Knife sharpener?

[Huli]

I was looking through my gear and realized I have a knife sharpener. It's quite small, 35 grams. Thought about not taking it, but then, what do you all do to keep your cutting tool of choice sharp?

[Deacon]

Assuming you are backpacking, how often do you use your knife when you're backpacking? I would think it wouldn't be an issue.

[DuneElliot]

I sharpen my knives maybe once a year, but I'm not hard on them. I can't imagine having a need for a knife sharpener on a short trip, unless you baton or whittle a lot of wood. I've only actually used my knife on one trip, the rest of the time it sits in my hip belt pocket...but a knife is one thing I'd rather have and not need and still carry every time even if it doesn't get used...same with a compass, at least where I hike.

[Sarcasm the elf]

On a lightweight backpacking trip? I've never used my knives hard enough to dull them under these circumstances.

I do carry a multi-sharpening tool when I am base camping or car camping because then I'm cooking, whittling, cutting firewood, etc. But these are not activities I usually do when I am hiking light and fast.

If I really needed to sharpen a knive in a pinch, I would just wait until I was in town and the give it a few passes on the bottom of a cerramic plate or coffee mug.

[Puddlefish]

I used the knife portion of my leatherman style CS once in 60 days on the trail. To open a big can of V8... yes, it was the wrong tool for the job, but it worked. When I get back on the trail, I'm just taking a pair of quality kids scissors.

[OkeefenokeeJoe]

First of all, Huli, I admire the fact that you carry a knife on the trail .... it's what real men do. Oh, and real men also eat beef and pee on trees. Ignore the hoard of feminized, politically correct, hand-wringing, man-bun-wearing millennial males who shriek like 12-year old girls and run to their safe zones at the mere thought of anyone carrying a knife. When you need a good sharp blade, nothing else will do, even if you use it only once or twice (or none at all). Therefore, if I were you, I'd grab a Smith's Pocket Pal PP1 knife sharpener (which weighs next to nothing) and toss it in a pocket somewhere, and forget about it until such time as you need it.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-PP1-Po.../dp/B000O8OTNC

As for me, I ALWAYS carry a good sharp knife and .... guess what? .... I always carry a concealed weapon. I constantly find uses for a knife, but have never needed (except for that one time in 1978) to draw my weapon, but both are there when the situation arises.

Kid's scissors?! I don't even know what to say about that. I guess you never know when you want to make something out of construction paper.

OkeefenokeeJoe

[Puddlefish]

First of all, Huli, I admire the fact that you carry a knife on the trail .... it's what real men do. Oh, and real men also eat beef and pee on trees. Ignore the hoard of feminized, politically correct, hand-wringing, man-bun-wearing millennial males who shriek like 12-year old girls and run to their safe zones at the mere thought of anyone carrying a knife. When you need a good sharp blade, nothing else will do, even if you use it only once or twice (or none at all). Therefore, if I were you, I'd grab a Smith's Pocket Pal PP1 knife sharpener (which weighs next to nothing) and toss it in a pocket somewhere, and forget about it until such time as you need it.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-PP1-Po.../dp/B000O8OTNC

As for me, I ALWAYS carry a good sharp knife and .... guess what? .... I always carry a concealed weapon. I constantly find uses for a knife, but have never needed (except for that one time in 1978) to draw my weapon, but both are there when the situation arises.

Kid's scissors?! I don't even know what to say about that. I guess you never know when you want to make something out of construction paper.

OkeefenokeeJoe

Did you fight many bears on the trail? Sharpen a lot of tent stakes? Rescue a lot of damsels in distress? Cower behind your shiny knife when you heard scary noises on the trail?

As I think about it, I used my knife a few times to slice summer sausage and cheese. I ended up buying a lot of pre-sliced pepperoni, since it was available everywhere, was that unmanly of me? Since I'm super concerned about how manly you think I am, I can just gnaw off portions with my teeth.

A knife is like any other tool, there's zero manliness involved in using the right tool for the job. Do you also have opinions on the comparative manliness of what socks I wear? Know what's manly? Making my own equipment decisions based on utility, and not on any of your misogynistic politicized ramblings.

[DuneElliot]

Did you fight many bears on the trail? Sharpen a lot of tent stakes? Rescue a lot of damsels in distress? Cower behind your shiny knife when you heard scary noises on the trail?

As I think about it, I used my knife a few times to slice summer sausage and cheese. I ended up buying a lot of pre-sliced pepperoni, since it was available everywhere, was that unmanly of me? Since I'm super concerned about how manly you think I am, I can just gnaw off portions with my teeth.

A knife is like any other tool, there's zero manliness involved in using the right tool for the job. Do you also have opinions on the comparative manliness of what socks I wear? Know what's manly? Making my own equipment decisions based on utility, and not on any of your misogynistic politicized ramblings.

This forum really needs a "thanks" button.

[CalebJ]

First of all, Huli, I admire the fact that you carry a knife on the trail .... it's what real men do. Oh, and real men also eat beef and pee on trees. Ignore the hoard of feminized, politically correct, hand-wringing, man-bun-wearing millennial males who shriek like 12-year old girls and run to their safe zones at the mere thought of anyone carrying a knife. When you need a good sharp blade, nothing else will do, even if you use it only once or twice (or none at all). Therefore, if I were you, I'd grab a Smith's Pocket Pal PP1 knife sharpener (which weighs next to nothing) and toss it in a pocket somewhere, and forget about it until such time as you need it.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-PP1-Po.../dp/B000O8OTNC

As for me, I ALWAYS carry a good sharp knife and .... guess what? .... I always carry a concealed weapon. I constantly find uses for a knife, but have never needed (except for that one time in 1978) to draw my weapon, but both are there when the situation arises.

