The Guided Field Sharpener is Work Sharp’s premier knife sharpener for outdoor use and for the Oregon-based company, that’s a big deal. The company only makes a handful of products – mainly knife sharpeners – which shows a tremendous level of confidence. But the big question is how does it fare in the field? Read on to find out.
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener
What I think makes the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener so unique is that it runs up through five levels of sharpening. Plus, at every single level, there is an angle guide so you know exactly where your blades at and that you’re getting the most precise angle possible. The angle is set at 20 degrees, which is pretty common for camping knives.
The first level starts out at 220 grit, which is pretty rough. It’s not something I’d use on any of my blades. But it’s good if you need to re-profile a blade or your blade is duller than dull. And if you flip it over, you’ll find the 600 grit, which is great if you need to put an edge on it.
On the first narrow level, you’ll find a ceramic rod that you can rotate to a coarse side and a smooth side. If you’ve ever used a ceramic rod, you know you can get your knife pretty dang sharp. The other side is a leather strop with a micro-abrasive compound for a hair-popping sharp polish on your blade.
Lastly, every single one of these levels has an angle guide, which is the thing that makes this also a very unique sharpener. There’s a little thumb grip that makes it really easy to hold as you run your blade across the level.
There are also a few features that I really, really like. For starters, it has rubberized ends, so it’s incredibly stable when placed on a table. You can maintain control with minimal effort as you run the blade across the level.
Another is that there’s a little tiny ceramic rod by the larger ceramic rod for sharpening serrated blades, which is awesome. And then there’s also a groove in the ceramic rod for sharpening fish hooks, which is pretty sweet if you have an old daredevil or old spoon that needs some touch-up.
The last feature is meant for bowhunters. If you remove the diamond-coated plates, the sharpener transforms into a broadhead wrench. It’ll fit three- and four-bladed broad heads.
The Verdict
Overall, the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener is a great piece of equipment. While I have a few portable field sharpeners, it’s the one I grab most often. I like that everything is in one piece and there’s no setup involved. It retails for $35.
