Hunting Knife Sharpening – Three Steps to A Sharper Knife

Hunting knife sharpening doesn’t come to mind til something reminds you of it (like a dull hunt knife). Or, if you are a person who adheres to good routines, you plan your sharpening in advance of the game season. Knife maintenance is an important task.

However you come about the realization that this job needs to be done, there may be the thought of, “Oh, no!  The hunting knife is dull and needs to be sharpened.”

Before you begin sharpening a hunting knife, gather your equipment. Honing rods, if you will use them. Sharpening stones. Metal polish. Sharpening oil. Some patience and a good attention to detail is good to have along for this task, too.

Having purchased a good item at good value, your job is made easier by having a quality knife to begin with.

With the right tools and technique, hunting knife sharpening is easy to do.  But do not let other people know that you can sharpen hunting knives.  Most people have dull knives and would love to know someone who is skilled at the knife shaprening business.

The first step is to inspect the knife.  You look at the edge of the blade carefully.  You are looking for nicks in the blade or for an extremely dull blade.

The second step is called heavy sharpening.  If the blade just needs a light touch-up, skip this step.

You need a course grit sharpener.  These can be used dry or wet.  Most professionals perfer wet.   The sharpening stone you select will tell you what kinds of honing oil to use.

You need to hold the blade on the stone as the same angle of the cut of the blade.  Depending on the stone, you will use a straight stroke or a circular motion, moving from tip to hilt or hilt to tip whichever you prefer.  Draw the blade to you without too much pressure.  Keep the blade on the stone.

Sharpen both sides equally. If you had a nick, work the nick area until it is gone.  Once the blade is even, move on to step three.

Step three is the final sharpening.

Wipe the knife dry if it is wet. Get a stone with 750 grit. Follow the directions on the stone for a wet sharpening.

Follow the directions in Step 2 on how to sharpen the knife.

Use light even strokes on the stone to finish the edge.  Be sure there is no burr.  Wipe off the knife.  It is sharp and ready to go.

Now the hunting knife sharpening is done.  To keep the blade sharp, here are a few tips:

-  Sharpen regularly.

-  Keep the sharpener with the knives.

-  Use the knife as a knife, and finally

-  Do not hammer, point, twist, pry, throw or use the knife with electrical things.

Always, of course, keep in your mind the reminders you know about knife safety, including:  If the knife falls, be sure you do not try to catch it. Also, and this is common sense, always cut away from yourself, not toward any part of yourself like the hand, face or body.

Now it is time to be looking forward to the sporting and outdoor activity you are planning… because now, at last, you have a sharp, ready-to-use hunting knife thanks to your knowledge of how to do hunting knife sharpening.