Kid's scissors?! I don't even know what to say about that. I guess you never know when you want to make something out of construction paper.

OkeefenokeeJoe

Do you ever look around and realize you got off the train at the wrong stop? This is the ultra light hikers forum.

[Bronk]

Oh, and by the way, the pliers on my leatherman recently started jamming up and I mailed it back to them...in less than a week they had sent me a brand new tool. 25 year warranty, and they honor it no questions asked.

[colorado_rob]

First of all, Huli, I admire the fact that you carry a knife on the trail .... it's what real men do. Oh, and real men also eat beef and pee on trees. Ignore the hoard of feminized, politically correct, hand-wringing, man-bun-wearing millennial males who shriek like 12-year old girls and run to their safe zones at the mere thought of anyone carrying a knife.

blah, blah, blah.....

As for me, I ALWAYS carry a good sharp knife and .... guess what? .... I always carry a concealed weapon. I constantly find uses for a knife, but have never needed (except for that one time in 1978) to draw my weapon, but both are there when the situation arises.

Definitely sounds like compensation for something.... I'm guessing lack of, er, "size".

A sharp knife is much safer than a dull one, and more useful, but if it's a decent knife, one good sharpening should easily last a full thru hike. I carry a good sharp, 0.7 ounce knife for slicing food, etc. Again, what other uses does one have on the trail? cutting cord? a lighter works better, since you'd be sealing the ends with a lighter anyway, why not just "cut" using the lighter right off? Does anyone carry cords thick enough to need a knife?

I do carry a much more substantial blade when technical climbing, of course.

I see posts all the time saying "I use a knife often", but they never say what exactly for. I really am curious. I guess making the good old "fuzz sticks" (fire starters) is one use (I carry a trioxane fire starter block, works every time). And whittling, which is kind of fun sometimes.

[stilllife]

First of all, Huli, I admire the fact that you carry a knife on the trail .... it's what real men do. Oh, and real men also eat beef and pee on trees. Ignore the hoard of feminized, politically correct, hand-wringing, man-bun-wearing millennial males who shriek like 12-year old girls and run to their safe zones at the mere thought of anyone carrying a knife. When you need a good sharp blade, nothing else will do, even if you use it only once or twice (or none at all). Therefore, if I were you, I'd grab a Smith's Pocket Pal PP1 knife sharpener (which weighs next to nothing) and toss it in a pocket somewhere, and forget about it until such time as you need it.

https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-PP1-Po.../dp/B000O8OTNC

As for me, I ALWAYS carry a good sharp knife and .... guess what? .... I always carry a concealed weapon. I constantly find uses for a knife, but have never needed (except for that one time in 1978) to draw my weapon, but both are there when the situation arises.

Kid's scissors?! I don't even know what to say about that. I guess you never know when you want to make something out of construction paper.

OkeefenokeeJoe

My favorite post of all time!

[Another Kevin]

I have a Smiths Pocket Sharpener, but it doesn't match the set of the blade on either my full-sized Leatherman or my Leatherman Squirt, which are the only two knives I ever carry on a hike. (I'll bring something bigger when car camping, but then I can bring an oilstone as well.)

I find that when backpacking, I don't cut anything but the cheese. The Leatherman comes in handy because the pliers can grip hot things, the tiny screwdriver can repair my spectacles, and the scissors can cut gauze, or dental floss if I wind up needing to sew something, or even fingernails. I always bring at least the Squirt because my cookpot has no handle.

[Bronk]

I used to carry a leatherman tool until I realized that its a rare day on the trail when I will need a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. I really don't use a knife all that much aside from cutting something I'm eating or occasionally some paracord. Your blade won't need sharpening that often. When it does, ask a hostel employee or owner if they happen to have a sharpener you can borrow. If not, buy one at a Walmart for $5 and then toss it in the hiker box when you leave.

[Malto]

I rarely use the blade on my tiny SAK. The little sissors, all the time. So zero need for sharpener, ounces add up.

[Franco]

I'm glad I'm not manly enough to need a gun just to go hiking...

[DuneElliot]

I'm glad I'm not manly enough to need a gun just to go hiking...

I often carry one, just not backpacking...too much weight. Oh, and I'm not a man!!! Lol

[Dogwood]

On a long hike I go to a manly, preferably a fat Polish or German butcher, and have them sharpen my Swiss Army Knife, a pitiful little knife. They are usually the best at it and have never taken a dime from me for doing it. I don't ever say I'm a vegetarian not having eaten red meat in 25 yrs although I might say the veal chops look good. I've also gone to Barbershops, preferably with a manly but old skinny Navy or Army barber, with a picture of the ship or tank battalion they served on the wall with a sign saying haircuts $10 and that offer straight razor shaves. You're not a man if you haven't ever gotten a straight razor shave.

[Maineiac64]

A nice flat river rock can be used if really in a bind for a sharpener.

[Engine]

A nice flat river rock can be used if really in a bind for a sharpener.

+1 If you feel the surface of most river rock it's very similar to that of a whetstone, and when you're done the stone can go back in the river. I carry a Gerber LST which can be sharpened fairly quickly with just such a rock.