Grit on my huntimg knife.

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  • ponypeddler87

    Active Member
    Feb 17, 2013
    183
    St. Marys
    What grit do you guys use on your hunting knives. I know it's just flesh and you don't need to take it up to 50-60k grit. 1000? Higher or lower?
     

    Klunatic

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 28, 2011
    2,923
    Montgomery Cty
    Grit? I use a steel to keep my knives sharp. Unless you are hacking bone or cutting on a hard surface a good steel, used regularly, will keep your knife razor sharp. The Key is to use the steel while you butcher the animal. If you ever watch a butcher work they always have a steel nearby and use it constantly to keep the edge sharp. If it does get dull I found this tool works very well http://www.selectool.net/ . It takes a little practice to learn how to use it but it works great, way better than other pocket sharpeners.
     

    ponypeddler87

    Active Member
    Feb 17, 2013
    183
    St. Marys
    I should have mentioned I'm a bit of a knife snob and sharpening snob. I have a Wicked Edge and can go up to 50,000 grit. I'm not a fan of steels I normally bring 4 or 5 knives to butcher 1 animal. I cut right through the rib cage of deer.
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    Grit? I use a steel to keep my knives sharp. Unless you are hacking bone or cutting on a hard surface a good steel, used regularly, will keep your knife razor sharp. The Key is to use the steel while you butcher the animal. If you ever watch a butcher work they always have a steel nearby and use it constantly to keep the edge sharp. If it does get dull I found this tool works very well http://www.selectool.net/ . It takes a little practice to learn how to use it but it works great, way better than other pocket sharpeners.

    Same here. I like diamond steels :thumbsup:
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Ok, nothing wrong with being a knife/ sharpening snob on purpose, and more interesting than many othet hobbies. Heck, 40yr ago I was really into ultimate sharpening.

    Nowdays I am mostly more pragmatic. Assuming reasonably appropriate geometry, 1000 will get you 98% of maximum " cuttingness", and even 600 will give decent service.

    I understand the theorys behind the steel, diamond, etc sticks. I just prefer the greater tactile feedback from stones or other flat surface sharpening media.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    I should have mentioned I'm a bit of a knife snob and sharpening snob. I have a Wicked Edge and can go up to 50,000 grit. I'm not a fan of steels I normally bring 4 or 5 knives to butcher 1 animal. I cut right through the rib cage of deer.

    Each knife can use a different edge. Use a polished convex edge about 50-60 degrees inclusive for hatchets and cleavers, resists damage and slips right through while reducing crushing/splintering of bone. A 45-50 degree toothy edge works on a skinner/caping knife, sharpen to 400-600 depending on steel, then strop the wire edge, gives it "Bite" to slice through skin or get started when needed, the high angle holds the edge longer, it is sharp enough to glide through the fatty layer between skin and meat, but isn't so fine an edge that it gouges into the backside of the skin, can also work to scrape fat off of the skin, touchup on steel being tough cutting rolls an edge before dulling it. Filet and boning knives get a fine polished edge, 35-40 degrees, sharpened, then polished on film, stropped on loaded leather, the sharp fine edge glides around bones and gives good control while slicing cleanly with the best edge, touchup on a strop. Chef, and Utility knives get a 40 degree edge sharpened to about 1200 then stropped, touchup on steel, it's a good fine edge that can be done quickly, good mix of sharpness for clean cutting and sectioning, and durability for less work to keep sharp.
     

    ponypeddler87

    Active Member
    Feb 17, 2013
    183
    St. Marys
    Ok, nothing wrong with being a knife/ sharpening snob on purpose, and more interesting than many othet hobbies. Heck, 40yr ago I was really into ultimate sharpening.

    Nowdays I am mostly more pragmatic. Assuming reasonably appropriate geometry, 1000 will get you 98% of maximum " cuttingness", and even 600 will give decent service.

    I understand the theorys behind the steel, diamond, etc sticks. I just prefer the greater tactile feedback from stones or other flat surface sharpening media.

    Yea from time to time I like to drop a hair on the knife just to make sure its sharp. I chuckle when people say their knives are shaving sharp. I say yea but do the hairs pop.
     

    BenL

    John Galt Speaking.
    I suck at sharpening, so I picked up one of these. Works great. Almost like cheating.

    WSWSKTSKO.jpg
     

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