Field sharpening, a quick and easy guide.

A quickish guide to field sharpening

[@greekveteran2715]

Sharpening is 30% knowledge,65% experience and 5% tools. I personally carry a Fallkniven CC4. For beginners, Worksharp field sharpener and a lot of practice and research,before using it,is what I'd recommend.

[@cujomojo]

I learnt to sharpen knives at college back in the late 80’s, we even got to look at the edge under a microscope to appreciate the alignment of the “teeth” in the metal and how various angles of sharpening affects the cutting ability, depending on the angles you would get a pull cut, push cut or chisel cut. A “Bushcraft” knife or all rounder should in theory have all three edges. I struggle to remember when a lapping board became a strop. A strop was always a flexible leather strap used for flat razors and scalpels, a lapping board was a wooden backed sheet of leather treated with various grits of lapping paste. Other than water stones used at home I do carry a DC4 for field use, seldom have I ever used it on a scandi grind, and only occasionally on the Victorinox. I’ve had a sharpening video planned for some time, need to make a few props to provide a “scientific” explanation.

[@stuartlockwood9645]

Hi Rob ☺ some good tips there mate, I have a DC4 stone but I'm very wary of my fingertips sticking up on each end of the stone , so I bought a DMT diafold like yours, so my pinkies are well out of the way lol, although I don't take it for granted , if you use sharp tools sooner or later you'll get a cut, so having a few sticking plasters handy is a good idea. As always Rob your videos are interesting and informative, cheers mate, hope your all well, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart UK.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

All good here mate, complacency is usually the enemy of the experienced!

[@howardvarley8795]

Stuart Lockwood. I know exactly what youre saying about your fingertips. I find it very difficult to hold a DC4 and keep my finger ends out of the way... so I find a suitable stick and carve a flat notch in one end DC4 size with slightly tapered sides so that the DC4 wedges tightly in it. Easy with only a little practise! One hand held sharpener with no risk to fingers! And If you dont get the notch perfect and the stone rocks a bit use the shavings to wedge it properly. Easy after a couple of goes👍

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I once did exactly this Howard and it worked really well. I once strapped the folding handles of the DmT diafolds around a log to sharpen my pals knife after he used the blade to scrape a ferrorod! It wasn't intentional but cost me an hour of my life to get the chips out and get it to a zero.

[@howardvarley8795]

@@RobEvansWoodsman we seem to think on the same plane! Im looking forward to the chance of Camping out with you. Mind you I'd rather have pancakes than brownies ! Especially with stick bits !!

[@howardvarley8795]

Good useful video there Rob, I carry a DC 4 and a Speedy Sharp in the field and at home I find a steel works brilliantly, as for stropping I tend to use my belt laid on top of a suitable stick with a notch carved in the end for the buckle so l can keep the belt under tension. Works fine.

[@strongandco]

Some great advice there Rob. Thanks

[@bubba7626]

Appreciate your videos! You gave me a new technique to try!

[@Hootyhoo-jq9vq]

Great video. I don’t like a really sharp knife on a trip or in the kitchen. I don’t find that I need a very sharp edge. And its less dangerous for my clumsy hands.

[@howardvarley8795]

Hootyhoo 2018. I think that is a very perceptive comment. I agree. Very sharp fine edged blades dont stay that way for long, I have a much loved/used old mora companion in my kitchen that couldnt shave anything!!😮 BUT it makes excellent feathersticks, makes the best frying chips you've ever seen, cuts cordage no problem and batons like a champion. Its nowadays full convex and Rob would throw a fit if he saw it, but it works fine for me and hasn't drawn blood for years 😂

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I have a mora 2000 in the kitchen drawer and you'd probably throw a fit if you say the edge on it 🤣🤣

[@johnvanpolanen3589]

Solid advice , thanks Rob !

[@Timbertrekkerbushcraft]

Good to see a great video by a bloke who knows what's he is taking bout

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Cheers mate. Too much BS on KZbin. I just realized that you are Andy, all these different names you have!

[@Timbertrekkerbushcraft]

@@RobEvansWoodsman I have had this name for a year

[@BinManSays87]

I love my little opinel stone to be fair granted I only use it on my folders or mates knives because that's the only thing that really needs touching up at camp

[@henrymoreland8719]

Looking forward to this one🎉

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Don't get too excited 🤣🤣

[@henrymoreland8719]

Thanks Rob, Turns out I wasn't far wrong👍

[@simonwinwood]

❤ thank you Rob

[@johnturner6251]

Thankx Rob

[@jasonshepherd6864]

Is it just me or is the sound of steel on a stone relaxing? Kinda like the smell of hoppes. Best stone i have is a small diamond stone i got from ragweed forge many years ago.

[@schnitzschlumpf4095]

Hi Rob, thank you for showing your field sharpening kit. These DMT diamond sharpeners plus the fine ceramic the DC4 adds make this kit versatile. Even more options are added by this small triangular (well, not really triangular, but you get it) sharpener. Sure this is made by Smith's? I can only find some made by Lansky. Is this the Spyder Sharpener? It does have one sharp edge and two rounded edges set at different angles? They make different models and I am thinking about buying the Spyder vor Multi (which is triangular with three sharp edges) Sharpener. Sorry, but it is hard to see on screen. Thanks!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

That's about as close as you'll get to my ceramic triangle.

[@grahamwinter5536]

👍Great video Rob👌. I personally carry the Worksharp Field Sharpener and a strop similar in size to the one you showed. Works for me😉😊

[@arthurlambart7115]

Great video, what is your favorite field sharpening tool?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

DMT folders

[@nm-ge4tb]

🙏🙏✌✌👍👍

[@adrianjagmag]

I convex all my knives (the very apex).

