Thread: Eggington shepherds sharpening steel

Originally Posted by caberslash

Don't mean to de-rail the thread, but can someone explain to me why a steel is preferable to a small sharpening stone and strop (leather belt) for in-field blade touch ups?

Start sharp and the steel might be good for field maintenance, particularly if you are remote.
Honing on a stone can be slow and tedious.
You might be able to strop using your leather belt on a flat surface but that's a final touch, best on fine edges and may not help much if the knife is dull.
Fur is abrasive on blades
Small diamond steels are light but the one I have has a bulky handle.
Diamond steels are abrasive and remove the slightest about of material (neglible) a traditional steel hones and straightens the feathered edge.
If your blade is a harder variety it might respond better to a fine steel. Some commercial knives like Victorinox while good quality they are not as hard as some the Victorinox is easy to maintain and will touch up easily