Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => All Other Gear => Topic started by: pianoman9701 on October 16, 2015, 08:39:05 AM

Title: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 16, 2015, 08:39:05 AM: I have a small diamond steel and a Lansky Sharpeners system. I really like the Lansky because you can get an exact angle even when you're all excited over a half-skinned animal on the ground. :chuckle: What do you guys keep in your kill packs for sharpening in the field?
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: rtspring on October 16, 2015, 08:47:27 AM: Havalon, and never look back! Although I keep a swingblade with me also..
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 16, 2015, 08:50:14 AM: I too have a lansky. It works but I wonder what's out there that's better. I like the consistent angle but have grown tired at how small the stones are. I've also broke two of the plastic brackets that hold the stones. I bought a 4 pack of pearing knives at costco that were both good quality and very inexpensive as well as two longer blades that were also well priced. With all that and two drop point knives I don't even need to sharpen in the field for a bull elk and anything less.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: h20hunter on October 16, 2015, 08:50:37 AM: Yep, what Rt said. Old blade comes off and gets dropped into an empty water bottle. New blade goes on.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Whitpirate on October 16, 2015, 08:57:45 AM: Havalon Titan. Never look back. I keep a small collapsable diamond sharp to touch up the ends of the fixed blade on the Titan and carry about 10 scapel blades for the flex side. I've used it on 5 animals we've butchered on the farm and it works great. Hope to use it on a mule deer this weekend.

http://www.havalon.com/double-blade-hunting-knife-shockey-titan-red-xt-tred.html

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fep.yimg.com%2Fay%2Fyhst-35864383674868%2Ftitan-jim-shockey-signature-series-1.gif&hash=9c748106ea63a9f31d4d20b50f27f48d28eeefd5)
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 16, 2015, 09:01:51 AM: I do use the Havalon for skinning, but not for quartering and trimming. I had one of the blades unattach last year inside the meat and it took me a while to find it. I like the bigger knife Wazukie made me for the quartering and trimming. That's what I use the Lansky for.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Rainier10 on October 16, 2015, 09:03:19 AM: I carry a Wyoming knife and fixed custom made knife. The Wyoming will make it through the animal on what I use it for and the fixed will need sharpening. I have a small sharpener that has a carbide V and a ceramic V for touching up the blade. When I get back I just change the blade out in the Wyoming and give the fixed a good tune up.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: buglebrush on October 16, 2015, 09:05:49 AM: I don't.

Havalon and Outdoor Edge Razor. One skins the other bones. Change blades when I flip the elk over to do the other side.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: 7mmfan on October 16, 2015, 09:06:54 AM: Quote from: Whitpirate on October 16, 2015, 08:57:45 AM
Havalon Titan. Never look back. I keep a small collapsable diamond sharp to touch up the ends of the fixed blade on the Titan and carry about 10 scapel blades for the flex side. I've used it on 5 animals we've butchered on the farm and it works great. Hope to use it on a mule deer this weekend.

http://www.havalon.com/double-blade-hunting-knife-shockey-titan-red-xt-tred.html

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fep.yimg.com%2Fay%2Fyhst-35864383674868%2Ftitan-jim-shockey-signature-series-1.gif&hash=9c748106ea63a9f31d4d20b50f27f48d28eeefd5)

Picked one of these up for this year after having a friend break down his whole elk with one.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bofire on October 16, 2015, 09:07:21 AM: whet stone
Carl
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 09:09:35 AM: Havalon for everything. i have deboned a few elk with the Havalon and it works great. When I have to quarter an animal in the filed I use a battery powered sawzall with a bone saw blade. I saw a mature man do this on a hill side and i helped him load his quarters in his truck. I learn from others.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 16, 2015, 09:11:36 AM: Quote from: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 09:09:35 AM
Havalon for everything. i have deboned a few elk with the Havalon and it works great. When I have to quarter an animal in the filed I use a battery powered sawzall with a bone saw blade. I saw a mature man do this on a hill side and i helped him load his quarters in his truck. I learn from others.

That's a cool idea for the kill pack.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: WAnoob on October 16, 2015, 10:09:12 AM: Quote from: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 09:09:35 AM
Havalon for everything. i have deboned a few elk with the Havalon and it works great. When I have to quarter an animal in the filed I use a battery powered sawzall with a bone saw blade. I saw a mature man do this on a hill side and i helped him load his quarters in his truck. I learn from others.

