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    FAQ: What's the purpose of a 'sharpening steel'? How often should I use it?(Post)

    A "sharpening steel" (more accurately, "honing steel") is used to realign the very fine "micro edge" of a kitchen knife. Gently drawing the blade across the rod at a shallow angle realigns the edge ...

    ​Lessons from George and Horace: The Sheath Knife(Post)

    As we said in our last post, we can learn much from the "trio" of woodcraft tools carried by George Washington Sears (a.k.a. "Nessmuk") and Horace Kephart. Most of us, however, are more familiar w ...

    FAQ: What's the best way to keep my knife from rusting?(Post)

    That's an easy one: Use your knife and stop worrying about it.Seriously.Yes, all steels can rust -- even stainless steel. But if you're actually using your knife, taking it out of your pock ...

    Poetry in Steel: Bark River's Camp & Trail(Post)

    The other day, we were listening to a radio interview with one of our favorite celebrities as he traced the strange and circuitous path that led to his current fame. (We're not going to name him, but ...

    How-To: Knife tips & tricks(Post)

    Knife tips & tricks Remove rust the write way: If you're having trouble getting rust out of the nooks and crannies of your knife, you can "scribble" it away with the point of a lead (graphite) ...

    Bark River Bird and Trout Knife(Post)

    We asked Mike Stewart to tell us about the Bark River Bird and Trout knife.  This is what he said.“We have made a couple of variations in the past.The blade is relatively straight and thin - .00 ...

    In praise of the 'gentleman's knife'(Post)

    Once upon a time, every gentleman carried a pocketknife -- everywhere he went, every single day. He didn't have one knife for the office, another for household chores and another for Sunda ...

    Real Knife People Use Real Kitchen Knives(Post)

    My name is Derrick Bohn, and I'm a knife guy.By now you've seen my videos. You've read my newsletters. You know that I'm a fan of edged tools -- I have been all my life. And if you spend any time on ...

    ​8 Steps to Choosing the Right Knife(Post)

    1. Determine how you'll use your knife. When you reach for your knife, you want to have "the right tool for the job." Consider the tasks that'd go better if you had the right knife, and be ...

    FAQ: What is Damascus steel?(Post)

    We could write an entire book on Damascus steel and still not be fair to the topic, either historically or technically. At the risk of over-simplifying a complicated subject, we'll do our best to kee ...

    FAQ: Can I sharpen my knives on a bench grinder or an electric knife sharpener?(Post)

    In a word... NO!Sure, it takes friction to sharpen steel, and an abrasive wheel spun by an electric motor will definitely produce friction -- but at a speed that also generates excessive heat and qui ...

    Knife Photography(Post)

    Knives are notoriously difficult to photograph.  The more refined the knife, the more difficult it is to shoot.ESEE Knives are not difficult at all because they have no shiny spots.  The co ...

    3 Things We Wish Non-Knife People Knew(Post)

    3 Things We Wish Non-Knife People Knew Much as we hate to admit it, we really do separate the people in this world into two groups: Those who "get" knives, and those who don't. Here are ...

    FAQ: Is it ok to chop wood with my knife?(Post)

    Maybe -- but probably not. Very few knives are designed to handle the rigors of chopping (the way an ax is, for example). A purpose-built chopper is big enough, heavy enough and possesses the pr ...

    FAQ: What's the best knife for a Boy Scout?(Post)

    We find this question interesting, especially since the Boy Scouts of America offers almost three dozen "official" Scout knives.Perhaps you're asking because you want your Scout to have something ...

    FAQ: What does 'RC' or 'HRC' mean in a knife's specifications?(Post)

    Those abbreviations indicate the relative hardness of the knife's steel, as measured on the "Rockwell scale." And while we could spend a lot of time drilling into the metallurgical details of Rockwel ...

    FAQ: Is there a secret to knife sharpening?(Post)

    Yes, as a matter of fact, there is: Don't sharpen your knives.Ok, we said that just to get a rise out of you. Put another way: Don't sharpen your knives -- maintain them.If you're playing the game ri ...

    3 Wintertime Knife Tips(Post)

    3 Wintertime Knife Tips As we settle into our new Escanaba digs after the move from Oregon, we're watching the leaves turn and feeling a bit of a chill in the air. Both are reminders that the tr ...

    FAQ: How to choose a knife to carry every day(Post)

    For most of us, carrying a knife every day is the most natural thing in the world. We've been doing it since we were kids, and we really don't give it much thought -- it's just what we do. Sti ...

    FAQ: "What angle should I sharpen my kitchen knife?"(Post)

    Question: "What angle should I sharpen my kitchen knife?"The simple answer to this question is this: European Knives - Tough & Durable: Built like tanks, most European knives have thick homogen ...