Staying Sharp Without Sharpening Stones or Rocks
This story is derived from a recent memory when my partner and I were deep in the Amazon jungle in Peru. I was amazed to notice that there were simply no rocks around the jungle floor or in the river. I was astonished that everywhere I looked, I could not find a single one, at least where I was.
When you are out on an expedition, a mission, or a mere trek, the edged tool you rely on is only as useful and as good as its sharpness. So, what do you do if you need to sharpen your machete or knife and find your beloved whetstone or knife sharpener is missing from your pack for whatever reason—like taking a nasty fall down the side of a steep embankment? Well, all you need to do is use a field expedient method for sharpening, so you quickly grab a rock and a little water and get to work. But, what if you look around and there are none?
Now what does one do? Well, you simply have to improvise, much like ancient people, you have to find a way. Because, trying to hack your way through triple canopy jungle with a dull blade is exhausting—not to mention, a dull knife just doesn’t lend itself well to any task.
Esta historia es de la edición November 2017 de Knives Illustrated.
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Esta historia es de la edición November 2017 de Knives Illustrated.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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TIP TALK
UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLADE TIP SHAPES AND WHY IT MATTERS
HOLDING FIRM
GETTING A GRIP ON KNIFE HANDLE BENEFITS, MATERIALS, AND FUNCTIONALITY
EDGE UP
TIPS, TRICKS, AND TECHNIQUES TO SHARP WHEN ADVENTURING FAR FROM HOME
THE COMBAT KITCHEN
SLICE, DICE, CHOP, AND CUT: FOOD PREP WITH BLADES FROM POPULAR TACTICAL KNIFE COMPANIES
MORAKNIV Classics
THESE TIMELESS BUSHCRAFT KNIVES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND ARE BETTER THAN EVER
ONE FOR THE ROAD
CHOOSING AN “EVERYWHERE KNIFE” CAN BE DIFFICULT DUE TO COMPLICATED KNIFE LAWS
TRAVELING LIGHT
SOMETIMES, INEXPENSIVE UTILITY BLADES YOU PICK UP AT YOUR DESTINATION CAN GET THE JOB DONE
MATCHED PAIR
JB KNIFE WORKS LAYMAN KNIFE AND GAMBIT HATCHET COMBO: ONE PICKS UP WHERE THE OTHER LEAVES OFF
WHEN BIGGER IS BETTER
THE CAS IBERIA CHOP HOUSE IS A MACHETE THAT PROVIDES BIG BLADE CUTTING POWER
KITCHEN KNIVES DON'T HAVE TO BE DULL
I have a confession to make. See if this sounds familiar. I take meticulous care of the knives I use for everyday carry, hunting, and general woods wandering. I wipe them down with an oily cloth after use and I never let them get too dull. Seldom do I have to restore a damaged edge. Most of the time I simply touch up the edges of my pocketknives with a few careful strokes across the rough bottom of a ceramic coffee cup. That’s usually all that’s needed. I don’t use my knives as screwdrivers or pry bars. As a matter of fact, I still have the very first knife I ever owned, an old Boy Scout knife that was handed down from my older brother. The blades have a deep patina that comes with using carbon steel over the years, but the knife is very usable still.
