Elk NetworkGear 101 – Buck Knives Sharpening

Gear 101 | September 23, 2020

When you buy a Buck knife, it’s already razor-sharp. And when you use your Buck over time, chances are it might lose a bit of its edge. Here’s how to get it back.

If your blade is nicked, you’ll want to start sharpening with a coarse grit to work the nick out of the edge. Buck’s own Edgetek Ultra FlipStik offers coarse, medium and fine grits all in one convenient package.

If you just need a touch-up in the field—and if you’re dressing out an elk, you’re going to need a touch-up—then first use the medium grit to refine that edge.

When you sharpen, it’s important to keep the knife’s existing bevel—or edge angle. To keep that bevel as you sharpen, take a Sharpie and make a mark along both sides of the knife’s edge. If you maintain the correct angle, the mark will slowly vanish.

As you push the blade across the sharpener, make sure you don’t push too hard. The FlipStik has a 100 percent diamond-coated surface, and if you put too much pressure on the sharpener, it can remove that diamond grit.

If you make 15 strokes on one side, make 15 strokes on the other side.

If you don’t sharpen each edge evenly, then you’ll end up with a burr, which occurs when one edge of the bevel folds over another. You can check for a burr by pulling your thumb along the bevel. It should be smooth on both sides. If one side feels the slightest bit of scratch, then you need to smooth it out.

Once you put on a rough edge, switch over to the fine grit to refine the edge even more. Start with 10 strokes per side and work your way down to one or two per side.

If you prefer a sharpening stone like Buck’s Edgetek honing stone, the process is simple. With the edge facing you, circle the knife in a counter-clockwise direction. Flip it over, and circle clockwise for the same amount of time.

Finally, test your handiwork on a piece of paper. If it slices through clean and easy, you know you’re ready for the field.

Learn more at: BuckKnives