What's your favorite sharpening stone?

[Cruzatte]

While walking along the beach on vacation in Oregon, I picked up two round, smooth, black, and very hard stones, perhaps basalt that I've used to touch up the edges on my knives. They work well, I think.

 

[Vomir le Chien]

Doesn't anyone use float glass and Wet-Or-Dry? I can polish a shaving edge with 2000 grit emery paper simply enough.

Nothing else,,cost less works better for me

 

[Tb54]

The only modification I made over the years, I now tend to use a file to retaper the edge when I first get a knife, or remove the factory serration, then after that, my Arkansas, unless I need to work out a nick in the edge.

 

[Vomir le Chien]

It ain't rocket surgery, what are you going to use your knife for ?? open heart or slicing food or just hacking<??? don't have to be sharp enough to split atoms,You feel the need to impress the ladies well go for it,Knife is a tool to me and I smarten it up from time to time,got scares on both hands,several time, to prove it.

 

[Swampweasel]

i am surprised that nobody has mentioned the Pike Manufactiring Company of Pike, New Hampshire. They were the largest supplier of natural and man- made sharpening stones in the world from 1823 to 1932 when Norton took them over. The started by quarrying mica schist and making scythe stones from it, then branched out into every kind of sharpening stone and device imaginable. they have a very interesting history that can be found on the net. Their sharpening stones are still readily available on a popular online auction site. I have collected their stones for years and still use them.

Joe in NH

 

[Docgp]

I like Belgian blue stones myself. Also have a nice set of Arkansas stones but find most times that stropping is enough.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

Favorite stone is a large fine-grit hardware store stone. If anything happens to it, I'll never be able to find another one cause Dad brought it home when the shop closed down. It puts an edge on fast but is not rough edged like many. Then I go to a 12" white ceramic butcher steel. The combination will put a vicious sharp edge on most any knife. Scary sharp.

 

[smoothshooter]

I am not much for carrying a knife. But I am very particular about my kitchen knives. Have three better grade Wusthoffs that I am in love with. Got an extra fine Ouashita Stone That I use to sharpen them. For the few old carbon steel hollow ground OlD Hickory knives, I use a medium synthetic stone that I found at a flea market. Hawks and hard use items are sharpened with a fine mill file.

I am curious how someone gets through the day without a knife on their person?

I see Millenials who grew up in environments ( public school system and home situations ) where pocket knives were not tolerated, chewing and gnawing like an animal on various food containers, bags and boxes trying to get them open when simply having a pocket knife would have solved the problem efficiently. I shake my head in wonder.

I carry a Victorinox SAK and a Benchmade lockblade every day, and use at least one of them at least once a day.
I would be lost without a knife.

But of course, it's your choice, and it works for you.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I am curious how someone gets through the day without a knife on their person?

I see Millenials who grew up in environments ( public school system and home situations ) where pocket knives were not tolerated, chewing and gnawing like an animal on various food containers, bags and boxes trying to get them open when simply having a pocket knife would have solved the problem efficiently. I shake my head in wonder.

I carry a Victorinox SAK and a Benchmade lockblade every day, and use at least one of them at least once a day.
I would be lost without a knife.

But of course, it's your choice, and it works for you.

My profession takes me in an out of a lot of government buildings, where even a sharp pencil is frowned on. At home and around the farm, I wear a utility tool on my belt. A Gerber combo screwdriver pliers, wire cutter, file, etc. It does have a knife blade, but I rarely use it. The wire cutter is used on hay strings, plastic packing bands, metal packing bands etc. I have a really sharp wide chisel in the barn that I use to open those sealed plastic clam shells that some items come in. If I am in the house, there is a couple pair of scissors in every room. Mrs. gets them from the medical facility where she works. They consider the stainless steel surgical scissors as disposable. She doesn't bring home the contaminated ones. But the others she does. Even have them in the cars and tractors

 

[appalichian hunter]

Try the un-glazed edge of a crock, will put a shaving edge on the knife if you do your part

