How to sharpen a knife outdoors on a stone

Knives are one of the top 10 trekking necessities for a reason. With a dull blade, you might have serious problems if you end up in a secluded place.

The following is how, while traveling, you can revive your rusty, old knife with something as common as a rock.

Here’s what qualifies a rock as an effective sharpening substance.

Features of rocks:

Andrew Thorpe of the Scout Association is one of the numerous reputable outdoor experts who advises using a “porous rock, such as fine sandstone” to sharpen knives.

In addition to having a surface that is grainy enough to sharpen the edge of steel, porous rocks allow water to pass through holes in them.

So how do we use a rock to sharpen knives?

Here’s how to sharpen a knife with rocks:
 

1. Saturate the rock’s exterior. Thus, the fine grains created when the steel grinds against the rock are prevented from “clogging” it.
    
2. Your fingers should be below the level of the sharpening face and in a position where they look least likely to be harmed if the blade slides when you secure the rock so that the flat, wet face faces upward.
    
3. To guarantee that the entire length of the blade makes contact with the rock, place the cutting edge of one side of the blade against the sharpening face and move it around the rock in small circular motions.
    
4. For the other side of the blade, repeat the same procedure.
    
5. After wiping the blade dry with a cloth, test it on a twig.
    
6. Sharp enough?
    
7. If not, try again until you are happy with the results.