Knives and Sharpening Stones
 

Okay, heres the thing. ive never owned what you would call a quality knife, and i would like some out side opinions on a good manufacturer. Im looking for a pocket knife thats easy to conceal, that i could whip out with the flick of a wrist and defend myself if necessary . also it would be nice if it were "tool worthy."

By tool worthy i mean i need to be able to take this fucker out and use it as an emergency pryer, screwdriver, whatever.

Also, i would like some opinions on sharpening stones. Right now i have a DMT sharpening stone. Im not very good at using those long chef knife sharpeners, so those are out :p.

I dont really like those sharpeners thats take 3 swipes are so and your blade is good to go. i like to practice at getting as good of an edge as i can with a normal, rectangular stone.

so...any adivce?

oh, and what i have resembles this...
http://www.dmtsharp.com/products/productonwhite/W6_.jpg
it was a hand-me-down

Spyderco, Blade Tek, CRKT, MicroTech, Benchmade ... all make good, quailty folders.

Your stone is fine. You might wish to add a good set of crock sticks.

Not necessarily what you asked about but here goes from a chef :

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s1853130.htm

I'm nowhere near as hardcore as Spindles, but I do work as a sushi chef to support myself. What I've taken to doing is using my #10,000 grit stone, and sharpening my sushi knives at the end of every shift. The lower grit stones (#1,000), as Spindles said, will 're-align' your blade, whilst the finer grit stones, generally #5,000 and above will act as a 'finishing' stone to provide an extremely smooth finish (on a molecular level, a smooth blade will be sharper..right?)

Though I am not familiar with self defense knives, I'd reccomend some sort of high carbon stainless steel blade. I have a stainless steel and a high carbon stainless steel knife...the high carbon stays sharper than the regular stainless about two times longer.


I generally shy away from Diamond whetstones, as I have heard that they tend to be somewhat coarse, thus eating away the steel of a knife quicker than a traditional water stone. Coarser stones will also shorten the life of a knife too, as the coarser grit eats more of the knife with every scrape. I have many co-workers with deformed sushi knives because of all the sharpening they did on a coarser stone.

Eitherway, I'd reccomend a lower grit sharpening stone to 'shape' your blade. Then a smoother stone to finish the edge.

My knives are usually sharp enough through saran wrap simply by gliding the knife over the film...

I've thought about buying a really good knife for use in cooking, but at the moment I'm using an inexpensive "Forever Sharp" knife from a supermarket. I use it for meat and vegetables with a wooden board, and found that it was sharp enough to use without effort for the first two years or so without sharpening, and then needed sharpening every three months to maintain the same edge.

I have 2 stones I use for sharpening my knives, both are double-sided combination stones. If the blade needs major repair work or a new angle on the edge I use a silicon carbide oilstone. Then I finish up with a 4000/8000 grit watestone for a fine edge.

As mentioned earlier you'd probably want a 45° edge. Using it as a tool will more than likely destroy any edge you have on there, but compared to a 30° it will last much longer for general usage.

CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool) products are absolutely top notch.

Check out their hot-hot knife porn site: http://www.crkt.com/

I highly recommend the Crawford / Kasper folder.

It's a big, heavy knife that'll handle anything you throw at it. I liked my first one so much that I bought others to store in my vehicle and for my last deployment to A-stan.

Available in two blade lengths (3" and 4") with either half-serrations or plain, straight edges. Two blade finishes: Flat black or bead-blasted (matte) steel. It has a dual fixed thumb stud with liner blade release lockout safety (LAWKS system), reversible 3-point pocket clip (anchored towards the stub choil for a quicker draw), one of the thickest liners on the market, and an ergonomic Zytel (plastic) scale handle that can handle all sorts of abuse. Lanyard hole is great for a length of cord to keep it in your pocket.

Quality construction and materials throughout. The whole package is big and heavy... and that heft gives you real confidence in it as a badass tool.

Price is right at around $45.00.

Picture example of CRKT Crawford / Kasper folder

I know you didn't ask, but I'd seriously evaluate your "knife for self defense" idea. If you can't defend yourself without a knife, chances are you can't defend yourself with one.

