Thread: Best way to sharpen Mercator Stainless?

The failsafe best way to sharpen a Mercator is to bin it and buy a knife with an actual decent steel made in the last century or so

Some of these comments are informative and some down right funny.I used to use Mercator for trout fishing but now use a folding Buck.

I've enjoyed this thread, but all this Mercator talk has gotten to me. Should have my first Mercator arriving in the post tomorrow.

Yeah, i'd better get another, my last daily that lasted for five years, went into the lake along with the fish guts.

Mercators are a boys knife with a handle too small for a mans hand and an untrustworthy lock that is in the wrong place and can be depressed when gripping the handle firmly. The blade steel will sharpen to a shaving edge with a stone and strop but is soft and wont keep that edge like good steel. Ok for a spare under the seat of the car IMO

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Mercators are a boys knife with a handle too small for a mans hand and an untrustworthy lock that is in the wrong place and can be depressed when gripping the handle firmly. The blade steel will sharpen to a shaving edge with a stone and strop but is soft and wont keep that edge like good steel. Ok for a spare under the seat of the car IMO

They do their intended job well, which is to be a cheap compact usefull pocket knife. I'd love to get hold of an older model.

It would be cool if somone did somthing similar but with a better steel that's still cost effective like A2 or D2 or similar

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Mercators are a boys knife with a handle too small for a mans hand and an untrustworthy lock that is in the wrong place and can be depressed when gripping the handle firmly. The blade steel will sharpen to a shaving edge with a stone and strop but is soft and wont keep that edge like good steel. Ok for a spare under the seat of the car IMO

This ‘boy’ likes his Mercator, bought it about 30 years ago and it’s my ‘go to’ knife for rabbit/hare shooting expeditions.

The blade is showing signs of use and sharpening but I have another one (still unused) I also bought many many years ago as a replacement.

Ah, to think my first one cost $3:50 from memory (or less - memory not always as good as it used to be!)

Last two I had broke ,one was the free replacement cut my losses and got a Spyderco far superior

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Ive had 2 Mercators, the locking springs broke in both so dont bother with them anymore.
I did cut up a cattle beast with one once so they do work, well until the springs broke.

Originally Posted by Seventy Six

Ive had 2 Mercators, the locking springs broke in both so dont bother with them anymore.
I did cut up a cattle beast with one once so they do work, well until the springs broke.

Hmm, never heard of that happening - and you had it happen twice!!

Originally Posted by mimms2

Mate. I'm sure we agree on a few things.
Never met a frenchman I liked, their women aren't much better. All arrogant.
The wine's shit. What's to like?

Vive la rainbow warrior!

My niece put a photo on her Fartbook page that looked like a propeller with some leis, or garlands on it. I asked her what it was. She said "Rudder thingy from the Rainbow Warrior, I asked her if it was okay to hate the French. (She's up on all the PC shit.) No reply. So I still don't know..... Is it okay to hate the ferkin' French?

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Hmm, never heard of that happening - and you had it happen twice!!

That's what mine did overated German shite

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Originally Posted by NRT

That's what mine did overated German shite

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I had a mercator knife very recently with the spring broken first time trip I used it. Perhaps a dud batch came into NZ.
A mate sourced a bunch of them over the net. The second one I've used seems OK.

As you can see I spent a bit of time painting it up and sharpening to razor before I used it.
Fortunately I had a spare one I use for eating, with me.

Talking of sharp mercators; how about some pictures of Christmas trees using a stainless Mercator?
I'm not sure if the stainless variant is up to the task, so I'd propose that if you post a picture here with such a blade you'll have the right to claim your sharpening method as the definitive answer to the OPs question ?

Sorry if I’ve missed it in here but @Tui4Me or @flock or anyone else using a Lansky, what degree do you use for a Mercator? 17 or 20?