Thread: Best way to sharpen Mercator Stainless?

Originally Posted by woods223

Jeez, this thread goes on. Have used Mercators for 45 years roughly, only 1x stainless steel I think. the only thing wrong with them is they wear holes in your pocket and you lose the feckers. You sharpen them with what's handy. A flat stone,a fence wire or yes a s.s. barelled Sako 75,usefull for something I s'pose. Seriously, you sharpen them then hock and gut or leg 17+ goats or dress and break down a deer or two, then you sharpen it again. It's not feckin rocket science, some of you way over-think a non-existant problem. Get out there and use the knife and get a bit of experience on how to sharpen it in the field. Who carries a Lanskey sharpener in the field with them ffs. Sorry, just come back from an overnight hunt and had a few beers, had to get this of my chest.

With respect, a fencing wire or bead blasted barrel will hone the knife, but do a shit job of sharpening them. Both a softer than the knife. A smooth stone will probably actually sharpen the knife though.

Imo sharpening should happen at home, honing in the field. FWIW I just use my sheath as a strop when in the field. Learning the how and why means you can properly maintain any knife, not just soft simple carbons like mercators.

Originally Posted by Nick-D

It usually is the case in equivelent stainless vs carbon as chromium carbides are larger and hard than iron carbides, but given the stainless is a knockoff its a good bet its got a shit heat treat and bugger all carbides in solution.
The thickness of the primary bevel has a big part to play in this as well. I can raise a burr on one of my very hard (62 RC) stainless kitchen knives in about 15 strokes on each side from dead blunt because they are super thin behid the edge.

Just focus on sharpening with your course stone until you can feel a burr. If you do this you will always end up with a sharp knife.

Really appreciate the advise @Nick-D

Small blade like a Mercator can be stropped using the meaty side of the palm of your hand, being a chippy we do this to remove the burr on chisels.

Originally Posted by flock

Small blade like a Mercator can be stropped using the meaty side of the palm of your hand, being a chippy we do this to remove the burr on chisels.

Crikey some dude from H and S reading this would suffer from apoplexy.

Originally Posted by flock

Small blade like a Mercator can be stropped using the meaty side of the palm of your hand, being a chippy we do this to remove the burr on chisels.

This what I do as my palms are quite leathery from all the years on the tools. I do it for chisels, plane irons, knives etc. Not axes though as two heavy to do that with.

This sharpener fits in the palm of your hand. It has for a deep sharpening, a fine sharpening, a leather band to seat the edge. And it brings to sharpen knives with a cerrucho-type edge.