That is a great idea, we used a chainsaw for moose where weight wasn't an issue.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: HawkCreek on October 16, 2015, 10:13:59 AM: A strip of wet dry sandpaper and my belt to strop with, same way I sharpen at home. I thought about adding a small sharpening steel a few times but I've never needed one yet.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 16, 2015, 10:17:04 AM: Quote from: pianoman9701 on October 16, 2015, 09:01:51 AM
I do use the Havalon for skinning, but not for quartering and trimming. I had one of the blades unattach last year inside the meat and it took me a while to find it. I like the bigger knife Wazukie made me for the quartering and trimming. That's what I use the Lansky for.

I'd been wondering about that--blades poppin' off and all.. I can get through a deer with just one gut hook and one pearing knife so I don't quite get the fascination with switching blades. Maybe for elk in the back country and that's about it.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Curly on October 16, 2015, 10:19:02 AM: I've never sharpened a blade in the field. I do have a lansky system too but but keep several sharpened knives in my pack for when one gets dull.

The last couple years I have gone the havalon route though. I really need to lighten my pack now cuz I only really need the havalon.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: skeeter 20i on October 16, 2015, 10:26:44 AM: Quote from: rtspring on October 16, 2015, 08:47:27 AM
Havalon, and never look back! Although I keep a swingblade with me also..

+1 and been happy since I made the switch.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Eli346 on October 16, 2015, 10:54:31 AM: I have the Piranta and the Razor's Edge but I have a pocket knife and a fixed blade that I sharpen with autobody sandpaper (I think it's 3000) and use my leather belt as a strop out in the field.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: NRA4LIFE on October 16, 2015, 10:58:00 AM: I have an EZE-Lap diamond hone. It'll sharpen anything.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 11:31:23 AM: Quote from: WAnoob on October 16, 2015, 10:09:12 AM
Quote from: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 09:09:35 AM
Havalon for everything. i have deboned a few elk with the Havalon and it works great. When I have to quarter an animal in the filed I use a battery powered sawzall with a bone saw blade. I saw a mature man do this on a hill side and i helped him load his quarters in his truck. I learn from others.

That is a great idea, we used a chainsaw for moose where weight wasn't an issue.

WHen I killed my moose I cut it up into 9 chunks with the sawzall. It took two batteries. BUY a bone saw blade any other will go through battery charge quickly.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: WAnoob on October 16, 2015, 11:35:35 AM: Quote from: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 11:31:23 AM
Quote from: WAnoob on October 16, 2015, 10:09:12 AM
Quote from: TheHunt on October 16, 2015, 09:09:35 AM
Havalon for everything. i have deboned a few elk with the Havalon and it works great. When I have to quarter an animal in the filed I use a battery powered sawzall with a bone saw blade. I saw a mature man do this on a hill side and i helped him load his quarters in his truck. I learn from others.

That is a great idea, we used a chainsaw for moose where weight wasn't an issue.

WHen I killed my moose I cut it up into 9 chunks with the sawzall. It took two batteries. BUY a bone saw blade any other will go through battery charge quickly.

This was in Alaska past the Yukon River a few years ago, everything was required to be carried out on bone in that GMU. The guys we went with used chainsaws because they perceived themselves as experts, my dad and I however would have preferred your method due to the chunks of bone flying everywhere.

Randy
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: cbond3318 on October 16, 2015, 11:42:38 AM: Quote from: Rainier10 on October 16, 2015, 09:03:19 AM
I carry a Wyoming knife and fixed custom made knife. The Wyoming will make it through the animal on what I use it for and the fixed will need sharpening. I have a small sharpener that has a carbide V and a ceramic V for touching up the blade. When I get back I just change the blade out in the Wyoming and give the fixed a good tune up.

