How Do I Sharpen My Pocket Knives as a Firefighter & Hunter?

A few days back when I working as a firefighter, I wanted to cut a wire with my Kizer Bear 2 pocket knife but I was struggling do it. I just looked at the blade’s condition and it seems that it had become dull. I sharpen my knives regularly but I may have overlooked at this one. I had to borrow a fixed blade from my colleague that day and when I got back home, the first thing I did was sharpen the blade because a dull blade isn’t only hard to use, it is very dangerous and you may cut yourself while pushing it too hard.

Before I was a professional firefighter, I have been hunting since a teenager and I’ve followed various methods to sharpen my blades. Among them, there are 3 of them I follow regularly and today, I would like to share with those who are looking for the right solution. Continue reading to know about them.

Method 1: Sharpen a Pocket Knife Using a Whetstone

This is the first method I follow while sharpening a blade and it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes.

Tools I need for this method:

• A sharpening stone (also known as Whetstone)
• A marker.

Whetstone is one of the most common and traditional way to sharpening a knife with the grinding and honing process. Due to cost efficiency, this is my favorite method.

When choosing a whetstone, I always go with dual-sided stones; a coarse and a fine side. A coarse side (150-220 grit) helps the dull blade take on a good shape, whereas the fine side (600-1000 grits) refines the edge.

Right now, I’m using the Intelitopia knife sharpening stone, but you can get any other whetstone depending on your budget.

Step 1: I Immerse the sharpening stone in a small tub for 5-10 minutes. Once the air bubbles stop coming out, it means the stone is ready to use.

Step 2: Next, I use the marker to mark the knife edge.

Step 3: After that, I’ll place the sharpening stone on a flat surface and hold the pocket knife vertically at 90°Degree in the coarse grit.

Once done, I’ll tilt the knife in half and then repeat the same step to set the blade at a 22.5-degree angle.

Watch this video if you aren’t sure about this step.

Step 4: Now, I go back and forth a couple of times until I see a burr on the blade. I’ll repeat the same process on the other side of the knife and ensure I have a burr on both sides.

Step 5: Finally, I’ll use the fine side and follow the same process until I get the sharpness on both sides of the blade.

A good whetstone won’t cost you more than $50 and it’ll last anywhere between 3-5 years.

Method 2: Sharpen the Knife without a Sharpener

Some of my EDC pocket knives go unused for a couple of months and I use a guided system to sharpen them.

Each guided system comes with a different sharpening hone for different purposes. 

I’m using the 5-Stone Ceramic Knife Sharpener by Lansky, and the honing rods I get on this are:

1. Coarse red hone– For repairing dull and damaged edges.
2. Medium green hone– Standard repair and edge refinement.
3. Fine blue hone– Regular touchups to maintain the sharp edge.
4. Ultra-fine ceramic yellow hone– For final polishing and to get a razor-sharp finish.
5. Serrated medium hone– To sharpen the serrated blades.

You can select a similar sharpening guided system to sharpen your knife. A good model for a reliable brand would cost you between $50-$100. If you maintain it properly, it can easily last anywhere between 5-10 years. I’m using mine for over 10 years.

Steps I follow with to sharpen a blade:

Step 1: I secure the knife to the center of the clamp if the blade is 7 inches or shorter. If it is more than that, I work on each section of the blade separately.

Step 2: Select the honing based on the blade’s condition. (coarse, fine, etc.)

Step 3: Attach the rod to the sharpening stone. I use the flat surface such as a table while attaching the rod to ensure proper alignment and maintain a consistent sharpening angle.

Step 4: Next, I select the angle I want to sharpen my pocket knife. My guided system has four different sharpening angles: 17, 20, 25, and 30. For a pocket knife, I always prefer the 25-degree angle as it provides excellent results.

Step 5: Now that the angle is set, I’ll start sharpening the knife by moving the hone forward. 

I always hold the hone steady while sharpening and use the same number of strokes on both sides of the knife for a balanced edge.

Watch this video if you have doubts about this process.

Method 3: Sharpen the knife with a sandpaper

When I leave for camping or hiking with my friends, I keep sandpaper in my backpack to sharpen my knives because a whetstone or a guided system is relatively heavy to carry in such situations and takes a lot of space.

Here are the steps I follow:

Step 1: Clean the knife with a soft cloth to remove any residue from it.

Step 2: Place the sandpaper on a flat surface like a table top and hold in your dominant hand.

Step 3: Set the knife at a 22.5-degree angle and draw the knife in a clockwise pattern for 4-5 times.

Step 4: Repeat the same process in the anti-clockwise pattern.

Step 5: Again, clean the knife with a cloth and you’ll have a sharp blade now.

Watch the video to clear your doubts.

Strop Your Knife After Cleaning

Stropping is the process of polishing a knife’s edge for better performance. It is not necessary but I do it to get a polished edge. I’m using 1-Piece Leather Strop by SHARPAL and would recommend the same for you as well. It provides effective results under $10 and can be used multiple times.

Here’s what I do:

Step 1: Apply the compound to the strop surface 2-3 times.

Step 2: Hold the strop in my left hand and the knife in the right hand at a comfortable position.

Step 3: Place the knife at the bottom of the strop and move it towards you slowly. I don’t push the knife down as it’ll damage the edges.

Step 4: Turn the other side of the knife from the top and strop slowly towards the bottom. Using the normal strength will do the job.

This video explains more about the process.

How do I maintain the sharpness?

1. Clean them regularly

After using the knife for a certain period, dust, dirt and debris gets into the blade that can potentially damage it. I clean it with a soft cloth before using it in such a condition.

2. Lubricate the blade

When I don’t intend to use a particular knife for some time, I lubricate the blade so that it can protect from getting the rust.

I ensure that to use the right lubricant based on the manufacturer’s guidelines. Applying one or two drops does the job for me. I avoid overapplying because it may damage the blade.

3. Store it in a safe place

I always store my knives in a dry place far away from getting moisture. As I have multiple knives, I store them separately. I’ve cabinets, blocks, and stands to store them safely. I use sheaths for specific knives that need more protection.

FAQs

1. What should I use to sharpen a pocket knife?

You can use a whetstone, guided sharpening system or a sandpaper to sharpen your knife.

2. Do you push or pull when sharpening knives?

You need to do both while sharpening your knife. From my experience, I find both of these methods effective while sharpening.

3. What must you not do when sharpening a knife?

These are the mistakes you shouldn’t go:

1. Over sharpening: This may damage the blade and impacts on its durability. 
2. Using inconsistent angles: Always use the same angle consistently for effective sharpening.
3. Using the wrong grit: Choose the right side of the grit to sharpen the blade.
4. Ignoring the manual: Some manufacturers provide specific guidelines to sharpen their products and skipping this could impact the durability of the blade.
5. Applying uneven pressure: It could result in dent and even sharpening.

4. Can I use WD-40 to sharpen knives?

No, you can’t use it to sharpen the knife because it leaves additives behind and may result in damaging the knife.

Please remember

Each time you use your pocket knife, the blade gets chipped at a microscopic level or the edge gets misaligned. You need to sharpen the blade regularly like I do. 

I have had my dad to teach me how I can sharpen my pocket knives in early days of hunting and if you don’t have any such person, use this post as a guide to learn the process. Let me know If you have any questions in the comments and I’ll get back to you soon. Cheers!