What do you guys carry in the field to sharpen your knives? After getting an elk last year, I realize its not a deer and that blade dulls quick. Thanks.

I got tired of sharpening knives in the field and bought a gerber gator with the ats-34 blade.I need to use a diamond stone to sharpen it but I can skin and clean a moose or elk without resharpening the blade.It is also reasonably priced at under $70 canadian.I use a gatco diamond kit to sharpen all of my knives.

Eze-lap has many sharpeners but the one I have is 1/4 "dia x3 1/2 " long and slips into its handle.It will sharpen anything.Had it for many years and will never part with it.Don't bear down hard , it really removes metal.And I've heard people say you can't properly sharpen with a round sharpener !! I agree that you should start with a good knife, and one made of ats 34 or its american counterpart 154 cm is excellent, I'm going to try a new Camillus this year.

For me the best sharpener I can think of is the Lansky, Gatco, and any like these two. Why? Because the rod-hones have a guide wire that is used with the rest of the kit to hold the hone at the same angle every time. These come in two forms, diamond hone system (does not need oil), and regular-hone system (requires the use of oil).

Other than that, what you need is a set of knives that can hold an edge. I have several knives, some expensive, some not. But a few years ago I purchased a couple of knives made by Victorinox, and these knives can hold an edge through two moose skinning jobs. The knives are called "skinner" in the Smoky Mountain Knife Works catalog, and cost $14.00 each. These skinners have thin surgical steel blades that are razor sharp, and the handles resist bacteria growth. The only problem with these knives is that they don't come with a sheath, and the steel is very hard. It means that the only way to sharpen them properly is by finding the correct edge angle and using a honing kit such as the ones I mentioned above. I sharpen the knives each year before hunting season, and never use a steel to touch the edges while skinning game.

My wife bought a knife-set of "Knives Of Alaska," sold by Cabela's for $125.00, and shown in their 2002 Fall Master Catalog Edition I. The pair is called "Light Hunter Combo," and consist of a paring knife, and a skinner. The paring knife is very small, and the skinner looks larger larger in the picture than what it really is. The handles are small, but once you hold them with your hands you realize how comfortable these handles are. These knives have 22-degrees edges that are razor sharp.

[ 11-13-2002, 06:57: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

I used a Lansky set for a while but while in a local knife shop the clerk showed me the Idahone.It consists of 2 med.coarse and two fine ceramic rods,that are placed at opposing angles in a rather cheapo looking wooden base,.I haven't used the Lannsky since.It does a good job on all my blades including the hard steel.I have one of the diamond Stix I carry in the field,but have never used it,prefering a ceramic filament from a hi-intensity,hi-pressure sodium vapor light.
Ray I'v looked at those Knives Of Alaska sets.They are pretty nice.They'v got a set that includes a skinning knife,caping knife,and boning knife thats getting to be more of a struggle to talk myself out of.My latest favorite is one of the Benchmades,the Griptilian Axis,a Mel Pardue design.
Jeff

A carry a diamond hone in the field...I like a softer steel that touches up quick as opposed to these $500 knives with steel so hard it takes a day an a half to sharpen them...My Puma pocket knife has always served me well..

Gentlemen,

I don't carry the world's most expensive knives, but the ones I have work great. I have a Kershaw Alaskan Blad Trader and a couple of Gerbers. The sharpener I like the best for field carry is a mini Crock-Stick. It is small and works well. I also like an old-fashioned Arkansas stone.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

I carry a diamond steel in the field. I have a Lansky which I have tried to use, but I think it is extremely slow and IMHO dangerous. I prefer to use a large kitchen steel at home, followed by a stone or flat steel. My favorite knife is probably 40 years old, and it will hold an edge long enough to skin an elk, but I've never seen a knife that will hold an edge to bone one out in the field.

I've tried 'em all, Lanskys, crock sticks, various stones and I guess I'm just a lousy knive sharpener !!!! What I've settled on that works best for me is one of the plastic handled deals that you buy in Walmart sporting goods, made by Smiths. It has the carbide cutters that you draw your knive through. Works really well once you have the proper angle established. Only takes 1 or 2 swipes to get a razor sharp knife back. I've used them for several years now with great success. All my kitchen knives are also very sharp(as they should be). Can't beat 'em for $5-$6 bucks.Can also be used to sharpen broadheads.

bowhuntr

[ 11-12-2002, 18:22: Message edited by: bowhuntrrl ]

I carry a Gerber fixed blade in the field when I am hunting whitetails, turkey, or any smaller game. It stays sharp enough until I'm done a couple. If I have anything larger or tougher, I will use my Chris Reeve Ubejane. What a knife! It will stay sharp seemingly forever.

We had a pretty good discussion on knife sharpening here. You might read the thread. http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=30;t=000059

In the field I will carry a diamond hone. Oddly, it is never been used to sharpen any of my knives (they go to the field sharp). It has been used to sharpen my buddies knives. After we get back, I'll take their knife and run it over the wheels to show them how sharp a knife really can be. The looks on their faces is priceless when the see me sharpen their knife to a razor edge in the matter of about 2 minutes.

[ 11-12-2002, 19:57: Message edited by: Longbob ]

I use the samw thing as bowhuntrrl. They work excellent and are very light weight. I keep one handy when I am butchering too. I keep two sharp knives in my pack.

I keep one of those sharpeners in my kitchen drawer. Never a dull knife in the house!

Strangly enough I am a knife maker from time to time, but I seldom use my knives as they are 59 to 62 Rockwell hardness tested...They will hold an edge forever, but if they ever dull it is a job to get the edge back...because of that I would rather have a Marble, Case, Puma, or some decent softer steel knife that I can put a 2 minute edge on..and continue my gutt'n and skinning, and I cut through rib cage and pelvis with my knife, so I am pretty hard on one, but a quick touchup and I'm off and running again...If I leave it laying on a rock and remember it later I don't have to go back for the cheapie knife..It happens, even when I was young!!