Best Safari Knife Shoot Out - 2017

[Shootist43]

How to begin? I've always kept my knives sharp. In my youth it was with a flat oil stone and a strop. Later I introduced an Arkansas Stone (600 grit) into the mix. This effort required many hours of concentrated effort. Why, because a slight shift or change in the angle between the knife and the stone could wipe out the edge. The only way to manually keep the same or a consistant angle is with some sort of jig. Hence the Lu Ray or Lansky type sharpening system. Over the years I've added finer grit stones as they came available. Mind you I do not abuse my knives, borrowing Von Gruff's words "they are for cutting skin and meat." Over a number of years I "field dressed" 11 White-tailed Deer, including punching my Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunter through the breast bone before it required resharpening. I got out my trusty Lu Ray and went to work. It took many hours to get the knife resharpened to one of the angles available. Once the angle had been changed it is a simple matter to maintain it when required, which is very seldom.

I began accumulating Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunters for my grandkids use off Ebay since they were no longer being made. In most cases the previous owners had attempted unsuccessfully to resharpen them. Not wanting to spend the time to sharpen them by hand I had two choices, send them back to the factory or find another method read (less manual) to sharpen them. Shipping costs and sharpening costs if sent to the factory would be $25 -30 per knife. Since there are over 10 to be sharpened I decided to purchase a Work Sharp. I tried it on the first knife and was able to get it razor sharp in less than 20 minutes. But, on the downside the edge is now very slightly convex. I'm not sure that is going to be a problem. After thinking about it for a while and doing some reading of the literature that came with the Work Sharp a convex edge has just a little more steel behind the edge than a chisel cut. IMHO that should make the edge stronger not weaker. Any blade that is sharpened via a sanding belt not having a backing plate immediately behind the point where the blade is being sharpened causes the belt to flex / deflect slightly which will result in a slightly convex edge angle. I don't know how to measure the slight difference but am reasonably sure it is only tenths of thousandth of an inch. The edge that I put on with my Work Sharp reflects light in the manner described by Ray B in a previous post. I need to add that the final step in the process is to strop the knife.

 

[nztimb]

The easiest way to keep knives sharp using a conventional oil stone is to put the knife at the correct angle and hold the stone level or that is what I found. Cutting a small block of hardwood and making a clamp from a cut down angle iron it is a simple matter to hold the blade steady and running the stone horrizontal like this the edge bevel can be kept very even indeed. Every so often the stone is given a few splashes of kero and a rub with an old paint brush then rubbed with a cloth which keeps the stone clear of steel paste from stoning and a continuation of unclogged cutting on the bevel.



Alternatively the stone can be set in a block at the right angle and the knife blade kept vertical. It is much easier to keep either the stone horrizontal as in the first two pics or the knife blade vertial rather than trying to keep the blade at a constant angle. With the stone in the block a degree or two flatter than a set of crox stick the finest of wire edges can be taken off on the sticks or with a strop and it is a good idea to have a strop to finish the blade anyway.


Because I will be doing the safari knife with a scandi grind I will get a set of water stones as the longer angle of the scandi grind makes keeping it flat on the stones an easier proposition for our eye hand coordination.

 

[Nyati]

My hunting knife, made by 2G a custom knifemaker from Spain and a good friend of mine.

52100 steel, micarta handles, full tang, 6mm thick, hollow grind.

 

[Nyati]

Another custom knife I just got, made by another friend Garcimonte, this one in 01 steel

 

[Ron_Ald]

The best hunting knife for me is these https://arnobernard.com knives.Well made and high quality.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

How to begin? I've always kept my knives sharp. In my youth it was with a flat oil stone and a strop. Later I introduced an Arkansas Stone (600 grit) into the mix. This effort required many hours of concentrated effort. Why, because a slight shift or change in the angle between the knife and the stone could wipe out the edge. The only way to manually keep the same or a consistant angle is with some sort of jig. Hence the Lu Ray or Lansky type sharpening system. Over the years I've added finer grit stones as they came available. Mind you I do not abuse my knives, borrowing Von Gruff's words "they are for cutting skin and meat." Over a number of years I "field dressed" 11 White-tailed Deer, including punching my Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunter through the breast bone before it required resharpening. I got out my trusty Lu Ray and went to work. It took many hours to get the knife resharpened to one of the angles available. Once the angle had been changed it is a simple matter to maintain it when required, which is very seldom.

I began accumulating Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunters for my grandkids use off Ebay since they were no longer being made. In most cases the previous owners had attempted unsuccessfully to resharpen them. Not wanting to spend the time to sharpen them by hand I had two choices, send them back to the factory or find another method read (less manual) to sharpen them. Shipping costs and sharpening costs if sent to the factory would be $25 -30 per knife. Since there are over 10 to be sharpened I decided to purchase a Work Sharp. I tried it on the first knife and was able to get it razor sharp in less than 20 minutes. But, on the downside the edge is now very slightly convex. I'm not sure that is going to be a problem. After thinking about it for a while and doing some reading of the literature that came with the Work Sharp a convex edge has just a little more steel behind the edge than a chisel cut. IMHO that should make the edge stronger not weaker. Any blade that is sharpened via a sanding belt not having a backing plate immediately behind the point where the blade is being sharpened causes the belt to flex / deflect slightly which will result in a slightly convex edge angle. I don't know how to measure the slight difference but am reasonably sure it is only tenths of thousandth of an inch. The edge that I put on with my Work Sharp reflects light in the manner described by Ray B in a previous post. I need to add that the final step in the process is to strop the knife.

@Shootist43
Art I have been using the Ken Onion knife sharpener (upgrade of the work sharp) and find it brilliant. Angles from 15 to 30 degrees.
As soon as my knives start to get dull 2 minutes on it bring my knives up to scary sharp.
I did try the Nirey pro but tg found it only had one angle and didn't sharpen the whole blade. It is reserved for my every day kitchen knives. I wouldn't use it on good knives as even with fine belts it can be aggressive in steel removal.
The Ken Onion takes about the same am out of steel as a set of good stones..
Bob

 

[B0MBOY]

Interesting to see the ESEE knife being the overall best again. I recall them winning a survival knife ranking as well.

 

[rookhawk]

Interesting to see the ESEE knife being the overall best again. I recall them winning a survival knife ranking as well.

The ESEE Reuben Bolieu <sp?> Scandi grind is hands down the very best production knife in the world. My son inherited mine and has used it extensively on two continents and countless animals. For only about 30-50% more money, I would encourage you to consider a @Von Gruff bushcraft hunter knife. His steel is even better, the thickness of the metal is greater, and @Von Gruff has a longer handle for big hands while keeping the blade to a reasonable length for do-all use.

One is a factory made production knife, the other is a one of a kind handcrafted heirloom. A custom knife the quality of @Von Gruff 's work here in the USA would be 2x-4x the price.

Steel knives get sharp fast and resharpen quickly. Steel knives with scandi bevels can be resharpened by an imbecile like me with only a strop bat and zero stone skills. Just follow the existing scandi bevel and even Ray Charles can have a razor sharp knife.

 

[nztimb]

Bushcraft Hunter

 

[rookhawk]

Bushcraft hunter with deluxe embellishments after hundreds of days of field use.