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If you are a keen enthusiast of the outdoors, you already know that the hunting knife is a crucial implement. Hunting knives not only benefit users, but in case a user invested in a high-quality model, the knife can be passed down from generation to generation.
There are also avid knife collectors who consider hunting knives as one of the most beautiful pieces of art to collect. A model with the utmost quality, if taken good care of, will last for years.
Hunting knives are designed in order to fulfill a variety of functions, from performing regular tasks out of doors or at campsites down to dressing and butchering game.
The possibilities of a hunting knife’s uses are endless. Experienced hunters know that they have to be prepared at all times before and during a hunt.
Prior to going on a hunting expedition, hunters should guarantee that they have organized all of the proper implements and that included in their gear is a quality knife.
When organizing a hunt, they should first think about the size of their favorite game. If you are the type of hunter who wants a trophy buck, then you can settle for a hunting knife that will suit the kind of game you are after.
If you are the type who primarily hunts game for food, you should get a model that is perfectly capable of cutting through the skin of the game efficiently, and fast. If you do not care one way or the other, then you can go for a versatile model that can do both.
Hunting knife types aside, there is one important fact that every hunter should always get into when it comes to his or her knives; sharpening them on a regular basis. This should be done so the knife will always be in tiptop condition and will last for a longer period of time.
Taking care of your knife properly will also ensure that you will save up in terms of your hunting implements. Here are some notes you have to remember on how to sharpen a hunting knife.
Sharpening Stones and Their Uses
Sharpening stones are important if you want to do the entire task yourself. They are available in a range of grits and styles, so selecting the stone that will prove to be most beneficial for your knife can be a tad confusing. Here is a brief primer on the most used sharpening stones.
Diamond stone
The diamond stone include tiny industrial diamonds connected to a metal plate that can be found in a selection of sizes, from calling card-sized models to ones that resemble bench plates. They are considered to be the hardest among sharpening stones and they can cut quickly. They are also the most expensive.
You can choose from two kinds of diamond stones; one has surface holes on it to catch excess metal shavings while the other one has a nonstop diamond surface that is favored if you are into sharpening implements with edges or points that could get ensnared in the openings.
Oil stone
The oil stone is a natural stone that is excavated from the earth or an artificial stone that is cut and modeled as a whetstone. The Arkansas Stone is one example of an organic oil stone, which is crafted from novaculite.
Another example is the Ouachita stone from Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains. This kind of stone has a tendency to cut slowly as compared with the artificial India stone, which is crafted from aluminum oxide.
Ones made with silicon carbide are deemed as the quickest cutting stone, which makes them recommended for sharpening.
Water stone
The water stone, like the oil stone, can be made from either natural or artificial materials. The primary benefit of the water stone is that it has a tendency to cut fast.
Another is that it employs water instead of oil which can be messy, so cleaning up after a process is easier. Artificial water stones are crafted with aluminum oxide but they are softer compared to India stones, which are composed of similar material.
The Japanese kind, meanwhile,are composed of tiny silicate particles in a template of clay, which makes it softer. The worn part of the blade, plus the water, creates a mixture which together with the stone hones and polishes the blade.
