Knowing how to sharpen your survival knife properly is important because your knife is only useful when sharp. Without a sharpened knife, you may have a hard time with several tasks. Whatever you bought your knife for, it may not be able to do when its blade is dull.
4 Tips On How to Sharpen Your Survival Knife Properly
With the right survival knife, you can be forgiven for thinking that you could walk into the lion’s den to slay the entire pride. But that’s only until the blade becomes dull and rusty, after which it wouldn’t even cut a rabbit.
Anyway, when this happens, all that’s necessary is the combination of a functioning sharpening gear and an excellent sharpening technique. Note that the technique is typically the more difficult to get of the two. However, regardless of what you’re sharpening with, be it a whetstone, rods, or even Creek stone, the four tips which we’ll look at below are just perfect for renewing your knife.
Let’s see what these tips are!
Make Sure Your Stone Is Stabilized
Often, most make the mistake of sharpening their survival knives on a rocking, unstable stone. This always fails to do the job perfectly because the best a wiggling sharpener can do is distort your blade’s edge. As such, it is best that your slab-alike whetstone is tightly keyed down and unable to wobble when in use.
So, instead of holding your sharpening stone by hand, it is much better to mount securely on a stationary object, such as a log. That’ll allow you to maintain the same edge throughout the process.
Take Note Of Your Sharpening Strokes
Any form of partial on either side of your blade will surely cause an uneven knife. Therefore, you have to remain aware of the strokes you apply on each side of the stone to not over-sharpen one of the sides. A good way to keep track of your strokes is by counting them as you go.
Select The Appropriate Angle
The appropriate angle does not necessarily have to be precise, but you should be able to work out a very close one. Typically, the bevel angle of a survival knife ranges between 20–30°. Upon choosing the right angle, you should keep it in an unflinching position as you sharpen. Picking the right angle enables your knife to sharpen thoroughly and evenly across its blade.
Sharpen Regularly, Even When The Blade Is Still Sharp
You just have to keep your knife sharp always to avoid a lot of work when sharpening it. If you make the mistake of letting your knife go very dull before it is sharpened, you may have a hard time getting it back to its initial sharpness. A method I use is to hone my knife at least once a week, although I alternate between light and heavy sharpening every other week. This keeps my knife sharp at all times while ensuring that the blade doesn’t corrode slowly due to over-sharpening.
Conclusion On How To Sharpen Your Survival Knife Properly
Having a clear understanding of how to sharpen your survival knife properly is necessary to keep it in excellent condition. Keeping your knife sharp always ensures that you’re ready for all emergencies whenever they may rise.