That said, if you want a knife capable of killing or disabling someone, (really what you're talking about when you say 'defend yourself') you can't do much better than a Spyderco Harpy, or a Civilian if it's legal to carry.

http://www.knivesplus.com/media/SP-C12GS.jpg

I was thinking the same thing.

A little martial arts training and confidence almost always beats a thug with a knife.

I carry a benchmade Pika, simple inexpensive not the easiest one hand open, but I dont intend to use it in self defense...

some of the higher end Benchmades are really easy to open and close one handed, go check out some of their knives with the axis lock.

I'd get another swiss army knife to carry... but I always seem to loose them... they need to make some with the clip on them, so they stay better attached to my pocket.



As for sharpening I like to put a convex edge on my blades, especially my big kukri, and since I got the stuff to do it for my kukri, I use it on most of my blades

http://home.nycap.rr.com/sosak/convex.htm
http://bill-hay.com/Convex/Convex.htm

The first thing i would say is please, please reconsider using your knife as a prying tool or screwdriver. If you're going to get a knife to carry around and use frequently, you'll want it to be a good quality knife steel, which is MUCH more brittle than tool steel... if you're going to go to the trouble of carrying a knife, carry a small multitool too, and you'll even have pliers, wire cutters, flat and phillips screwdrivers, and maybe even some tweezers and a file :D

I bought one of a good while ago, and I love it. It just clamps onto my keyring, and I hardly notice it. When it's time to work, opening it will allow it to come off the ring easily, and it's got some tough jaws which aren't going to flex like thinner-pliered multi tools. It's also not as big as a leatherman, and carries a lifetime warranty.

I also carry a Kershaw Leek daily, and love it, despite the fact that it's a lower quality knife steel than something like Spyderco or Benchmade. It deploys extra quickly, and is easy to sharpen. The clip can also be reversed to carry tip-up when closed, just like I like. CRKT is a very good recommendation, as are the others... *edit to add: the Spyderco Native is a great entry level knife made of S30V, and made just 15 or so miles from my house in the great state of Colorado here is a knife-steel faq, btw - vg-10 and s(30, 60, 90)v steels hold edges incredibly well. It really all depends on how much you're going to be using it.

As far as sharpening, I just use the same 4000/8000 grit wetstone I use for my straight razors... I've never seen the need for anything more fancy, to tell the truth. Just hold it at the angle yeh want, and pretend you're whittling... if you get a wire edge, go backwards a couple strokes and don't go quite so far next time ^_^

I carry and use a knife daily so I'm not reduced to using my claws and teeth - it's the same with that small set of pliers, so I'm not forced to beat up my fingers (or my knife)... In the words of Obi-Wan, "An elegant weapon, from a more civilized age..."

I carry a Leatherman Micra for the same reason. I find scissors as a primary tool to be more useful in many situations than pliers.

http://www.shop4leatherman.co.uk/lea...rman_tools.jpg

There are two kinds of "sharpening" that a blade can undergo. That's because there are two kinds of dulling.

The first kind is "warping". When a blade warps, it still has a sharp edge, but the edge has bent slightly to one side or the other. This happens in normal use--faster if you're cutting on hard surfaces like glass or ceramic, slower if you're using wood or plastic cutting boards. Warping is corrected with a sharpening steel--a long, thin cylinder of metal that you run the edge down, or your square block from the OP. You want to use the steel before every cutting session with a good chef's knife.

The second kind of wear is "dulling", where the material that makes up the edge of the knife is literally worn down and the knife's edge becomes less sharp. That's corrected by "honing"--running the blade against a fast-moving grinder. It really should only be done by a pro (though some chefs train themselves in it). If you live in a reasonably metro area, there's probably a traveling guy with a knife sharpening shop in a van that he can drive right up to your kitchen. You can get all your knives honed at the same time, save some money.

I have had a Gerber Gator Mate serrated edge for about 5 years now and am quite happy with it.

http://www.gerber-tools.com/images/G...large-6151.gif

Features:
* Overall Length: 7.25''
* Length Closed: 4.125''
* Length of Blade: 3.13''
* Weight: 2.8 oz.
* Lock Mechanism: Lock back
* Blade Style: Serrated edge , clip point
* Blade Material: 400 Series Stainless Steel
* Handle Material: Polypropylene base with santoprene* over-mold
* Sheath: Ballistic nylon


* Whether dry or wet the handle is non-slip.

