All About Pocket Knives

Right now, I'd say the sharpest EDC I've got has to be my Case Slimline Trapper with a CV blade, one of the least expensive knives I have. Then Rigwelder posted his super-sharp old Simmonns Hardware sheepsfoot, and it got me thinking!

--Greg

hey greg, i recommend a very sharp edc! (dull will get you hurt)

Hey Greg,
My advice to you is this. Having a good sharp knife is more about knowing how to sharpen and maintain a knife edge than it is about what knife you carry. Most any decent quality production knife such as Case, Boker, Buck or any of a host of others is capable of attaining and holding a very sharp edge. The key is knowing how to sharpen your knife when it needs to be sharpened. If you use a knife, it will eventually begin to dull no matter what knife you use. That's when it is up to you to resharpen and maintain the edge.

I use a Smith's tri-hone system to sharpen my knives and then use a set of crock sticks to touch up the edge as needed. There are a lot of good sharpening systems available. But none of them will help you have a sharp knife unless you use them properly.

Hope this helps.
Phil

All i use the old Simmons for is to sharpen a piece of flat soapstone. I usually run the blade across the soapstone a few times after i put the point on it. I guess it works as a soft whetstone, because the old knife never gets dull.

Philco really summed it up best ...... an edc is as sharp as you make it! 1095 and CV gets very sharp when sharpened correctly. The angle also makes a big difference - 17 to 20 degrees will get you a razor edge.

Honestly, 2 of the sharpest knives I ever handled straight out of the box were also very affordable: a yellow CV Case Trapper and Sodbuster

I have a GEC Northfield Scout that was able to achieve a now effortless shaving sharp edge

TM wrote: Honestly, 2 of the sharpest knives I ever handled straight out of the box were also very affordable: a yellow CV Case Trapper and Sodbuster

When I was in the cutlery business in the 1980s & early 1990s the sharpest knives we got in new was Al Mar knives, (this was before Al died in 1992). The second sharpest knives were Kershaw. If I had been out of the cutlery store for more than a week (I ran two other smoke shops & men's gift stores as well and often had to spend extended time there), I knew I was going to bleed when I came back to the cutlery store. 9 times out of 10 it was an Al Mar or a Kershaw that bit me.

I think manufacturers today spend more time on sharpening their knives than they did in the 1980s.

Just my 2¢,
Dale

GEC's 1095 steel gets really sharp!!

lenny357 wrote:GEC's 1095 steel gets really sharp!!

Hey Chris,

How does that 1095 steel do as far as edge retention?

Phil

The GEC's have very nice edge retention, I can use my GEC 73L Stag all day camping and also using it for fun and it will still take the hair right off my arm. (Very very sharp) I also use mine in and around brackish waters and have yet to have any rust, now I do rinse my knife off when I get home.

For a Warncliff, sheapsfoot blade I prefer 154cm or ats34
for a Skinner or clip 1095 or high carbon blade

Sharpest knives out of the box I've handled
1. Rockstead $1200.00 I've sliced threw a phone book in one slice (showing Off, had to justify that price tag)
2. Kershaw Leak $30 (Bit me in the first 10 min.)
3. SodBuster CASE $10 (Never Bit me)
*. GEC out of the box had a collectors edge needed love

Fixed blade hands down; Helle $55

Hello lenny357;

I have to say your post was very well wrighten.

I also agree that out of the box Kershaw Leeks are super sharp.

As well as the Helle fixed blades. Never have I received a dull one.