So here’s the deal.  I just got a gift certificate good for one Benchmade Knife.  It’s non refundable so it’s not like I can get something else.  I already own a #1 Russell Belt knife that I’ve taken on all my trips for the past 40 years and it does just fine for the various odds and ends that I use a knife for – making shavings for fire starter, cutting cord, spreading peanut butter and various other “cooking” chores etc.  So from the Benchmade catalogue, which is pretty large, what kind of knife should I get (being that I’ve never been what you’d call a knife nut)?  First, I can’t decide whether to get a fixed blade like their Activator (   (You need to Login or Register) which seems like a useful size and shaped blade or one of their folding knives like the Torrent (   (You need to Login or Register) or Axis (   (You need to Login or Register).  Any knife folks out there that might be able to help me out with this?  All opinions appreciated.

I think you will need to think about your trips and where you would like to of had a knife.  I like a knife on my belt and I have used a fillet knife but they do not have a snap on the case so they fall out when I set down.  What I carry now is a small hunting knife on my belt with a snap on the sheath.  I also have a fillet knife in the bottom of my tackle box. You may want to look for something you would use while not on a canoe trip. When not on trips I carry a small 3 blade pocket knife.  Maybe a kitchen tool.

I tell ya, MP, in my every day life I have no particular use for a knife that I would carry with me, never have. I also do carry a fillet knife when I'm on the water but I would never use it for anything besides filleting.  The only purpose I can conceive of for this new knife, other than to give to someone else as a gift, would be for canoe tripping, either to replace or augment the Russell I already own.

Bench-made is famous for their knifes, especially for their combat folders.
I'm not suggesting camping/canoeing or any outdoors activity is on the same level as " combat", but knifes made for combat are the best they can be and will take whatever punishment you can dish out.

You already have a fixed blade knife, a very good one in the Russels # 1.
It has served you well for the things you've used it for, and would even do more, IF it came down to it. You could use it to split small kindling by using a small log/rock to drive it like a wedge. Not good for appearance, but the knife would take the abuse. You could lash it to a limb for a make shift spear for food/self defense.

My point is that I would get a combat folder type knife to augment the straight blade you already have. Something that can be opened with either hand, has a belt/pocket clip that you can adjust for tip up/down carry, and a combo serrated/fixed blade.

I know you probably don't carry a knife for self defense, but unlike a firearm that needs to be regulated/licensed, a combat folder with some exemptions is legal to carry in almost every jurisdiction.

A lightweight combat folder could and has proved valuable in situation from self rescue to self defense.

Just something to consider. My Dad was a farm boy. He never left home without some type of pocket knife on him. From cleaning his finger nails to cutting whatever, he saw them as a tool ANY man would find valuable sooner or later.

Thanks for the feedback.  I'm with you on this one ST.  Since I already have a fixed blade I think I'll pick up a folder.  The more I read about Benchmade knives the more impressed I am.  I'm pretty much decided on this one   (You need to Login or Register  The blade size seems just about right and by all accounts it is designed to take a fair amount of abuse if needed.  It is ambigdextrous with a quality belt clip and those who own one say it is very solid when opened.  In fact a number of knife afficianados say this is one of the very best knives that Benchmade has ever produced so I'm pretty sure I'll be pleased with it.

Excellent choice ;)
I didn't see it offered in a combo edge, but that's just a minor thing.
I think you'll be more than satisfied.

Actually this model does give you a choice for a combo edge.  What advantage do you see in the combo?

Combo edge = best of both worlds.  Plain edge when you want it, serrated edge when you need it.  Serrated edge will slice through rope, seatbelt, packstrap fast if you need to, i.e. you swamp your canoe and are entangled in something and likely to drown.  Won't leave a nice clean cut, but will get work done in a hurry.  Also tends to stay sharper longer.

JJC,

Has it right. Can't beat a serrated blade for tough cutting chores. Not as clean as sharp plain edge but much faster.

Of course it goes without saying that both edges perform best when kept as sharp as possible ;)

Pointers anyone...on sharpening those serrated blades?