Just want to make it clear, I'm quoting the website above - that is not me sharpening knives, though I do use a stone and steel regularly...

dont worry about me, i know what im doing.

you'll trust me on that one.

ive been gone for about a week, and have alot of thinking to do. The multi-tools are out, i dont like something that clunky. I hear spiderco makes really good knives but so far im thinking about going with a CRKT.

I dunno, ill find something.

If price is no object, get a Strider. If it ever does get dull, they will sharpen it for you.

Strider is a liar.


Green beret my ass, the schmuck is a freaking car thief turned ex special-forces operator/knife peddler.

well, i got some cash and im going to make a purchase.

not on a stone yet, but a new blade. ill let you know which one when i finally decide.

decisions,decisions.

He might be a liar, but does he make good knives?

Edit: Fucken aye those striders are expensive! i can go back to central florida and get a fucking AK off the streets for that price, with a case of 2000 rounds and a stick of juicy fruit!

There was a recent thread about Duane on Socnet.

If Strider or his partner Duane were legit, they would be able to provide proof. (Duane is claiming to be a Marine Scout Sniper) despite a release by the Scout Sniper Association stating he was never one of them.

Unless that proof materializes, stay away from Strider Knives.

If you really are worried about the quality of the edge you put on your knife, purchase a Lansky sharpening kit...they are great and very controlled.

I don't give a shit if he says he is Santa Clause, he makes a great knife. To be honest I knew nothing about his lineage or lack thereof, I bought one after seeing someone elses. Liar or not, I challenge you to find a better production knife.

I've carried many Spydercos, one Gerber, and one CRKT M18-14. I didn't like the Gerber at all. After many Spydercos (mostly Delicas and Enduras), the CRKT had a really nice feel to it. It has a lot more weight (which is both good and bad). The action was very smooth. In my opinion, it didn't hold an edge nearly as well as the Spydercos, so I'm carrying a Spyderco Pacific Salt now...

I treat my knifes relatively well and don't use them as prying tools, only for cutting. I tend to not sharpen them very often at all. Like I said, the Spydercos keep an edge with extremely infrequent sharpening. The CRKT may be a better knife in many ways, but I don't feel like sharpening it as often as mine would require to keep the same edge the Spydercos always seem to have.


FYI: From the Spyderco website:

* Sharpening -- complimentary provided the edge of the knife is not severely damaged -- please include $5.00 for shipping and handling.

oh i can shrapen knives myself.

i have a swiss army knife and a knife called a "titan" that i found on the floor of my old room. Both will slace paper with ease.

yeah, i dont really use them to pry and unscrew things to often, just in certain emergencies. But its nice to know a knife is tough enough so that i wont have to worry about losing the tip.

like i said in the thread, it would be nice if it were handy with self defence.

im good with my hands, but if someone pulls a knife and i dont feel as my martial arts experience could help, i would love to have an equilizer. (usually my equalizer is just a stick)

oh, just for the hell of it. i was sharpening this country boys knife 4 or 5 months back. he was extremely drunk and skeeted on coke, didnt feel up to the task.

i gave the knife back too him, telling him if i were sobor i could have done a better job. he rubbed his thumb across the blade and exclaimed "Damn boy, by lookin at yah i didnt think you would be able to do such a damn good job"

Sounds like you need a pistol, not a knife.

http://www.usmcstore.com/images/Ka-Bar/Ka-bar.gif
It's worked just fine for me for years :thumbsup:


It's not hard to find a better knife. Anything with a handle is better than that stupid 550 cord crap.


And I'm reasonably sure that BOS does the heat treating for Strider knives. Thats where the quality comes from. It has nothing to do with Strider IMO.

BOS does heat treat for them, and if you don't like the 550 just get G10 or micarta. And with all due respect, my knife would cut that K-Bar in half.

yeah, i have a pistol.

I've had a benchmade for about 4 years now and I couldn't be happier. I'm just not sure if you could get one of the assisted opening ones without living in Oregon or being military/police due to federal regulations. Great knife though, has held up throughout the years

There is nothing respectful about obviously ludicrous claims.

