Knives are one of the most efficient and sometimes overlooked tools to have on hand. Whether you are on a hunt, at the range, or just need an EDC for miscellaneous tasks, having a knife immediately available can aid in numerous tasks. But as is the way of a heavily used piece of gear, after heavy-use blades get dull and lose their effectiveness. When it comes time to sharpen a knife, not everyone has a high-end setup for an electric sharpener or the knowledge and time for a wet stone. A perfect affordable and portable solution is the Fix It Sticks knife sharpener.
Specs and features
The Fix It Sticks Knife Sharpener is roughly 2 ¼” long and weighs just under 22 grams. It’s made with a durable steel body for longevity so it can help your favorite EDC knife have an even longer lifetime.
When looking for a knife sharpener there are so many options to choose from, but by far one of the easiest and most efficient is the V-style like this one. The V-style sharpeners both sit at a 22.5-degree angle to provide a versatile 45-degree angle while sharpening your knives. One sharpener is carbide for coarse sharpening, and the other is ceramic for fine sharpening and honing.
How To Use It
This knife sharpener is specifically designed to be portable enough to add to your tool or range bag with ease. After all, what good is a sharpener if it’s not there when you suddenly need it? The sharpener is surprisingly compact and has a profile similar to that of a standard screwdriver. It has a bit designed to be compatible with standard ¼” bit drivers or any of the brand’s tools or handles. It can be as simple as using a multi-tip screwdriver with this knife sharpener as the tip to make sure you have a steady, safe hold. This gives the user more space as it doesn’t take up much more room than another tip might.
Once it’s secured to a stabilizing object, it’s time to grab your dull knife. The darker stone is carbide which is the “coarse” sharpener. You start out by using this and depending on the condition of the knife it could take one or more passes. Then, the lighter stone is the ceramic sharpener aka the “fine” sharpener. This should also take one or more passes, but don’t overdo it. Each side shouldn’t need more than a few passes in most cases but use your best judgment. Remember, you don’t want to create a thin, fragile edge prone to breakage.
When you’re done, the sharpener can be taken out of the compatible handle and stored with other tools. Fix It Sticks has several similar tools in the same fashion with the goal of having several tools with minimal space used.
Testing
Among the several knives in my house, there are a few well-loved ones I decided to use to put the sharpener to the test. The easiest and most universal test for a knife’s sharpness is the paper test. If you’re unfamiliar, the gist of it is you see how well a blade can cut through paper when it’s held upright (and typically you use printer paper or phonebook paper for the sharpest blades).
First, I had an Opinel No. 8 Carbon Steel Folding Knife. It’s had a shorter life of use than the others but has lost its edge quickly. Prior to being sharpened, it struggled to catch the paper, and when it did it snagged or tore the paper in a few small spots. After sharpening, it went down the paper like butter with only a bit of noticeable tearing towards the end.
Second, I chose a Kershaw Tone Tanto Blade Folding Knife that has been used for just about anything and everything. It’s seen extensive use. Honestly, I don’t think it’s been sharpened since it was purchased years ago. Before sharpening the blade, it had a hard time catching on the paper and when it did, it didn’t make it far. After being sharpened, it caught quickly and slide further with a noticeably cleaner cut.
Last was a real challenge: a SOG cash card. Now, the knife itself is great, but it’s been used nearly daily for the past two years on cardboard and tape. The main factor here is the fact it recently had a bad tumble onto concrete, opened, and gained a few knicks. Before sharpening I’m honestly surprised it caught at all due to the damaged blade, but it really tore more than cut. With some love and elbow grease using this sharpener, it glided through the paper cutting significantly cleaner than it has in months, let alone since the fall. This was the most impressive improvement among the knives and proves that this little knife sharpener packs a punch.
Field use
Unlike other knife sharpeners on the market, this one can follow you almost anywhere. Considering its small size, durability, and versatility, all you need is a compatible handle that can be as simple as using a bit driver set (which is good to have on hand anyways).
Whether it stays in your car, range bag, hunting backpack, or toolbox this sharpener will likely make a nice addition. And it’s fairly affordable, too, costing only $20.
Conclusion
This knife sharpener has exceeded expectations. As seen in my tests, many of my own well-loved knives or even second-hand knives have a fresh sharp blade–and if they dull again, it’s beyond easy to just sharpen it again.
Fix It Sticks goes by three P’s when it comes to product: Portable, Precision, and Performance. These three were definitely met in my use of their product. Its size and weight make it easily portable, its sharpener is precise and meets their promised description, and its performance exceeds expectations, especially for the price.
Even if you can afford a massive, pricey electric sharpener, Fix It Sticks’ knife sharpener is still great to have to keep your knives sharp on the go.
