Shalom Jim,
I purchased some utility knives and a bayonet recently and it got me to thinking about what and how are the best ways to sharpen a dull edge. Do you have any suggestions or techniques that you are using? Seems like the best method would be without the use of power tools. I appreciate your help, once again.
Todah Rabbah (Thank you), B’Shem Yahshua HaMoshiach (In the Name of Messiah Yahshua) – Dr. Sidney Zweibel
JWR Replies: I may be a dinosaur, but I use traditional Arkansas stones for most of my knives. I do have a few knives that were made with extra-hard ATS-34 stainless (Rockwell 60 or higher) that can only be effectively sharpened in a reasonable period of time with a diamond sharpener. For these I use an early-generation Eze-Lap in the field and a medium-size DMT “stone” here at the ranch house. The good news is that once they are sharp, these extra hard blades hold an edge exceptionally well.
I don’t recommend power sharpeners for two reasons: 1.) They cause excessive wear on blades, and 2.) They don’t work without utility power.
Independence from utility power is one of the central tenets of my preparedness philosophy: Don’t complicate things unnecessarily. Don’t use 21st Century technology when 19th Century will suffice. Long chains of dependency (like using on an elaborate photovoltaic power system to run umpteen power tools) makes the loss of that system a real show-stopper. My shop has just a few power tools but lots of old-fashioned hand tools. One of the most prominent is a hand-cranked bench grinder. It is probably 80 years old, and built to last another 80. The only thing better would be one that is treadle-powered. (I’ll keep looking for one of those.)