There are as many different ways to sharpen a knife as there are people on this forum, I would imagine. Everyone has their preference to technique and materials. I have heard say that 90% of sharpening is technique and 10% is material/equipment. Whether you agree or not, no matter. What I wanted to review is a piece of equipment, since I mentioned it in another thread. The Fallkniven DC4 is a two sided diamond/ceramic whetstone. DC4 - Fällkniven First, what it is not. Probably not the right sharpening tool for home or car camping. What it is is something small and light to throw in your pack for sharpening on the go. Fallkniven has a smaller and a larger one. But this one is my goldilocks...just right for the backpack. And for most sharpening needs in the field, good enough. IMG_0018 by Hanzo posted Jul 16, 2017 at 9:32 The diamond side took out a little chip (maybe 1mm deep along a 3mm length of the edge) in my blade edge this morning in about the time it would take to soak my Japanese water stones. Not sure how the edge got the little chip. But I haven't sharpened this knife over a couple of camping trips too. I knew it wasn't sharp enough to shave, but was still plenty sharp. Once I got the chip out, I ran through my usual sharpening routine using both the diamond and ceramic sides. In the field, I would use the case for a quick strop. Some people have unstitched the case, flipped it inside out and restitched it to use the more sueded inner layer on the outside to strop. I am too lazy to do that. Plus, in the field, good enough. You can still get the blade sharp enough to shave without doing that. An old Ray Mears trick is to dump some nails inside the sharpener case. Great tip. When I need to sharpen when backpacking or camping, you only need three nails to secure the stone to a log in a kind of long triangle fashion. Just tap it in with the spine of your knife, or a rock. The spine is fine. You will want the nails to go at least flush with the top of the stone or preferable slightly below. Less chances of your blade edge contacting the nail. Another sharpening trick if you don't lug a strop is to strop it on the stone, or any material you might have on you, like your pants leg or belt. Or a branch. Also, running the edge of your knife a couple of times along a branch can remove the wire edge too. Not only can it take the wire edge off, you can feel for little nicks and chips in the edge. Safer than using your fingers of fingernail. Surprisingly sensitive too. I would suggest taking the bark off any branch you use first though. Since I was at home, I stropped on a strop. IMG_0015 by Hanzo posted Jul 16, 2017 at 8:40 Ok, good enough. It shaves again without the nick. And this is probably more than you want to read...
I agree. I have the equipment but learning which to use with what and how to use is not easy. I have sharpened a few things by hand and it is time consuming especially if they have been neglected.
Looking into it as I need a new traveling stone. Still loving the top of my Bronco side window to finish my edge.
If a knife is really dull, I take a file to it first before my normal sharpening. At camp, one of the dads was trying to sharpen his knife to no avail. It was a butter knife. When I asked him if he would like me to sharpen it, he wanted to keep trying, but then handed the knife over. He had spent A LOT of time on it. And I have sharper butter knives. When I took out a file, he started to freak. But over the next few minutes, I returned a shaving sharp knife to him.
A mate who does leather work made me up sheaths for two of my Busse ASH1s. Both included the same DC4 in pouches (as well as a fire starter and on one a concealed ESEE AH1- but I digress). They do make short work of more needy sharpening jobs. I have not used them on either ASH (no need, striping got them back) but on all manner of beaten blades. Is that a Flexx strop ? He makes a good product. I have a couple (large bench strop and small one for the field kit). Nice review.
