away from pocket stone towards Silky folding saw which is also on my list.

 

[Janne]

You can always use a piece of flat rock to get a fully acceptable edge in case you dull it.


Humankind has done with stone edges, sharpened bone,soft Bronze, Iron and low grade steel edges just fine for many millennia.
No need to go anal.
Life is to short to worry about a 100% edge...

 

[Robson Valley]

Lots of people don't have access to a wide selection of hard river stones for sharpening.
Have to make do with store-bought ones. In any case they all really need water or oil to carry away the swarf so they don't plug up.

All the side mountain creeks here are really low water. Cold and tight up top now.
Stones as far as you can see, take your pick. There's lots of them in piles now in my yard.

The only issue that I've found is trying to hold a consistent bevel angle over a curved stone.
Most of the PacNW natives that I've watched use stones with long, smooth rounded edges.
They do a long knife edge with a diagonal stroke, moving the stone over the blade.

 

[Janne]

My near ancestors used a tongue shaped sandstone to sharpen the scythes and other grass cutting blades.
Held the blade still, moved the blade.
stored in a water filled cow horn attached to the belt.
Once so often, maybe every 10 minutes, swish!, swish!, plonk back into horn.