Knife sharpening items (portable)

[RM27]

I have been reading and aparently the waterstones are the way to go but to actualy carry with its a bit large more so if you have several.
So with the idea of takeing something light and compact i was looking at this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320269556417&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Anyone able to confirm if this would actualy be anygood for knife maintencance while out and about or would something better be needed?

[Shewie]

I'm not familiar with the diamond stones that much, the Fallkniven DC4 is a really handy sharpener for the field though.

[Tadpole]

I've a cut-down combination waterstone, (from Dave Budd on this site) which weighs less than you’d think, and a leather strop (off cut from a belt I made), it’s more than enough to keep all my sharps sharp, for even my battered Clipper, so much so other than when I took a chunk out of the tip of my knife I hardly used my full sized stones.
Make sure you’ve keep a decent secondary bevel on your knife, and keeping it sharp in the field is not a chore.

[outdoorowain]

I am very happy with the DC4 as well.

[Graham_S]

You need to be careful of cheap diamond stones, the quality can be really poor.
The DC4 is a popular choice, and with good reason, it's an excellent sharpening tool.

[robin wood]

I have used the DMT version of this sharpener for many years for sharpening turning tools (costs around £50 but my experience of cheap Chinese diamond sharpeners which this clearly is has been that they work OK and are good value). It is very good but the "extra fine" is still relatively coarse in sharpening terms. It depends on how you like to sharpen, if you like a little and often leaving a slightly serated edge (under the microscope) this would do well. If you like to spend hours on waterstones getting a perfect flat polished edge then you would not want to touch it up in the field with the diamonds. Personally I sharpen at home and am not away from home long enough or abuse my tools enough to need to do a second rate sharpening job "in the field" how long do you go away for?

[British Red]

I also have the pukka version of that sharpener (based on Weavers recomendation) - and a cheap one as shown

I must say I find the longer sharpening length and handle much easier to use than a DC4 (which I also have) although the DC4 ceramic is less agressive.

The folding sharpeners are much better for touching up an axe than a DC4 in my view

The cheap ones are...okay, but the glue goes, it is flimsier and the joints are sloppy. However probably fine to get a feel for if you like that style of sharpener

[Ph34r]

I'm not sure what type it is, perhaps somebody could clarify. One of my mates has a sharpening pouch on the side of his bayley knife wiht a small tone in it. It worked like a charm, and he said that it's the standard one that bayley puts on.

The DC4 is quite good, but I would agree with Red, not for axe sharpening!

[JonathanD]

I'm not sure what type it is, perhaps somebody could clarify. One of my mates has a sharpening pouch on the side of his bayley knife wiht a small tone in it. It worked like a charm, and he said that it's the standard one that bayley puts on.

The DC4 is quite good, but I would agree with Red, not for axe sharpening!

http://www.bayleyknife.com/site/image.aspx?type=mo&id=20

The only stones I've seen on a Bayley have been a DC3. I think the Spyderco Doublestuff is hard to beat. Top quality and slightly longer and easier to use than the DC4.



.

[southey]

Get it out, Get it out! on a side note the gbaxe puk is a pretty good tool for field sharpening.

[Mr Adoby]

Personally I sharpen at home and am not away from home long enough or abuse my tools enough to need to do a second rate sharpening job "in the field"

Same here. I usually have a DC3 or DC4 in my pack. And sometimes I may touch up a blade with the ceramic side to keep it "screaming" sharp. But that is not really needed. I have never abused a blade in the field so I felt I really had to sharpen it at once. The only exception was if a carbon steel blade has started to rust. But I've stopped using anything but stainlesss steel in the bush.

[Jacknife]

I use one of these. Very good on the SAK's, no good for thicker blades though. Works for me. :)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31eOYXGjVAL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Devils-Lifestyle-Super-sharpener/dp/B0012B4EYE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1282863062&sr=1-11

[hanzo]

DC4 for me too. I have used it to touch up my axe. But mainly use it on knives. A file is very field expedient for an axe or machete.

[Puchal]

I love The Lansky Controlled-Angle Sharpening System but it is far from being portable
So I always carry DC4 in my pack when on longer trips, and DC3 in my small pack.

[Mr Adoby]

For fixed angle sharpening I use a EdgePal basic:

http://upload.snelhest.org/images/090724bs1018c.jpg

The stone is a DC3. And the whole thing is very easy to store in a small pouch. But I don't bring it along in the field, unless it is to show it to someone.

www.edgepal.com

[telwebb]

That I like the look of - made or bought?

[Mr Adoby]

I bought my EdgePal Basic from www.edgepal.com. A small Swedish Company. It cost around SEK 550:- They sell some more elaborate sharpening kits as well.

The English parts of that site hasn't been updated for a while. Use Google Translate:

http://translate.google.se/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edgepal.com %2Fproducts-basic-se.html

(No relation, just a pleased customer.)

[eraaij]

For field maintenance, I always carry this as a pendant and use it alongside my stropping-compound saturated leather belt:

http://www.ragweedforge.com/viking-whetstone.jpg

basically a small, fancy looking whetstone from Ragnars site (http://www.ragweedforge.com/SharpeningCatalog.html)

Works a treat.