I bought this little gem for canoeing/take with.
Scroll down for directions and care.
Hardest part is determining the proper angle they recommend.
Works well on serrated edges with a little practice and patience ;)

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What I use on the trail for edge maintenance:     (You need to Login or Register

What I use at home to get the serrations really sharp:  Medium and Fine Serrated Hone   (You need to Login or Register

JJ
I am always on the lookout for improvements. I have always just used the following to sharpen my filet knife on the trail and have never tried anything else.
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I'm more or less satisfied but if there is something better I'm certainly interested. Have you or anyone else tried both products? What's your take?

Sweet looking knife BTW Kerry. Seems like you received good advice.

solotripper wrote on Dec 21^st, 2010 at 7:19pm:

I bought this little gem for canoeing/take with. Scroll down for directions and care. Hardest part is determining the proper angle they recommend. Works well on serrated edges with a little practice and patience ;)   (You need to Login or Register

ST
I was noting the "care" of the tool and they instruct not to wash. It hadn't occurred to me that the carbide inserts might rust. I'm thinking that must be the reason. I hadn't considered that in my new traveling style which has my filet knife and sharpener on the top of my duffel lashed via compression strap (Integral to the duffel design). I sort of like it there, quick and easy but I might have to re-evaluate. Thoughts?

MT, You can keep it lightly oiled with the oil from your nose and it won't rust. Just don't try taking the knife blade to your nose. Wipe your finger tip on your nose and rub it onto your knife. Also don't cut something acidic, like a lemon.

wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2010 at 2:54pm:

MT, You can keep it lightly oiled with the oil from your nose and it won't rust. Just don't try taking the knife blade to your nose. Wipe your finger tip on your nose and rub it onto your knife. Also don't cut something acidic, like a lemon.

Go figure. Who would of thunk it?

It seems a shame to use such a resource thusly though. I like to mix it in with a little peanut butter or better yet some Nutella. Adds a little zing.

What I'm not getting is your advice on the knife usage. I use my knife to pick my teeth and my nose.....doesn't everybody?

I'm not sure I like the direction that this conversation is going.  To each his own, I guess, but I believe in the purity of store bought nose oil.  You can get virgin, all natural, first pressing at selected health food stores or a wide selection of less expensive nose oils at Nose Oil World.

Here's what I use for sharpening:
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Even though it's a bit pricey I like this sharpening system because it is lightweight, sturdy, compact, lubricates with water and the diamond stones cut quickly plus it's a real sharpening system not a plastic toy.  At home I prefer to use oil stones and finish with black Arkansas.  I used to be a fine furniture maker and would get my blades literally razor sharp.  But that's all pretty much macho stuff since after the first pass the blade ultimately loses its super sharp status and becomes merely sharp, or dare I say, sharp enough.

Son,
I wish you could see the freezers of fish my "plastic toy" has helped me get through. And most of those fish had big tough scales. When you come to my house for dinner you know what's being served.  8-)

BUT......... I'm not an old dog yet so maybe I can still be taught a few new tricks. I'll give it a shot, seems practical. Now I just have to scrape up some dough.......... seems kind of pricey. Will I be able to open the tiny little gas cap or does it run on batteries?  

MT,

I believe your correct about the carbide rusting. I don't know that it would be a problem that would require " nose oil" ;D
Seems you could just blow the excess water off and let dry in sun or wipe dry. I think most ( might be wrong here) fishermen if there filleting regularly like to touch up the edge before each session. I think the don't wash was geared more to using it and storing in a drawer for a length of time before using again.

Kerry,

I'm a big fan of the DMT diamond whetstones. I have the single grit models because when I purchased them, I got a package special.
I have a coarse/medium/extra fine for my kitchen knifes and bought an extra coarse for touching up my camp axe on a trip.
Only drawback for many folks is that you need to know how to hold it and maintain a proper sharpening angle, something the experts even disagree on. I dulled a few before I got the hang of it. Being a fine furniture maker I'm sure you had your moments before you got it down pat ;)

The pocket ones with the pre-set angles are adequate for most people and take the guesswork out of sharpening, if you haven't done it much.
Nothing worse than a dull knife or more dangerous.