:yeah:
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: TheSkyBuster on October 16, 2015, 11:46:43 AM: I prefer to sharpen my knife at home on wet stones, and hone it with a steel in the field. I have done several animals start to finish with one razor sharp fixed blade and as long as I keep up on honing (about every 10-15 minutes) while dressing, skinning or deboning it keeps a razors edge. No sharpening needed. 1 knife, and 1 steel in my backpack.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bill W on October 16, 2015, 12:23:10 PM: crock stick in the field.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: coachcw on October 16, 2015, 12:36:19 PM: I act like I don't have a knife and use my buddy's . that way my unopened Havilons stay clean . :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: TopOfTheFoodChain on October 16, 2015, 12:39:07 PM: Quote from: coachcw on October 16, 2015, 12:36:19 PM
I act like I don't have a knife and use my buddy's . that way my unopened Havilons stay clean . :chuckle:
:chuckle: :chuckle: lol! Yup. Only used one blade this year! ;)
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on October 16, 2015, 03:38:42 PM: I like the Smiths brand diamond sharpener. I had one for years and loved it.... I lost it last week in WY! Going to be looking for another
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: MagKarl on October 16, 2015, 04:32:11 PM: I carry a small steel, but have honestly never needed it. I am very careful with my knife, two things I try to do is to cut hide from the inside out and go gentle against bone. Knife is a Lakota folder my FIL gave me ages ago, I love it.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: The scout on October 16, 2015, 04:41:07 PM: I used to use the same sharpener as the op but now I went to the outdoor edge replacable blade with the sling blade it works awesome. much stronger than the havalon imo. pretty much every animal I get gets boned out right there.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: follow maggie on October 18, 2015, 08:37:51 AM: My Arkansas Wetstone. A few minutes in the tent or camper at night and the Buck is good to go.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: huntingbaldguy on October 19, 2015, 01:59:50 AM: I carry a Work Sharp Field Sharpener.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: PolarBear on October 19, 2015, 02:27:55 AM: Quote from: WAcoyotehunter on October 16, 2015, 03:38:42 PM
I like the Smiths brand diamond sharpener. I had one for years and loved it.... I lost it last week in WY! Going to be looking for another
:yeah:
I used one to touch up my blades when skinning and quartering my daughter's buck today. My cheap old Smith's has served me very well through many years and many critters.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Firedogg on October 19, 2015, 11:39:27 AM: For field touch up it's just one of the simple little plastic crossed ceramics with a coarse and fine set of rods in it.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: fishngamereaper on October 19, 2015, 11:44:23 AM: I carry 3 knives... ;)
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Ghost Hunter on November 01, 2015, 04:55:36 PM: Quote from: coachcw on October 16, 2015, 12:36:19 PM
I act like I don't have a knife and use my buddy's . that way my unopened Havilons stay clean . :chuckle:
Still trying to get that goat out of my Leatherman. :o
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bob33 on November 01, 2015, 05:01:28 PM: I've never found a need to. I have cleaned, quartered and skinned two elk with one shaving sharp knife with good steel. I do carry a Havalon just in case. It's just as light as a sharpener. :twocents:
Title: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: jackelope on November 01, 2015, 05:15:00 PM: Havalon Piranta. I carry 6 or so blades with me. I did my whole deer from the field to the freezer with my Havalon. Took me about 3 blades but I was switching them sooner than I probably needed to. Don't pry with them and you'll be fine 99% of the time.
I do carry a Benchmade fixed blade just in case.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Ridgeratt on November 01, 2015, 05:18:35 PM: Quote from: jackelope on November 01, 2015, 05:15:00 PM
Havalon Piranta. I carry 6 or so blades with me. I did my whole deer from the field to the freezer with my Havalon. Took me about 3 blades but I was switching them sooner than I probably needed to. Don't pry with them and you'll be fine 99% of the time.
I do carry a Benchmade fixed blade just in case.

Dang I would have guessed you were carrying a Schrade Sharp Finger.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: jackelope on November 01, 2015, 07:21:26 PM: Quote from: Ridgeratt on November 01, 2015, 05:18:35 PM
Quote from: jackelope on November 01, 2015, 05:15:00 PM
Havalon Piranta. I carry 6 or so blades with me. I did my whole deer from the field to the freezer with my Havalon. Took me about 3 blades but I was switching them sooner than I probably needed to. Don't pry with them and you'll be fine 99% of the time.
I do carry a Benchmade fixed blade just in case.

Dang I would have guessed you were carrying a Schrade Sharp Finger.

No sir. Those are in the safe.

:tup:
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: PlateauNDN on November 01, 2015, 07:27:17 PM: Quote from: Ghost Hunter on November 01, 2015, 04:55:36 PM
Quote from: coachcw on October 16, 2015, 12:36:19 PM
I act like I don't have a knife and use my buddy's . that way my unopened Havilons stay clean . :chuckle:
Still trying to get that goat out of my Leatherman. :o

Gee, how'd that happen? :chuckle: who would use your Leatherman and not clean it after using it, that's just mean, just mean. :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 01, 2015, 07:38:55 PM: Quote from: PlateauNDN on November 01, 2015, 07:27:17 PM
Quote from: Ghost Hunter on November 01, 2015, 04:55:36 PM
Quote from: coachcw on October 16, 2015, 12:36:19 PM
I act like I don't have a knife and use my buddy's . that way my unopened Havilons stay clean . :chuckle:
Still trying to get that goat out of my Leatherman. :o

Gee, how'd that happen? :chuckle: who would use your Leatherman and not clean it after using it, that's just mean, just mean. :chuckle:

Sounds like that guy left his bone handled obsidian knife at home. :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: bobcat on November 01, 2015, 07:40:40 PM: I've never sharpened a knife in the field. I usually carry two knives, so if one gets dull I switch to the other.