... unless it's a light saber.

...

People that can afford a $200+ knife... are probably just wasting their money on "cool guy" show-off gear.

:rolleyes:

We need a point and laugh smiley :lol:

Or a troll smiley...

I use ceramic sharpening rods. They're hard to find, but my Kershaw will fillet the print off a newspaper, and my boss at my old job (resteraunt) forbade me to sharpen the knives after a co-worked shortened his finger by about 1/16" and didn't notice for several seconds. Something about risk of blood contamination, I dunno. I've always found diamond stones and such to be too coarse for my taste; I like a scalpel-fine edge, and all it takes is 5-15 minutes per night to maintain. Takes about a week of this treatment to turn the edge into a mirror, no visible tool-marks at all, even under magnification. The only downside is that unless you've got a stock for 'em, ceramic rods make it very easy to cut yourself pretty badly.

I'm thirding or fourthing or whatever the suggestions that defending oneself with a knife is a dumb idea. As said (or implied) before, if someone is close enough for a knife, then they are close enough for hand-to-hand combat, which is likely to be equally as effective in your defense. The difference is that, with hand-to-hand, you may disable simply via knockout, holds, or perhaps breaking a couple of important limbs. With a knife, you're probably going to have to kill the poor bastard in order to effectively defend yourself against the assailant. It's messy, morally questionable (given the other, equally good options), and unneccessary.

Hey Suave...

What???

First, having a knife doesn't mean you need to use it. Second, how much of a chance do you really think the average person has to "disable simply via knockout" an armed assailant?

Nobody has any business producing a knife unless they are involved in a life or death struggle. If they are involved in a life or death struggle (which they did not start/provoke) there is absolutely no moral ambiguity involved, you are killing someone who would kill you.

If the situation is a simple fistfight or is not life-threatening, then there is no reason to pull out your knife. However, I would much rather have a knife than nothing at all if I am goinng to have to defend my life. To suggest that hitting an attacker or trying to choke him out is just as effective as spilling his guts on the ground is uninformed at best, and somewhat irresponsible.

It is OK to disagree with using lethal force, but don't argue that it isn't effective.

Um, listen man, you walked right into that one. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but I stand behind what I said.

Haha I'm not saying it's ineffective at all. If you were to disagree with anything I'm saying on effectiveness, you might say that I am overstating the effectiveness of hand-to-hand combat. Then again, karate (so it goes) was developed to combat the samurai, who carried blades much larger than knives, so perhaps I'm not overstating its effectivness.

about this self defense thing...

...im not going to use a knife on someone unless its absolutely 100 percent necessary! ive found myself in VERY sticky situations and ive never once shown my blade.

about those ceramic rods, i would love that, if i could only get the hang of the damned things. i use stoned because they're all ive ever used.

as for the karate thing...

im trained in tae kwon do (does nothing for blades) and a little aikido..but not enough to reassure myself "hey, this fuckers going to lose that knife!"

so yeah, like i said..mostly used for practical purposes, but a quick blade would be nice :D

Walked right into what exactly? If crompsin has some sort of class warfare issues with me buying a good knife, that's his issue. The issue I have with you is that you infect this particular forum with your negative crap constantly. All I ever see you do here is shit on other peoples choices and opinions, whilst offering nothing at all of substance to back up your opinions.

And, just to stay on topic:

BOS does heat treat Stryder knives, but that is not what makes them great knives, it simply adds to it. They are made of S30V steel, which quite frankly beats the shit out of 1095, as well it should, it costs more, and it is a modern knife. I know a lot of people take issue with Mick Strider, but you are the first person I have ever heard criticize his product (not that I valued your opinion much to begin with).

The Ka-Bar is over 60 years old, technology has progressed a bit since they were conceived. I am not saying they are bad knives, I'm saying that, just like with guns, you get what you pay for. If I want a nice looking knife for a shadowbox, I'll buy a Ka-Bar, most of thier knives are commemorative editions anyway. I prefer hard facts to nostalgia.

Oh, by the way, who did Det 1 choose to make their issue knife?