[quote author=mastertangler link=1292687983/10#17 date=1293052465]Son,
I wish you could see the freezers of fish my "plastic toy" has helped me get through. And most of those fish had big tough scales. When you come to my house for dinner you know what's being served.  8-)

Oops, sorry, MT didn't mean to be patronizing (or did I?). Anyway I was, so my apologies.  It's just that for me, those fixed carbide shapeners eat a lot of steel and are very unkind to blades.  For cheaper knives it doesn't make that much difference but for a nice quality blade I think it's worth learning to sharpen on a stone.  ST is right, it does take a little practice getting the angle right and to be honest I'm always playing with that.  It's much easier, for example, to sharpen a plane or chisel blade than a knife because the plane or chisel blade has a nice bevel to rest on the stone  whereas with a knife it's mostly by feel.  But really it's not that big a deal.  If you have a couple of knives that you really treasure you might want to give it a try.  Still, when all is said and done, if you're getting the results you want with what you've got, why mess with it?

Nary an apology needed Kerry. I take it as good as I give it and actually don't mind a well placed jab if done in the right spirit. Just good natured banter. :)

Your probably right about the plastic carbide sharpeners removing to much steel. You can literally see it curl right off the knife. I hadn't considered that before. I have used whetstones before and it seemed like it took all day to get anywhere. I like to get down to business like right now so they didn't work for me.

I'll give what you and ST suggest a try. Any advice? I read the reviews and it sounds like it doesn't come with instructions.

I'm not completely ignorant concerning cutting tools. I have several years experience running a radial drill, lathe and bridgeport so I get cutting tools and angles. (probably why I gravitated to carbide knife sharpener). But any advice you have I'll certainly appreciate it.  

I'm a big fan of these simple lightweight sharpeners. There is one attached to the sheath of my fillet knife at all times and gets used after and during each fish cleaning session. They are the simplest and lightest weight sharpeners I have found so far - about the size and weight of a wooden tongue deppressor.
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So I take it that no one has a distinct preference for ceramic knife sharpeners?

dd

Hey MT, here's a pretty good video on sharpening that shows a number of different stones and such (including diamond stone) but most importantly he is clear on technique.  One of the things he stresses is go lightly.  Most people put too much pressure on the blade when sharpening as though that will get the job done faster (it won't.)  Hope this helps.
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Thanks guys  [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Kerry wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2010 at 8:52pm:

Here's what I use for sharpening:   (You need to Login or Register

Kerry
I like your knife sharpener. It worked  wonders on my hatchet and my filet knife. But.........I think it is heavier that it needs to be for a tripping sharpener. It will reside in my shop or household drawer where it will see plenty of action. Now I will give what KF suggests a try. It has that "light" look........still a diamond sharpener. It will likely be perfect for canoe country.

Frankly I don't think there's going to be much difference between what KF is suggesting and what I use.  Remember, you'll have to have 2 different ones of the former, probably a coarse and a fine.  Matter of personal taste I guess but I like having more stone to run the blade along for a nice fluid stroke, plus I like that it all folds into one neat relatively little package.  But since you'll actually have both styles in hand you'll be able to make exactly the choice that suits you best.  Have fun.

I cannot make the comparison yet but my guess is that it will be substantially lighter. Probably two or three times lighter perhaps even more. There is only one shorter surface, not two longer surfaces which are bonded together and encased in a folding plastic sheathe of sorts. You do the math.

I suppose it is just several more ounces of weight. But to quote a man whose opinion I value......"ounces count".

Not trying to be a horses behind, just trying to accurately evaluate gear and give an honest and helpful opinion.

If you tend to basecamp and are less concerned with ounces adding up then Kerry's sharpener is very slick indeed and likely more efficient than what KF uses. But the first thing I noticed was that it had some heft. So that added efficiency comes with a price, both in terms of cost and added weight.   

What does KF have for sizes? I'm thinking the Medium and the Fine...?

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 31^st, 2011 at 1:42am:

What does KF have for sizes? I'm thinking the Medium and the Fine...?

Here is the link   (You need to Login or Register
Note the size.....It's fairly small.
I had read in an article he had written in the BWJ that he uses the med grit.

