Thread: Honing in a Pinch

Just wanted to start a thread where people can introduce interested honing ideas --i.e., non-typical abrasives found around the house, maybe things people wouldn't consider using at first glance. The other day I tried out the newsprint on glass method and it worked fairly well. Anyway what ya got?

Justin

can't vouch for how well it would work as I haven't tried it. Way, way, back in my High School days I knew a kid (still see him from time to time) who would use the file cabinets in the band room to sharpen his pocket knife.

Unless your out on the road or something why would you need something in a pinch? many hones just require a few drops of water on them to use. Thats a pinch to me.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Unless your out on the road or something why would you need something in a pinch? many hones just require a few drops of water on them to use. Thats a pinch to me.

Just trying to be creative. And maybe get people to look at the world around them a little closer. Of course a hone or paddle strop is ideal, but maybe there are other methods as well. This is just an "idea" thread ---everyone knows how to get serious about honing in the end ---let's just pretend if ya have the time.

Justin

I use 2K wet dri paper wrapped around a medium Arkansas stone for finishing my kitchen knives. Then I use an old weightlifting belt as a strop on them. They are not shave sharp, but they are scary sharp.

I use the same setup to get my Khukuri knives pretty darn sharp as well. I don't go for quite as fine an edge on that blade though. It is used for much heavier work. Those are a couple of fun knives to swing.

To get a finer finish from the paper I take two blocks wrapped with the paper and rub them together. I can't tell you the exact grit that they aquire, but they will put a mirror polish on the Khuk's blade. It's pretty nice.

Honing a piece of steel to knife sharpness is pretty easy and common. I've always thought the last step of razor honing was the hard part.

I've heard of, but not used, car polish. I think the easiest thing to do is to buy a piece of balsa wood and apply grit paste to it. I think newspaper is the weirdest thing I've tried so far. I'm sure there is something else I've tried but few things have really worked.

Originally Posted by freebird

can't vouch for how well it would work as I haven't tried it. Way, way, back in my High School days I knew a kid (still see him from time to time) who would use the file cabinets in the band room to sharpen his pocket knife.

I believe it's more of a stropping process, like using a sharpening steel.