Who carries sharpening tools daily?

[JD Spydo]

Most everyone here knows the value and necessity of carrying a good pocketknife or any other type blade for that matter, and the advantages it gives you. What many people I talk to seem to overlook is to have some sort of sharpening device handy and that's where I see many guys & gals dropping the ball so to speak.

For the past 4 years or so I've been EDCing one of my Spyderco Doublestuff stones. I don't know what I would do without it because I use mine almost daily for something. For as simple of a sharpening tool that it appears to be I find it to be extremely versatile and very handy in a pinch.

One thing my favorite uncle told me all the way back to my teenage days was "that a knife is only as good as it is sharp".>> In other words a dull knife is one of the most useless tools out there.

I'm hoping that in the future Spyderco will focus on other types of sharpening tools small enough that can be EDCed daily because a sharp knife is a vitally important tool and needs to be maintained.

So who carries sharpening tools on a daily basis and what do you carry?

[Ankerson]

I used to back in the late 70's and 80's when the steel choices weren't as good as we have these days.

Now I usually don't have to worry about my knife going dull at work.

I usually have one of these with me knife wise.

Spyderco Para 2 20CP
Spyderco Military S30V
Spyderco Military XHP
Native 5 S35VN
CRK Umnunzaan S30V

[JD Spydo]

I used to back in the late 70's and 80's when the steel choices weren't as good as we have these days.

Now I usually don't have to worry about my knife going dull at work.

I'll admit that the blade steels we have available to us are a universe apart from what we had during those times. However I use my knives so much during a normal day's use that I'm constantly at least keeping the edge tuned up and keeping the blade hair popping sharp which I find to be a great advantage at times.

I guess it would also have to do with the type of job or work you would be faced with during a normal day for that person. I just find that Spyderco Doublestuff stone to be ideal for field sharpening jobs and for general touch ups. I also have some Spyderco 702 stones ( the short version of the 701 Profiles and I sometimes take them along if I anticipate using a Hawkbill a lot.

[Ankerson]

I'll admit that the blade steels we have available to us are a universe apart from what we had during those times. However I use my knives so much during a normal day's use that I'm constantly at least keeping the edge tuned up and keeping the blade hair popping sharp which I find to be a great advantage at times.

I guess it would also have to do with the type of job or work you would be faced with during a normal day for that person. I just find that Spyderco Doublestuff stone to be ideal for field sharpening jobs and for general touch ups. I also have some Spyderco 702 stones ( the short version of the 701 Profiles and I sometimes take them along if I anticipate using a Hawkbill a lot.

Back in those days I usually needed to sharpen my knives like 4 or 5 times in a shift, now most of the time I can go a week before I need to touch them up.

I cut cardboard mostly.

[rodloos]

Besides the DoubleStuff (303MF) that I keep handy, I also carry a 303F (like just the smooth half of a DoubleStuff) in my truck center console. I find that its rounded edges also work well on serrations if I happen to just need a touch-up. Never know when I might have switched a different knife into my pocket that needs a light touch-up.

And any time I go camping I have the DoubleStuff, often a SharpMaker, and a metal file for my machetes. In case I end up having to stay longer than anticipated, I always want to be able to keep my edges sharp :) .

[Slash]

Belt sander, file, rotozip, multimaster, dremil, etc. are all in the trucks toolbox and could be used in a pinch for sharpening just about anything. But, they are there for other tasks.
I do also have a cheap double sided norton stone in the truck as well. More out of habit than necessity. I rarely go to it for sharpening my knife. Only time I used it this past year was ona a knife I purchased second hand and decided to carry that day, but didn't sharpen properly when I received it.
Went to the buffet where it's hard for the waiter to find you a steak knife. So, before going in I took it to the stone knowing I like to be able to cut my prime rib.

[Evil D]

Man I'm super picky about keeping my blade sharp but I'm not this picky. I'd sooner carry a backup blade over a sharpening stone. Now, if I'm doing some camping or extended fishing trips I'd bring something then.

[gbelleh]

I only need to touch up my EDC knife once every month or two at most.

[sharpguitarist]

Hey JD,
While at work, I carry a small diamond rod in the belt pouch that holds my work LM.
Everyone knows I'm the go to guy if they need to touch up their blades.
I also have diamond rods in each of my edc bags.
I even have a few credit card sized rectangles of 300 and 600 grit sandpaper in my wallet just in case.
Later,
Don

[.357 mag]

I carry my 701's in my EDC bag everyday.