Now, here's another option. I have used these for years and have cleaned a truck load of fish with it. It is foolproof, safe, indestructible and light.   (You need to Login or Register

It will absolutely put a decent edge on a knife with zero skill on your part. A few strokes and bingo. The downside, as Kerry so adroitly pointed out, is that it is a little tough on your knife. It removes more material than really required to get the result. That is a non-issue if you don't clean lots and lots of fish or the knife is of the less expensive variety. It is certainly a consideration if you want a fast, easy and safe method for putting an edge on a knife that will be fully capable of cleaning even tough big fish (large thick scales).

nctry_Ben wrote on Jan 31^st, 2011 at 1:42am:

What does KF have for sizes? I'm thinking the Medium and the Fine...?

The particular stainless steel knife that I use seems to get a quick good edge with the med grit. Most fillet knives are stainless steel - a very hard material. You could use a fine grit sharpener but it would take longer to get a good edge. With med. grit it only takes a couple swipes on each side of the blade to touch it up. Don't let it get too dull before sharpening. Also I don't think you could do too much harm with a coarse grit on stainless steel either. I have all three versions of the sharpener and have settled on the med. grit as the best for the particular fillet knife that I take on canoe trips.
BTW these ultra lightweight sharpeners look very disposable and at about 10 bucks a piece I thought I would need a new one every trip. Well, one summer,  3 10-day trips plus at least a hundred fish cleaned during the fall season in Wisconsin and the first of these sharpeners is still doing well. I am impressed.

I am pathetically bad at sharpening knives.  

I carry a small "sharpener" that has a notch with two stones set into the sides of the notch.  I run the blade of my knife through the notch.  I don't know if this type sharpener is actually doing any good.  But I confident that if I put a stone or a file to my blade, I'll turn my fillet knife into a butter knife.  Any advice regarding "fool-proof" compact sharpeners for sharpener-challenged people like myself?

prouboy

I've had this for a few years.   (You need to Login or Register
It's not perfect but it seems to do the job well enough when you're like me and don't give yourself the patience needed to do a good job with a flat stone. It's small, light, cheap and does alright with a fillet knife. Doesn't seem to work on thicker knives like what I use for butchering deer, but that's generally not an issue tripping.  :)

Thanks Griz.  Yours is similar to the one I carry, but I like the coarse/fine stones on yours.  I'll get it.

I haven't seen a deer hanging from a BWCA/QP campsite yet, so I guess we're safe carrying this little gizmo.  When I'm home (butchering deer!)  I use the following 4-ceramic rod set up.  It's pretty foolproof, but too heavy for canoe camping.

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prouboy

Grizz

I hope I'm not coming across as critical over fine points......my mind can be a bit to analytical at times :P. "Bear" with me........(I know that was a terrible pun ::) )

The accusharp and the smiths tool operate on essentially the same basic premise. What I like about the accusharp above the Smiths are these rather slim advantages IMO.
1. The Accusharp is a bit larger and you are able to gain a solid stable foundation with it while you are dragging the blade. Your entire hand grips it instead of thumb and forefinger. Less wobble = better results
2. I believe it is likely safer. With a better purchase (grip) and a handy dandy guard I have never cut myself using it in over 10 years of use.
3. You can take the accusharp apart and rotate the carbide cutting bits thus extending the life of the sharpener three fold. (they are triangular)

Your tool is likely lighter but believe me the accusharp is plenty light. Your tool certainly occupies less space. It is superior in that respect. Use the accusharp and you will not need any "fine" tuning. 3 strokes with the thing and you are ready to rock. It does take off some material however....you can see it literally curl a shaving off your blade (you should rinse your blade BTW after sharpening as to not end up ingesting the fragments).

If you are sharpener challenged I do suggest the accusharp. An excellent choice if you are dealing with less expensive blades.

MT -- I found this video on youtube regarding your knife sharpener.  

Impressive!

prouboy

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I'm not an expert by any means when it comes to knife sharpening.
I have ceramic rod sharpeners, DMT Diamond folding flat ones, in Fine/Medium/Coarse and Extra Coarse, as well as numerous oil stones and pocket sharpeners.

A couple of things I've learned is that while experts disagree about the proper angle for sharpening, they all agree keeping the angle consistent is critical.

