Ok I've seen it said elsewhere before that you can sharpen a knife on any kind of stone you can pick up, now I know it's nice to have a waterstone or a dc4 with you but eventually there may be a time where that isn't possible, so I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of this and if they can provide explainations to how it can be accomplished as I'd love to try it out on an old blade.
Suvival situation knife sharpening
- Thread starter Feygan
- Start date
I am not really a believer in finding that flat stone. You probably will just burn a lot of calories looking for one 
A good trick is to apply a lot of chrome polish or stropping compound on the inner side of a leather waist belt and just carry that. Makes a mean strop and you are carrying that belt anyway..
I also carry a replica of a small viking sharpening stone as a neck pendant that works very well in the field. You can get those from ragweed forge
-Emile
A good trick is to apply a lot of chrome polish or stropping compound on the inner side of a leather waist belt and just carry that. Makes a mean strop and you are carrying that belt anyway..
I also carry a replica of a small viking sharpening stone as a neck pendant that works very well in the field. You can get those from ragweed forge
-Emile
The thing which many seems not to understand is: The knife doesn't have to be 100% sharp to be usable. I rarely sharpen my knives. It is much easier to use a sharp knife, but it will work either way.
Yes, you can sharpen on rocks. I did that quite often. The knife is a tool, even if I get some scratches in the polish, bringing it to a fairly good edge is what matters.
Most not too glossy or coarse rocks are usable, but if you find a good one; stick with it.
Yes, you can sharpen on rocks. I did that quite often. The knife is a tool, even if I get some scratches in the polish, bringing it to a fairly good edge is what matters.
Most not too glossy or coarse rocks are usable, but if you find a good one; stick with it.
G
gwing
Guest
the underside of a mug works but for stones just look around i have a broken file i use for firelighting and gettin rid of burs then a rock i found that works well
If its a survival situation, I'm guessing you wouldn't be worried about being able to carve a spoon or some fine detailing - so an edge that could make a bow drill, split wood, featherstick would do - I'd be looking for a fairly fine stone if it was just for touching up an edge...
First and foremost a dull blade will slip and it is inherrantly dangerous. Now in a survival situation... you see many knife sheaths displayed in these threads with a ferro rod attached to the sheath, include a stone in a pouch sewn to the sheath also or as in my case with my knife I carry a small belt pouch with a spare compass, ferro rod, whistle and a diamond lap, it goes were the knife does. My particular knife does infact have a fine stone as part of the sheath and a ferro rod loop would be an added benefit. Water stone,diamond lap is a lot easier to use than oils stone sbut in a survival situation whatever goes.
Carcajou Garou said:
Just will have to be careful then. If you work away from your body it is hard to hurt yourself on a knife, regardless of how dull it is.....
A reality check is in order here, In a survival situation you might be very lucky to have the clothes on your back never mind your favourite knife and all the backup accessories. In the survival scenario boulder smashing to create a sharp edge would be the way to go in the absence of flint or similar materials. Smooth stones found on river beds or shore etc will give you a very fine edge as long as you are willing to use the knife as working tool rather than a precious designer label, I frequently use these as I do not posses any manufactured stones at all.
Particularly in these modern times - I reckon the most likely time you'd end up in a serious survival situation would be in a plane crash, so the chances of having any sharp implements about your person are slim to none.
dommyracer said:
That can give a sharp edge, ever cut yourself on a torn drinks can? Also if it is a comercial airliner there will be all sorts of metals, steel, titanium alloys the list goes on. In the end in a survival situation you use what you have.
You can use a Ferro rod to steel the edge just go slowly or sparks will fly
You also can use the edge of your Leather Sheath/Belt to strop the edge. If no rocks available a piece of wood flattened on one side with numerous shallow depressions made and rub Fine sand into it,just don't cut into it draw the blade edge backward's.
You also can use the edge of your Leather Sheath/Belt to strop the edge. If no rocks available a piece of wood flattened on one side with numerous shallow depressions made and rub Fine sand into it,just don't cut into it draw the blade edge backward's.
I imagine that a good edge can be achieved with most common ( not pourous ) stones.
Just differing levels of spit, elbow grease and time to reach that edge.
As pointed out one would be exceptionally lucky to have any kind of blade with them at all.
And oh my God iv'e just been thinking about how i would sharpen my belt buckle and attatch it to a stick
Just differing levels of spit, elbow grease and time to reach that edge.
As pointed out one would be exceptionally lucky to have any kind of blade with them at all.
And oh my God iv'e just been thinking about how i would sharpen my belt buckle and attatch it to a stick
dommyracer said:
Lots of aluminiun yes. also lots of titanium which will sharpen somewhat, but dont forget the turbine blades in the engine, they are already an appropriate shape and with some work will sharpen nicely. There are a couple of thousand (i think) in an engine. The manufacutrers are a bit coy about telling me what they are made from but IMHO it doesnt really matter steel, titanium or even carbon fibre will all make a serviceable knife. theres also tons of plastic & abs composites in the interior fitments which will all make serviceable knives though easily blunted. The luggage will dertainly contain rucksacks with internal frames of flat metal bar. There is a lot of glass bottles and drinking glasses which will flake or can be knapped to a razor edge and handled into a knife. If you are really stuck you could destroy the black box which i think is a steel case (not sure how).
I agree that the most likely survival situation is a plane crash but it is a rich survival resource no matter what
Cheers
Nick
Chances are if I have a knife I will also have a sharpener. I'm not sure what you mean by a survival situation but for the most part, the closest I would come to an outdoors survival situation is getting lost in the woods and having to spend a night out or taking a spill in my canoe in the backcountry in late fall or early spring. My knives are always sharp when I go into the woods so it's unlikely that they would become so dull as to not be useful in a one to three day survival situation. Nevertheless, I almost always carry a sharpening tool of some sort, even if it's just a piece of sandpaper folded up and placed in my pocket.
If you are traveling to third world countries, it's common to find folks who sharpen their knives on rocks. In this situation, it's best to have a knife in the lower Rockwell range, like most machetes and butcher knives. In general, if you are really concerned about finding yourself in a survival situation where you will be requried to sharpen your knife on a rock, I'd stick with carbon blades hardened at closer to 40-50 Rockwell than 60 Rockwell. Cheap, soft steel knives are used by indigenous peoples around the world and apparently, they work quite well.
For stainless, I've found Marttiini leukus and puukkos very easy to sharpen yet they hold a pretty good edge (second from left in photo).
If you are traveling to third world countries, it's common to find folks who sharpen their knives on rocks. In this situation, it's best to have a knife in the lower Rockwell range, like most machetes and butcher knives. In general, if you are really concerned about finding yourself in a survival situation where you will be requried to sharpen your knife on a rock, I'd stick with carbon blades hardened at closer to 40-50 Rockwell than 60 Rockwell. Cheap, soft steel knives are used by indigenous peoples around the world and apparently, they work quite well.
For stainless, I've found Marttiini leukus and puukkos very easy to sharpen yet they hold a pretty good edge (second from left in photo).
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