 

[Walkingeagle]

Try the un-glazed edge of a crock, will put a shaving edge on the knife if you do your part

Bottom rim of a ceramic coffee cup. Been using for almost 30 years.
Walk

 

[Tb54]

I’ve carried a folding belt knife every day since dad gave it to me when I was 13. Yes, even carried it every day at school. Retired it a few years ago cause the blade got pretty small. Occasionally, I don’t have it on, like at the gym, or...well, at the gym anyways, and still find myself reaching for it even then. Right now I have 4 blades on me—two in my leatherman, two in my new folding belt knife, all sharpened differently, for different purposes.

 

[nhmoose]

Yup must ask for what purpose. I use different stones or methods for every different knife used for whatever purpose.

I sharpened in the mid 60's for scout knives I owned and those in my patrol. At that time a hardware store two sided stone made very sharp knives. Note: none of us could shave yet.

As I got older I went with the super sharp using hard stoes and better knives.

I found easy sharpening knives better as they were touched up when cutting tough stuff much quicker so fast that who cared.

 

[springfield art]

There is one gent that insists the bottom of a coffee mug is as good as any. As noted: skill is more important than anything else.

Yeah, I saw in Backwoodsman magazine, you can use the old ceramic house-wiring tubes from the old days...I have 2-3, they're just ceramic like the bottom of a cup or plate. Being a tube, they're handy to hold...lots of good tips in BW, anyone else subscribe? (These were the tubes placed in holes drilled in beams, to run the elec. wires thru...)

 

[springfield art]

I often use an x-acto knife; that fine grit (1500, etc.) wet-or-dry works wonders with a little oil; gently buffing it up, can bring the edge back and save on new blades. The old timers would be amazed at our discussions of lubricants and sharpening choices; and would be a bit dismissive at our fussiness! We're spoiled, in today's modern world! Transmission fluid? Who'da thunk?

 

[Rockvillerich]

Diamond hone for everyday quick edges on tools, box knives, and such. Ceramic sticks for kitchen knives, and a super fine old black Arkansas stone for carving tools. Funny I own a bunch of high dollar knives, buy carry a $6 spring assisted folder from Tractor Supply...and that's the one that never gets lost. Go figure.

 

[springfield art]

Diamond hone for everyday quick edges on tools, box knives, and such. Ceramic sticks for kitchen knives, and a super fine old black Arkansas stone for carving tools. Funny I own a bunch of high dollar knives, buy carry a $6 spring assisted folder from Tractor Supply...and that's the one that never gets lost. Go figure.

All those two hundred dollars fancy designer knives advertised in the gun mags never get used; they might get "dinged up"...99% of guys are like you; just use an everyday common
cheap knife for totally bland, routine chores. We don't have Tractor Supply around where I live, but it sounds like a cool place!
%

 

[smoothshooter]

Try the un-glazed edge of a crock, will put a shaving edge on the knife if you do your part

Something else that works in a pinch is your car window.
Roll it down most of the way, and use the textured edge at the top to sharpen the blade.
It's kind of like a slightly textured ceramic stone.

 

[McClura]

I have been using the Work Sharp Field Sharpener since it came out. They are about $35 and shipping. I bought one made by Work Sharp for Benchmade knives when I purchased another knife then found this one about $20 less. Found out Work Sharp makes them for Benchmade.
I have used it for patch knives, hunting/skinning knives, small camp hawk, two blade traditional broad heads and it will also do fishhooks, scissors and probably other items. Two different steels, ceramic stick, leather strop and each side has degree guides for your angles on the blade.
I purchased several of these for birthday presents, one in my truck, hunting pack, shop, and made a pouch on my back quiver and tied it with a lanyard and stick in the pouch on the side. Can't beat them.
Mike
https://www.worksharptools.com/product/guided-field-sharpener/

 

[wayne terry]

I use a river rock, smooth. Was going to make a war club out of it but it works fine for a sharpening stone