An integral part of being a responsible knife owner, whether you use a Bowie knife or something different, is knowing how to keep a blade sharp. A dull knife is a useless tool, but also a considerable danger. Dull blades can cause serious injury, and can ruin whatever it is that you might be cutting. Of course, not everyone wants to use a bench stone to sharpen his or her knives. What other options are out there, though? What systems are worth trying?
The easiest way to provide yourself with a field sharpener suitable for Bowie knives is to buy a cheap whetstone. These come in very small sizes. Oil is usually used in sharpening, but this is not necessary. It will take longer to sharpen on a stone without oil, however, and you’ll have to wash away the metal flakes from the stone using something else. Any nearby water will do fine for keeping the stone clean of debris.
Consider the problem with using a standard bench stone. You have to hold the blade at the same angle throughout the grinding process. However, with a rod system, all you have to do is move the stone over the blade of your knife to refresh that edge. However, for some systems, larger blades, such as a Bowie knife, will require that you reposition your rod periodically to get the entire blade.
There are also stones made out of ceramics and other materials which make find sharpeners for a Bowie knife. Oftentimes, these stones come with their own instructions and are more abrasive than a traditional whetstone. These stones can be used most anywhere, as they’re generally very small. Some knives come with such stones contained in an extra pouch sewn to the sheath. Be sure to use oil, if the stone calls for it, though many of these stones do not require as much.
Bowie knives can sometimes be sharpened with smaller stones by moving the stone along the blade rather than the conventional method, which employs just the opposite technique. This, however, is very difficult to do while maintaining a correct angle. If you do this, it’s best to sharpen the knife only as much as is necessary to restore any obvious damage to the blade, or to smooth over dull spots. If you’re in low-light conditions, you can use a candle or a flashlight to see if your blade has been restored to its edge. If it has, there should be no reflection visible off the edge of the blade. When a blade is sharpened correctly, its edge almost disappears.
Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knives store featuring combat knives.
