A hunting knife is one of the fundamental tools in your hunting kit. Keeping sharp knives in the field is necessary for a quick and clean job once you take down your prey. It does not only cut down the time and effort but is also safe. Keeping the blade of your hunting knife sharp is necessary. It helps you avoid any unwanted injuries during dressing down and cleaning an animal. For keeping your hunting blade sharp, you need the best hunting knife sharpener. Besides, it is an essential measure in the maintenance of your hunting gear amid trips.
This article will give you a complete guide on how to sharpen your hunting knives and what are the qualities of a good knife sharpener. We will also give you a list of the best hunting knife sharpener options available out there so you can pick the best for your hunting kit.
Table of Contents
What to Consider in a Hunting Knife Sharpener
A hunting knife sharpener is only reliable and suitable if it fulfills your requirements and preferences. There are some standards and parameters that you need to look for in a hunting knife sharpener.
- For beginners, the best hunting knife sharpener got to be convenient and portable
- It should be convenient and easy to use
- A multifarious sharpener might become complex to operate
- A good knife sharpener should not cause any damage to the blade
- It should extend the life of the hunting knife and prolong its use by fixing dents on the blade while sharpening
- It should not pose any damage to the edge of the knife
Fundamental Principles for Keeping a Hunting Knife
There are some basic tenets to keep in mind for sharpening your hunting knife in a field.
- Keep an already sharpened knife
The first and the most fundamental principle of keeping a hunting knife is to check if it’s already sharp before you leave for your hunting excursion. Keeping an extra blade with your gear is important. You never know when your blade will dull, and you have limited sharpening resources being miles away from the electric supply. Therefore it is necessary to pack all the essential equipment.
- Appropriate Sharpening Medium
The second fundamental principle of sharpening a hunting knife is to make sure you have the suitable sharpening gear for the field.
Softer steels tend to dull easily, but also sharpen swiftly. A diamond-plated sharpener is an easy way to sharpen soft steel. Harder steels, on the other hand, have this tendency to keep their edge for long.
Also Read: Hunting Guide – Everything you need with you
Best Hunting Knife Sharpener Options Reviewed
If you are looking for the best hunting knife sharpener for your hunting knives you’ll find many in the market. After spending good time on testing and research we have reviewed the sharpener that fits your needs the most.
KME Precision Knife Sharpener
The KME Precision Knife Sharpener sits fairly tops our list of hunting knife sharpeners for being portable and having a high-quality sharpening edge. Here is why we picked the KME knife sharpener to be on top.
Pros
- It allows you to choose among four different honing surfaces to sharpen your blade to the fullest
- We found it to be a high-quality knife sharpener that helps maintain different types of hunting knives
- Its mounted base keeps the sharpener from slipping while you’re working
- The modifiable mounting system for sharpening purposes helps you get the perfect angling on the edge of your blade
Cons
- This system doesn’t work so well with serrated blades
- Not a suitable option for straight-edge blades
This simple kit with four stones will get any outdoorsmen where they need to go. We will recommend it as a must-have hunting gear in your kit.
Smith’s Jiffy-Pro Handheld Sharpener
Smith’s Jiffy-Pro Sharpener is perfect for blades with a straight edge having a two-stage system.
Pros
- The premium coarse sharping edge yields sharp and long-running cutting edges with just a couple of pulls on it
- You’ll find a bigger slot that is intended for sharpening game shears and scissors
- It has pre-set angles to deliver better results
- Its portability is a plus. You can easily carry it along on your hunting ventures
Cons
- It can get a little tricky to adjust while working with large-sized blades
On the whole, we found this sharpener to be the best hunting knife sharpener option for those looking for a sharpener for straight edge blades.
Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener
Work Sharp Knife Sharpener is an effective tool for sharpening different types of hunting knife blades. Its heavy-duty performance makes it enter our list of the best sharpeners.
Pros
- We liked how its adjustable guide allows you to produce precisely sharp edges ranging from 15-30 degree angles
- It is motor operated and allows you to adjust motor speed according to your requirements
- The addition of an improved motor-cooling feature is a great improvement in this model
- Besides hunting knives it lets you sharpen all sorts of cutting edges
Cons
- It can be a little tricky and dangerous to use for left-handers
The powerful operation and adjustable speed make this sharpener worth having a tool in your hunting kit. We recommend it for both outdoorsmen and anyone looking for a good sharpener for their scissors and pocket knives.
FLYNGO Manual Knife Sharpener
The FLYNGO Knife Sharpener Kit comes with the ability to sharpen edges up to three and a half inches in thickness. Here is what we liked about this manual sharpener
Pros
- It is suitable for all sorts of blades including smooth-edge blades and serrated knives
- We liked how the precision angle setting gives you your desired sharpened blade edges
- You can speed up the sharpening process without having to compromise on the quality of sharpening results
- We found it easy to use
- Allows you to quickly sharpen several different knives before you leave for your hunting excursion
Cons
- We didn’t find this sharpener to be easily portable. It may not be easy to be carried along while you go outdoors
The FLYNGO sharpener, on the whole, is an effective tool for sharpening all types of serrated and smooth-edge blades. We give it a thumbs up for those looking for the best hunting knife sharpener for their diverse collection of cutting-edge blades
Premium Knife Sharpening Stone
The Premium Knife Sharpening Stone squarely enters our list of the best hunting knife sharpeners with its versatility and easy-to-use features.
Pros
- We found it to be easily portable and low-maintenance
- Doesn’t need any oils. You just need to apply a little water on the surface before you begin with the sharpening process
- The guided angle feature gives precise sharpening and quality results
- It has a simple design and is easy to use
Cons
- Doesn’t work well for serrated and complicated blade edges
You can use the Premium Knife Sharpening Stone for hunting knives as well as high-maintenance kitchen knives. It is a fair usage knife sharpening tool even outside of your hunting kit.
Hunting Knife Sharpening Tips
To get the best results out of your hunting knife sharpener, you need to keep a few tips in mind during the process.
- The surface of your hunting knife sharpener has to be unsoiled and dry to provide the best edge for knife sharpening purposes.
- The knife you intent to sharpen should also be clean of any debris.
- Be careful with the pressing. Applying too much pressure or coarse dragging of the blade on the sharpener might damage your blade.
- Keeping a constant direction and pattern of motion helps you get precisely sharpened blade edges.
- Keep the edge type of your blade in mind while sharpening. Make sure your hunting knife sharpener is suitable for the kind of blade your knife has.
Manual vs Electric Hunting Knife Sharpeners
Often people get confused about whether to choose a manual sharpener or go for an electric one.
Some hunters prefer manual ones over electric sharpeners as you can easily carry them along on your hunting ventures. Some hunters consider electric sharpeners to be aggressive in use. Manual sharpeners are easy to use for beginners.
Electric sharpeners, on the other hand, allows more control over speed and precision. These reduce the user effort to the minimum and give multiple features. Besides, electric sharpeners have pre-set angles so you don’t have to adjust the angles manually to get better results. However, you cannot carry your electric sharpeners with you on your hunting ventures as you’d be far from the electric supply.
Conclusion
Like your ordinary kitchen knives and cutting blades, the appropriate way to increase the efficiency of your hunting knives is to keep them sharp. Use the right sharpener for your blade needs. The best hunting knife sharpener is the one that offers the best sharpening while being uncomplicated and easy to operate. You know what to look for in a good sharpener and how to get the best out of it. We hope that we have made it easy for you to choose the best one for your needs.
Also, do not forget to keep your knife in a knife case or on a magnetic strip.
Leave a Reply