Here is one http://http://www.instructables.com/id/EFSTN49LGWEP287Z8V/ Its surprising how many people don't know the value of a high quality sharp knife survival, kitchen or otherwise. I don't know how many people i know that have dull, cheap, infomercial knives (the miracle blade) I would much rather spend $150 on a single paring knife then spend $59 on a whole set of those cheap crap. EDIT http://http://www.ehow.com/how_4596734_sharpen-knife-file.html sorry i didnt read that you wanted one that could show you how to sharpen with a file. I Use a file just as much as anything they are a great tool
To get a knife sharp, at least to my standard of sharp (ie...will shave hair) you need a fine stone. This way you will reduce the burs on the edge of the blade. A file is way to course for this. Can you clean up a knife and get nicks out of a knife, of course you can. Can you get it sharp with a file, no, not to what I would consider sharp at least. When Dad taught my brothers and I to sharpen knives they had to be able to shave hair before you where done. Of course he would let us learn on the biggest POS worthless, crap metal, knife he could find. You don't even want to the #$!! we went through learning to shoot. OGM
Coincidentally, when I was in USAF survival school, we were issued the standard Ontario USAF survival knife or "bolt knife" as they called it. The thing couldn't keep an edge to save it's life. Plus, since it was issued to us after some 18 year old used it to write his name in a granite wall, the only thing that worked was a standard bastard file. I worked for a good six hours on mine to get a decent edge using stone. After the first use, the edge was gone. After some experimentation, I found that the rough edges caused by the file actually allowed it to cut better, kinda saw tooth. After each use, I just gave it a few quick swipes with the file and it was ready for the sheath. I know this sounds rediculous for someone who covets blades, but for a cheap knife with mild steel, a file actually does wonders in a pinch.
There is certainly truth to this. There is a difference between hair popping sharp and usable sharp. A rough edge is often easier to cut with while a razor sharp edge is easier to slice with. Personally if I want a slicing tool I want a quality steel knife honed to beyond razor sharp, but if I want a rough cutting tool then I go for a serrated edge. And no, I do not own any of the useless 'combo edges' as this simply reduces the useful area for cutting or slicing and is a PITA to use. I get a certain satisfaction from hair popping sharp knives. It is hard to describe, but when I can drag a knife along a steak and cut it with just a few slices assisted by nothing more than gravity pushing the knife down it's a great thing. Just watching each slice open it up more and more. Then again, I have serrated edge knives that are brutes and haven't sharpened them in the last 5 years. They really don't need sharpening for how they are used.
ya part of what you are talking about is not sharping the knife just so that you know, thats honing the knife like when you see a chef using that steel on his knife just before he slices, thats honing the knife not sharpening it...honing straightens all the microscopic fibers on the edge of the knife and therefore it cuts better.... but if you have a dull knife, as in you can see a shine on the edge of the knife your best bet is to sharpen with a file and graduallly work you way down to a whet stone or water stone, and even to a strop...now that the knife is sharp you would use a honing steel or like to hone the knife before every use. what you are talking about is just the tip of the iceberg,
So at first all I needed was a file and some more knowledge, but now I need to do more than what was too much in the begining. Ok I got ya. OGM
hey your the one who said you couldn't sharpen a knife with a file, I'm just letting you know that there is a lot to know about proper care and maintenance of a knife and using a stone is only one part of it.