I always sharpen up all my knives at home before hunting season.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bigshooter on November 01, 2015, 07:44:29 PM: Quote from: rtspring on October 16, 2015, 08:47:27 AM
Havalon, and never look back! Although I keep a swingblade with me also..

:yeah:
Smartest thing I ever did was buy a Havalon.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: teanawayslayer on November 01, 2015, 07:46:02 PM: I bought a cutco knife 3 years ago. Haven't needed a sharpener since I purchased it. Little spendy but worth it!
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Bill W on November 02, 2015, 08:46:48 AM: Quote from: Bill W on October 16, 2015, 12:23:10 PM
crock stick in the field.

The only reason I needed to touch up the blade in the field is it was my first caping job and I kept cutting too close to the skull. That dulled my blade. Next caping job a couple of years later I did with the same blade.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Jonathan_S on November 02, 2015, 11:06:12 AM: Depends on the hunt. For deer hunting I carry a couple small knives in the pack and a small carbide/ceramic sharpener that weights like .5 oz. I don't need two knives but the weight penalty is negligible for most deer hunting. Breaking down a deer shouldn't require more than one good blade with a razor edge...but you never know what you'll run into.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: Houndhunter on November 02, 2015, 11:14:50 AM: I used the havalon knives, pintara and barracuda, and only used 2 blades start to finish with my bull this year. Those two knives together are an awesome set up, the barracuda has bone saw blades too.

Plus I never have to sharpen anything
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: 7mmfan on November 02, 2015, 11:15:46 AM: Quote from: 7mmfan on October 16, 2015, 09:06:54 AM
Quote from: Whitpirate on October 16, 2015, 08:57:45 AM
Havalon Titan. Never look back. I keep a small collapsable diamond sharp to touch up the ends of the fixed blade on the Titan and carry about 10 scapel blades for the flex side. I've used it on 5 animals we've butchered on the farm and it works great. Hope to use it on a mule deer this weekend.

http://www.havalon.com/double-blade-hunting-knife-shockey-titan-red-xt-tred.html

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fep.yimg.com%2Fay%2Fyhst-35864383674868%2Ftitan-jim-shockey-signature-series-1.gif&hash=9c748106ea63a9f31d4d20b50f27f48d28eeefd5)
Picked one of these up for this year after having a friend break down his whole elk with one.

Broke down my entire deer (skinned, quartered/boned) in the field on Saturday with one blade. I broke it at the end when I was cutting the head off. I was happy the Titan has the folding blade as well. I flipped it out, made a couple good cuts and popped the head right off. I'll never go back!
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: pianoman9701 on November 02, 2015, 11:20:33 AM: I've got the Havalon with the small replacement blades. Maybe it's the Piranta. Maybe I'll get the Titan. I like having the bigger blade. Thanks.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: high country on November 05, 2015, 07:23:12 PM: Best thing I ever did was buy one of these. The gut/skin blade is amazing and the main blade steel is sweet. It's been inside 15 elk and I love it.
http://www.swissknifeshop.com/swiss-army-hunter?gclid=CjwKEAiAmeyxBRCJxoKk7IWLl2oSJABvZjhhL4OY7ojVUDlBNhtiYSA6Ksa-qDMqtJyePyrAly_ezxoCU2bw_wcB

To sharpen, I use a apeedy sharp. It can turn a Philips screwdriver into a sword in a few swipes.
http://www.speedysharp.com/
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: pianoman9701 on November 06, 2015, 07:51:40 AM: Now i know what I'm asking for Christmas, High Country. Thanks.
Title: Re: How do you sharpen knives in the field?
Post by: high country on November 06, 2015, 02:36:04 PM: Quote from: pianoman9701 on November 06, 2015, 07:51:40 AM
Now i know what I'm asking for Christmas, High Country. Thanks.

You'll be impressed. I must have a few grand in knives and several that I've built.....I still can't beat the way the Swiss cuts the hide so fast and doesn't shave the hair.