[trunkmonkey]

I was discussing this thread with my brother the other day and we had a good laugh about how our great grandfather taught us to sharpen knives. I thought it may not be educational but is definitely entertaining. Where I grew up we got our first knives at four years old. these were generally large, schrade, single blade folding knives. These knives were taped up in several layers of duct tape. You were not allowed to use your knife until you could remove all of the tape on your own (I think they melted it after applying). While you carried the knife around you would be asked how to cut xxxxx then show whoever asked how you would cut it using a stick. If you were safe about it they would take out their pocket knife and have you cut it with their knife. I was about 8 when i had to start going out with my great grandfather for a few days on horseback and help work cattle. We were sitting around the fire and my grandfather taught me how to sharpen my knife. he worked both knife and stone and had this double sided sharpener (super coarse and super fine) which was about 12 inches long and 1" thick. After a few hours i could put a decent edge on my knife. The next night we are sitting next to the fire and my great grandfather asked me for my knife. He took it and started cutting sandstone until you couldn't cut anything with it. After making my knife exceptionally dull he tied my leg to a tree an gave me my knife and a whetstone. It took a long time but i eventually got the hang of it and cut myself loose. After a few months and lots of practice I could sharpen my knife to shaving sharp reliably. Then the spot checking started. If he couldn't take my knife and stab it into a round bale and drag it end to end cutting all the baling twine he would close it and throw it as far as he could. As I would be out looking for it i could hear him telling me that a dull knife is about as good as a rock and rocks are for throwing. After he turned 96 he couldn't sharpen any more knives so I ended up doing it for him. When I was joining the Army he took my whetstone and threw it in the fire then broke his in half and gave me a 5" section. I still use this whet stone for all my sharpening from axes to pocket knives. It weighs about a pound and even though it is heavy i always carried it in my assault pack. I always have made room to carry it and still make every effort to keep every knife in my house shaving sharp.