[JD Spydo]

I carry my 701's in my EDC bag everyday.

Hey I'm really pleasantly surprised :) Here in the past 3 days I've talked to at least 4 people who have told me that the Spyderco 701 Profiles are their choice for field and back up sharpening tools.

When I started this thread I thought that I was going to discover that many used the Doublestuff stone like I do.. But I was wrong.

I do think that the 701 Profiles might be the versatile set of sharpening tools to have in the field. I mainly use the Doublestuff stone to enhance the edge on my plain edged EDC.

I have a set of the older 702 Profiles ( which are a shorter version of the 701) and that might be a great kit to keep in the vehicle or to take in the field.

But I still say the Doublestuff stone is probably the best stone to have for plain edges if you just want to touch up or fine tune an edge without doing it on the better sharpening equipment.

[Brock O Lee]

I usually wear a leather belt, but its not loaded :)

Joke aside, I'm with Gbelleh on this one.

[xceptnl]

...I do think that the 701 Profiles might be the versatile set of sharpening tools to have in the field.

+1 . . I love having my 701s close by at all times. Last week while staying in a friends beach house I was able to practice my freehand skills on a whole drawer full of dull dull DULL kitchen knives. It was very relaxing to sit in a chair by the shore and sharpen knives. I also have been carrying a small 4" curved DMT diamond stone for those rare reprofile occasions.

[ChapmanPreferred]

I carry a Leatherman Surge which has a removable diamond file, so that is option 1. Then I also carry a Spyderco 305M (which is a bit shorter wider and thicker than the 303M) and a DC4 which is diamond and ceramic. I have a Sharpmaker, 204D and 204UF(x2) in the car for larger emergencies. I had been carrying around a couple of 1x30 belt sanders in the car, but at the moment they are in the garage til after the baby is born (he's three days overdue as I type).

Truthfully, I do not typically have to sharpen my own knife/knives on a daily basis. I do offer to touch up knives I have presented to people at work as gifts so that they see that sharpening is part of knife owership. This has lead to more than one new Sharpmaker owner because I explain that it is the best way for beginners to achieve success in any hand sharpening method I have used.

Great topic. I will check it out again when I get back to a computer.

[BonnieDoon]

I carry a Buck diamond pocket knife sharpener, does the job for quick touch ups on PE and SE knives

[dgulbra]

My double stuff is in my vehicle pretty much at all times. I also carry 2 dmt diamond credit cards on me at all times

[.357 mag]

Hey I'm really pleasantly surprised :) Here in the past 3 days I've talked to at least 4 people who have told me that the Spyderco 701 Profiles are their choice for field and back up sharpening tools.

When I started this thread I thought that I was going to discover that many used the Doublestuff stone like I do.. But I was wrong.

I do think that the 701 Profiles might be the versatile set of sharpening tools to have in the field. I mainly use the Doublestuff stone to enhance the edge on my plain edged EDC.

I have a set of the older 702 Profiles ( which are a shorter version of the 701) and that might be a great kit to keep in the vehicle or to take in the field.

But I still say the Doublestuff stone is probably the best stone to have for plain edges if you just want to touch up or fine tune an edge without doing it on the better sharpening equipment.

I use them on something every day. I bet the doublestuff is a great small touchup sharpener but the 701 is good for so much more. All I have to say is spyderco makes some of the best sharpening requipment.

[mkd]

i have a gerber 8" steel that is flat sided and has a chisel point.it comes in a leather sheath and the steel slides into the pocket of the sheath from the side much like a jacknife opens and closes.i also have an ez lap diamond sharpener that is round and the sharpener is screwed into the brass handle when stored,during use you unscrew it,turn it around,and screw it back on the handle.much like the diamond m model shown here.i have had the gerber steel 30+ years and the ez lap was older than that and it was my dad's.the gerber was too large to carry and was in the truck but the ez lap i carried to work up untill i retired last year. http://eze-lap.com/kitchen_culinary_foo ... harpeners/ http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/g ... re-vintage

[kbuzbee]

I carry a small diamond rod in the belt pouch that holds my work LM.

I have a small triangle (I think it's a Lansky?) shaped diamond rod in the car. Never use it. As Jim says, with the steels we have now I just don't need to sharpen while I'm out.

Ken

[Minibear453]

I've never found it necessary to sharpen my knife while outside. Normally, I never use my knife for intensive tasks anyways, it's just cutting a thread, opening a letter, cutting a bagel, things like that. If I go outdoors, or any extended trip, I'll carry a small 4" norton stone.