[@christopherlarson7579]

Hey Mr. Rob! Thank you for making this video. There’s not many videos that talk about the intuition of whats and why’s for field sharpening supplies. Thank you again for your time. Have you had any experience with the Worksharp Field sharpener? I’ve seen a lot of feedback but none that describes how long it stays effective or how many sharpenings you get from the worksharp field sharpening kit. How many sharpenings would you estimate can you get from the DC4 if the only steel used on it is CPM 3V?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I've thought about buying the field sharp but haven't done it yet. I think that a DC4 would probably last years, it would depend on the length of the blade and height of the bevel the bigger they are the more material you take off, therefore shortening the life of your DC stone.

[@RenThraysk]

Have you tried sharpening with the carbide knife sharpener/ferro striker? I've only tried it on a SAK awl, after I put a nick it. I imagine it might be good on more cruder tools, like a machete.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I've tried it on a set of shears and I realigned more than sharpened.

[@Tsl4Lf]

What color compund do you use on the strop? Green, blue, white. Black?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Blue

[@roasted_cheese]

The DC 4 leather carry case has one side that you can use for stropping. The DC3 may be the same? It is the opposite side from the logo. You will notice a change in the leather for stropping purposes.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

This one doesn't, it's too old.

[@Bushprowler]

You'd to remove the stitching with the old cases and turn the inside of one piece of leather to the outside and stitch it back together that way. A few years ago Fallkniven started to sell them this way.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@Bushprowler I remember seeing a post on BCUK forum where a guy had done that, I've carried that little strop in my bag for almost 20years.

[@xderiwx]

Hey Rob, Do you have a particular stropping compound that you recommend? Is what you're using white compound? Thanks!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I always use blue. I found the white I tried too hard to load the strop.

[@xderiwx]

@@RobEvansWoodsman Thank you!👍🏻

[@marcdee4427]

Is victorinox steel any good?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

It's perfect for what it dose, they've been using it for a very long time.

[@marcdee4427]

@@RobEvansWoodsman thanks 😊 for coming back to m me Rob

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@marcdee4427 I always try my best to answer every comment with a question.

[@bubba7626]

A flat piece of Balsa wood with compound works really well too. Super light in weight. You just have to be careful using it not to creat gouges

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Good to know!

[@TheDavewatts]

Sharpen right and you should only have to maintain the edge on your strop, as you say if you use it for the correct purpose not using it as a steak knife or buttering toast. Both Mors and Ray mears said you should use a scandi for the reason it was easy to sharpen in the field. I do agree with you it's not as straightforward as you may think.👍🏻

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Did you watch the extra video on the DVD where Ray Mears sharpens a knife on a water stone? He didn't sharpen a zero scandi, the knife that he uses all the time he sharpened a knife with a secondary bevel, cop out.....

[@TheDavewatts]

@@RobEvansWoodsman yes I noticed that, even Mors the way he stropped on a belt was making it more a scandivex.

[@TheDavewatts]

@@RobEvansWoodsman Some swear by a micro bevel even casstrom suggest adding one to the Lars fault knife during the stropping process, I've always preferred a zero scandi myself, never had a problem with them.👍🏻

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@TheDavewatts Mors wasn't that fussy, 600 grit paper on a board was good enough for him

[@TheDavewatts]

@@RobEvansWoodsman I think some over complicate the process, personally I think we knife users find a way that works for us, it's okay to listen to other people's views and opinions but if you use a knife long enough you will always find your own method.

[@jamesparker6383]

A really great video on knife sharpening but what about a recurve? There are some of us that have and use a recurved.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

That's you problem James! 🤣🤣 all jokes aside, recurves are not that difficult, ceramic rods, sharpening steels, diamond rods , abrasive paper stuck onto dowels and slip stones , all work just fine. The only recurve knives I have are Cold Steel Kukri's.

[@jamesparker6383]

@@RobEvansWoodsman I wasn't trying to come off as a smart ass and if I did I apologize. That doesn't excuse you coming off with that type of response though.

[@grahamwinter5536]

​@@RobEvansWoodsman🤣. I've used an 8 inch ceramic rod for those in the past with some success 😊.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@grahamwinter5536 all jokes aside, recurves are not that difficult, like you said, ceramic rods, sharpening steels, diamond rods , abrasive paper stuck onto dowels and slip stones.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@jamesparker6383 I've replied sensibly James, apologies my friend if i came across as a prick, it wasn't intentional.

[@IGRsaercoed]

Hi Rob , what’s your opinion on Damasteel ? Saw your special on here 🫣, ta Greg

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Waste of time, bullshit steel, looks pretty but is of zero advantage, in fact it's a disadvantage having a micro serrated edge. Damasteel from Sweden is a mix of RWL34 and 12c27, both excellent steel especially RWL34. I haven't made many in Damasteel, I'll probably make more if people want them but they aren't users on a zero scandi, I'd probably do a different grind.

[@IGRsaercoed]

@@RobEvansWoodsman thank you , cannot beat your honesty . Hope your busy making 👍🏻

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@IGRsaercoed I hopefully have enough orders to see me through to February.

[@IGRsaercoed]

@@RobEvansWoodsman that should be round about 1 year from when I bought my Bushtool from you, I would like either a Bushtool S or the MK 11 , regards Greg ps , RWL if possible

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

@@IGRsaercoed both thoes knives are only available in Aeb-l but I have one special MK2 blade available if you want it, email me anyway [e-mail]