Thursday, November 5, 2009

Sterling Pocket Knife Sharpener

I picked up a Sterling Knife Sharpener the other day. It cost me $13 bucks and change. The purpose for the sharpener was to have something for the field that I can use in case my knife becomes dull and I need a quick edge to complete whatever task is at hand. I tested the sharpener out on one of my more dull knives and I was impressed. I was able to put a sharp enough edge that I could shave hair off my arm. Not bad for a cheapo sharpener. The best part is it's made in the USA. Pick one up for your key chain and your BOB.

Trebec



 

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Gatco Knife Sharpening Kit

I was looking for a good way to sharpen my knives instead of continuing to buy new ones which was getting expensive. So I was talking to a guy I know at work and he recommended the GATCO Edgemate professional knife sharpening kit. So I searched the internet and found the best deal at Cabela's. I also ordered the ultra fine finishing hone. Cabela's also threw in the pedestal mount for free which was nice of them.




My first impressions were good. The quality was outstanding and the kit was exactly what I was expecting. It comes with an ultra coarse and coarse hones, which unless your blade needs re-profiling you won't need. Some have complained about the aluminum bracket that holds the knives. I have no doubt that it will last a very long time, after all it is aluminum with  metal screws. I immediately started to sharpen one of my older knives that I've had for some time. I was somewhat disappointed.





So I set out on the internet looking for the reason I couldn't get the razor sharpness I was looking for. I stumbled upon this guy on YouTube. He has 4 videos at almost 10 minutes a pop but it's well worth the time to watch them as he shows you how to properly use the system. As a side note he has the diamond system but many of the tips apply here as well. After I watched the videos and applied the tips my knives were much sharper than I had gotten them following Gatco's directions.


 

 


 I spent a little less than $70 to my front door. I've sharpened 3 knives so far with it and I like how easy and fast it is. It puts damn near a razor edge (I still haven't quite got the technique down) on my knives and I would recommend this to anybody that can't sharpen with a stone or that needs something that is no nonsense.

Trebec

Boker Plus M-type by Chad Los Banos

Last week I ordered a Boker M-type by Chad Los Banos in black. It was on sale fo $39 and change. The knife is made in Germany and ships from the Denver area. My first impressions were good. It has a nice feel to it, not too heavy but just right, and is extremely sharp as I would expect from any knife. The blade is 3 5/8" but looks a lot bigger and it's made out of 440C stainless. Blade play is nonexistent which I did not expect. Blade finish is outstanding and seems to be durable.





 


The pocket clip is reversible plus it has nice tension. The frame lock is a little tighter than I would like although I would rather have that then have it fail and I lose my fingers.






 

Overall for $39 bucks it's a great knife. Low profile pocket clip/carry. I recommend picking one up as a backup or as a second EDC knife.

Trebec