Favorite Knife Sharpeners for Field and Home

[treillw]

What is your favorite knife sharpener to use at home when you're cutting up a ton of meat? I have a couple, but I'm not impressed with them. Any special technique you use with it? Having a sharp knife makes a big difference when you're cutting up an elk or two. I hate taking the time to sharpen when I've got all that meat laying there waiting for me.

Same question also for field use (minus the ton of meat). What do you like to use in the field? I have a couple of havalon knives that I've been using. The barracuda (bigger blade) has been good to me, but I field dressed an elk this year with the small blade knife and I think I broke 4 blades. One popped off inside the guts when I was wrenching around in there - great fun. I think I will continue using the barracuda, but am having second thoughts about the smaller blades. I noticed they break with any twisting or prying. Bit of a tangent, but let me know what you like for sharpeners!

Thanks!

 

[boom]

Only one field sharpener. The ACCUSHARP.

it works very well. It’s easy so I can work it in fading light (or headlamp light) with cold , tired, bloody hands. there are smaller ones that use the same principle, but I haven’t found one safer in my hands.
at home, water stones.

 

[5 shot group]

Only one field sharpener. The ACCUSHARP.

I used to use a diamond stone, then I switched to a Smith sharpener. Same idea, poor design for field use. This year I ran an accusharp. Weights less then my diamond stone and is quicker and safer. I won't use anything else now.

 

[Mosby]

At home, I find that croc sticks coupled with a leather strop works pretty well for most knife steels. I still struggle with some of the new super hard steels and avoid them now. The accusharp works ok with some of my knives and helps to finish the job but it depends on the steel. It is definitely easy to use. For elk I now use replaceable blade knives coupled with a serrated Cutco. No sharpening required and one less thing to carry. After a couple of elk, I send the Cutco in for resharpening.

 

[Creaky Bones]

GST Gossman Survival Tool. Scott Gossman is a knife maker in Maryland who’s also an avid hunter. He designed the GST to field sharpen knives and also use as a small wedge to split things like wood or pelvic bones. Handy tool to have in your pack.

 

[rodney482]

Work sharp... hands down

 

[bcopley1116]

Spiderco Sharpmaker for camp and home use

 

[Beendare]

I'm drowning in knife sharpeners [sigh] ....Edge Pro is my favorite.

....

 

[mtwarden]

at home I have a two sided leather strop- one w/ black compound, the other green and one just plain leather one; as long as the blades aren't too bad these sharpen quickly and efficiently

if a knife gets really dull, then I break out a variety of sandpaper (depending on how dull) that I put on a mouse pad- working from coarsest to finest and then finish with stropping

in the field I carry a small diamond/ceramic sharpener (Fallkniven) as my fixed blade is S90V steel (I also use a Tyto knife w/ Havalon blades)

 

[Desk Jockey]

Becoming a big fan of work sharp stuff. I have their field sharpener and a belt sharpener for the bench. Crazy quick and easy to put a shaving edge on a knife.

For home butchering, I go with the pile o knives plan. I will have 5-6 boning and fillet knives on hand and just tend to grab a new one if one starts to loose its edge.

 

[SDHNTR]

Work sharp for home and a stubby Jewellstick for the field.

 

[Luckyrxc]

I'm drowning in knife sharpeners [sigh] ....Edge Pro is my favorite.

....

Edge Pro Apex here.
i carry one strong knife and a Havalon with a few extra blades.
i also wear a cut glove on my left hand when field dressing, skinning, and butchering.

 

[Michael54]

Worksharp ken onion edition for home, havalon in the field.

 

[20DYNAMITE07]

Most of the time, a knife is still "sharp" and all you really need to do is run it over a strop with honing compound... don't forget that quick and easy step.

 

[Corvus Corax]

Wicked edge for home, and worksharp field sharpener in the kill kit. The wicked edge is expensive but a few friends and I split up the cost. It rotates from household to household.

 

[Felix40]

I used to only use an accusharp style sharpener but they damage the edge so bad that you can never get the knife really sharp with one.

I bought a three stone sharpener for the house last year and just took the time to learn how to use it. Ive also started carrying a little collapsable rod in the field. If you just take time to sharpen a couple times during the butchering process your knife never gets dull enough to be an issue.

I do like a scalpel blade for caping though. Being able to flex it a little under the horns and around the eyes is nice. I barely ever mess with that though

 

[Lawnboi]

Stone, sandpaper and a strop.

It’s just that simple

 

[Old_Navy]

for field use , DMT foldables
https://dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/folding-models/double-sided-diafold/

for home use there's a lot to choose from

 

[trapperjay]

Edge Pro Apex and the ceramic stick that comes with it for touch ups

 

[Lionhound1975]

I have a Sharpmaker but i mostly use a $20 Lansky ceramic crock stick set with the 20 and 25 degree positions. It will put a shaving edge on any of my ESEE blades. I maintain the blade by stropping on a lether belt with some stropping compound.