Also, a light stroke is all you need. Depending on blade material (hardness) will determine the proper sharpener material you use. Some of the modern knife steels are so hard that while they hold an edge for a long time, they're very difficult to re-sharpen when dull if you don't have the proper tool.

Butchers like the carbon steel knifes. Easy to sharpen, but don't hold an edge as long as the more exotic steels will.

Most people have the hardest time maintaining a consistent angle using a stone/diamond sharpener. I do too. You can buy any number of sharpening systems that use mechanical means to hold a consistent angle, but most are not for pocket or field use.

I made a gadget for my diamond sharpeners. I got hold of some DELRIN stock. It's a white type plastic material they use in production molds etc.

My DMT sharpeners are approximately 1" wide. I cut the DELRIN the width of the DMT, and about 1 1/2" long, with a 45' angle on one end.
I used a small strip of Velcro to attach the DELRIN to DMT sharpener, with the flat base of DELRIN against the handle, and the angle toward the diamond surface. I made a shallow flat notch in top of DELRIN, so it won't slide under Velcro strap. The handle of folding sharpener acts as the stop.

Normally, you would lay the sharpener flat and stroke the knife at the proper angle, one side then the other.

My modification, you put the spine of the knife on a cutting board and hold the handle up toward you at a comfortable angle. The 45' angle lays on the side of knife. Starting at the the butt end, you just make a light stroke to tip, keeping the DELRIN/angle against the blade. Then switch hands and repeat on the other side. You start with a coarser stone to set the edge and then the finer ones to finish it. You could adapt this technique to any stone if you wished.

It's safe as you pushing Away from your body, but if your unsure or just a cautious person, you could wear some Kevlar filleting gloves if you wanted. A quick portable solution to keeping the proper angle using flat sharpeners. You can cut the DELRIN guide at any angle you prefer.
Edge angles are determined by what your using the tool for. Google proper edge angles and you'll find plenty of info.

For a good pocket sharpener, I recommend this one:

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For a few more bucks and suitable for kitchen/field use, I like this one:

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It will do a serviceable job on whatever knife you choose.
Again, light strokes are what you want.

ST - The AG field sharpener looks to be exactly what I need!  

It's a small version of what I use at home.  Thanks much.  

prouboy

Just ordered my AG Russell sharpener!

prouboy

Puckster wrote on Feb 1^st, 2011 at 5:21am:

Just ordered my AG Russell sharpener! prouboy

I have no doubt it will perform as advertised.
AG Russell is a first rate company and experts on knifes and there maintenance.
But, give us a little gear report when you get it, pro and con.
You can never get better advice than first hand experience ;)

Will do!

prouboy

Just an update.  After many months of waiting on a backorder my Benchmade knife arrived today, this one:   (You need to Login or Register
and I have to tell you all, this is one of the finest pieces of cutlery I've ever handled.  First it comes sharp out of the box, and I mean razor sharp - literally.  The weight is perfect - light enough to carry in my pocket all day but with enough heft so that it feels like a tool that can take it.  The blade action is incredible.  It is designed to be opened with one hand and it does.  A flick of the wrist and the blade flips open smooth as silk.  When opened there isn't even a hint of play, the blade is fixed rock solid.  The blade design itself, a modified drop point with recurve, makes it a perfect bush knife - a broad taper for razor sharpness but a thick spine that gives it the strength to do some serious damage on wood, rope or whatever.  Another cool thing about this blade design is the length of the cutting surface.  It is sharpened all the way to the handle.  The balance is superb.  I'm so impressed.  I've never handled a folding knife that had the feel of a top quality fixed blade.  This blade is a nice addition to my gear and though it is by no means cheap, I know I'll be enjoying it for the rest of my life.

Kerry,

It's nice to hear that it met your expectations.
Yes, it's not cheap, but you factor in the years you may have it or pass it along, then buying quality isn't so bad after all ;)

I'm sure they sent a owners manual? but if they didn't you could probably get one/or at least care/lube directions on their website.

A good cleaning/lube/sharpening after every hard trip or few weeks of daily use will keep it opening " smooth as silk" 8-)