Sharpening steels:

Standard equipment in professional kitchens around the world, and they do an AWESOME job with many stainless steel EDC and hunting knives too! Many carbon tool steel knives work well with a steel. From unrated stainless up to 440, 420, Morakniv Scandinavian stainless steel, Mov1.1416 , and many others. Carbon tool steel with a hardness rating below 58, a kitchen steel is going to be a quick alternative to a full sharpen. It dresses the edge by aligning the steel fibers that have become lightly distorted, this maintains the edge without removing material like a standard sharpening, making the edge, and the blade steel last longer. If you've ever sharpened a knife free-hand, You can probably swip-swipe a steel. Low pressure and "feel" are the keys to honing steels. There's nothing like the sound of a knife on steel in experienced hands. That alone gets cool points, and impresses the kids lol. 12" of steel, with a handle and hanging ring, 18.5" overall. Keep it soaked in light oil if you're not keeping it in the house. An unprotected sharpening steel will get rough and rusty spots out in the garage, in a truck box, or in a hunt pack. WD-40 works really well as it repels water and loosens everything up for a quick wipe clean, but food grade (yes, the laxative) mineral oil is recommended for sharpening steels used with food prep knives.

Arkansas Ceramic Stick sharpener:

If you've ever used a honing steel, you already know how to use one of these. I've used one on D2 steel, and it worked just fine. dress that edge up right before a clean, and it'll help keep that edge you worked for. Works on the popular Case Surgical Steel, and most other stainless steels too! Start out with warm-up strokes to light pressure, alternating side to side with lighter strokes as you go. This one will not rust. Keep one in your hunting bag, and another one with your filet knives. Arkansas ceramic does remove a little material, so if it gets a little color, a pencil eraser or a piece of cork will buff it clean. a quick wipe, and you're ready to go again! Clean with water if necessary, some folks use these water wet, I use them dry. At 11.375" overall, and with 6.75" exposed ceramic, it's just right for most blade lengths.

Arkansas stones are fragile. It won't last in your back pocket. A lot of guys make a tube to store these and protect them. I need to be making one myself.. I will post a quick how-to, I might even make the CPVC sleeves available here.

NEW! Rough Ryder Pocket Diamond Sharpener!

Diamond rod, 3.13" of sharpening rod, 7" overall when open, 4.63" closed, pocket clip, fish hook sharpening groove, tapered, round, works well for sharpening serrated edges and straight edges as well, also sharpens gut hooks! I suppose a person could take a burr off of a wire stripper notch if they were Very careful. Diamond sharpeners work with most grades of steel blades. Diamond is aggressive, so a sharpen finished with an Arkansas ceramic or a honing steel, will bring back the sharpest edge. Nice little sharpener! Great for the hunting bag, tool box, or tackle box. A shot of WD-40 or a drop of mineral oil, and a wipe to clean. Packaged in a Rough Ryder brand box.

The steels and ceramics come to us bulk packaged, forgive us for the interesting packaging when you receive these.

Steels are not recommended for axes, hatchets, or machetes.

Stay Sharp!

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