Sharpening the Honey Badger knife

Sharpening the Honey Badger knife

Sharpening the Honey Badger Knife is no different to any other knife sharpening. In fact, because the steel used for the blade is not one of the hard super steels, sharpening the honey badger knife is relatively easy with even the most basic of knife sharpening stones.

There are many different methods of knife sharpening and as many opinions as to what works best. What’s most important is to find a method that works for you such that you don’t find it a hassle and that your knives will always be sharp.

There are 3 major categories of knife sharpeners.

Manual – Freehand using an oil or water stone
System – a set of stones held in a base or where the knife is held in a bracket eg. the Spyderco Sharpmaker , Lansky or one of the newer systems that work in a similar fashion.
Electric – A powered system using belts such as the Worksharp or for the more experienced, a belt sander.

As a beginner it’s more important to understand how to get a sharp edge and refine your technique than getting too hung up over which method you are going to use.

What’s inside the Honey Badger Flipper?

There is one aspect that is common regardless of what method you choose and that needs to be understood before proceeding. It’s to do with creating a burr.

Joe Talmadge is an experienced collector and amateur knife maker who has had countless conversations with custom makers and who has also read countless articles on steels. We quote him here:-

“You grind one edge along the stone edge-first until a burr (aka “wire”) is formed on the other side of the edge. You can feel the burr with your thumb, on the side of the edge opposite the stone. The presence of the burr means that the steel is thin enough at the top that it is folding over slightly, because the bevel you’ve just ground has reached the edge tip. If you stop before the burr is formed, then you have not ground all the way to the edge tip, and your knife will not be as sharp as it should be. The forming of the burr is critically important — it is the only way to know for sure that you have sharpened far enough on that side. Once the burr is formed on one side, turn the knife over and repeat the process”

For this who are interested, Joe has an excellent FAQ which goes into far more detail than will be covered here.

Let’s now talk more about sharpening the Honey Badger knife.

Those of you who already own one will know that it comes out of the box already really sharp. However, with use, it will start to dull and there is nothing worse than a dull blade!

I took my Honey Badger flipper which was already sharp and dulled the edge by dragging it across a sharpening stone at 90 degrees (ouch, that hurt). The result was that it would not even begin to cut paper which to me is always a good indication of basic sharpness.

Honey Badger Flipper

I chose to use my Spyderco Sharpmaker to put an edge back on the knife. I set the stones at the 30 degree angle and started to sharpen just the one side using the edge of the stones until a burr was created as mentioned above. This took about 30 to 40 strokes. I then sharpened the other side continually checking the edge on my thumb nail until it started to catch rather than sliding off. At this point it would start to cut newsprint paper.

Honey badger flipper

I then rotated the stones to use the flat sides to refine the edge further. After this, it really started cutting the paper easily to the extent that you could get a cut started and then just push rather than saw with the knife and it would continue to cut the paper.

Honey badger flipper

For good measure, I then gave the knife one or two light strops on a home made leather strop coated with green stropping compound just to really get the edge further refined. There are many YouTube videos about how to make your own strop and it really is quite easy. If however, you prefer to buy one, this is the one that I modelled my homemade one on.

Honey badger flipper

Once the knife is at this level of sharpness all that’s required is a couple of strops every now and again depending on usage to maintain the edge. If you are going to be banging the edge down onto a plate as you cut through that apple then that will harm the edge more that what the strop can correct and you would then need to go back to the stones for one or two passes.

Honey badger Flipper

So as you can see there is not much to sharpening the Honey Badger knife. Don’t let your knife get too dull between sharpenings and you will find that touching it up to keep it sharp will be very easy.

 

4.9
Based on 1,170 Reviews
google

One of the best, EDC knives anyone can add to their rotation. Made tough in South Africa to handle tough tasks. Choice of steels, colors,blade shapes, and sizes make The Honey Badger perfect for anyone.

Bill Smith
google

I’ve owned several knives throughout my career and I gotta say that HoneyBadger knives are my favorite! Their knives are tough EDC knives that stand up to everyday tasks. I highly recommend getting a couple. My favs are the drop point large size knife with blue scales.

J.D. Shelley
google

I've been using the Flipper for a while now and have no complaints. It's easy to sharpen and clean and the grip is great. The ball bearings make opening one handed really easy and convenient when busy. The blade has had no corrosion despite being used for irrigation and different chores over a year or so. I have named her Ratel out of respect to the quality and robustness of this great value for money knife. I use her as a daily carry and love the lightweight sturdy design.

Craig Harvster
google

A friend of mine who is a knife maker told me, "People who ignore Honey Badger Knives are missing out on an absolute winner of a knife for the price. You should really pick one (or more) up. You'll see how good they are." I agree with him. Don't miss out on such great value and functionality.

David J. Tooley
google

This knife is always with me. I want it with a red handle)

Krechet Auto
google

Fantastic knife, my large Honey badger has been a perfect EDC knife. I will be buying another one with a different blade shape.

eric spradling
google

I’m a fan of these knives!

Tom Harmon
google

Tough knives. D2 blade is really tough.

Joe J Brown
google

Nice quality budget knife.

Alexander Conway
google

I have a Honey Badgers Tanto knife that I gifted to my son. He loves it and has it in his fishing tackle box. Great quality and arrived in a nice sturdy box.

Erik Ferner
google

The starts I’m leaving signifies how much I want one of these knives.

Eric Draper
google

I would love to win a honey badger knife!

Kelli Murray
google

Quality, well made knives. American craftsmanship

Andrew Dodsworth
google

The knife itself has been working great ever since I got it, medium drop point with D2 steel. It is still sharp as when I got it despite slicing through a lot of cardboard, electrical tape, and self vulcanizing rubber wrap on coax connections. The loop hole was super useful for being able to attach a safety lanyard to the knife when using it on tower climbs to keep it secure. I did run into an issue where some of the screws and hardware came loose and backed out after a little over a year of use, but that was also due to me not checking the screws were tight, as you should do periodically. The spare replacement parts arrived very quickly, and customer service was super helpful and responsive in making sure I had everything I needed to get the knife back in working order. I would say that I would buy one again, but I have a feeling the next time I'll be buying one is to give to a friend or to replace this one if I loose it, as it is going to last me a long time :-)

Davide Lanfranconi
google

My husband has nothing but nice things to say about how well that nice works I'm getting him one for Christmas because within 5 to 10 minutes my husband kept talking about how he wanted a knife from honey badger

Julie Hurley
google

Best knife ever to occupy my pocket 💯👍. Never without it. Recommend it to anyone who needs a excellent, practical edc.knife. Good price as well, don't think you can do better than that.

Ben Jordaan
google

This knofebis awesome! I have a Medium Black clip point knife. And I use it for everything. Cutting boxes, paranoid, even steak, because most restaurant steak knives are absolute trash. So, it's a great edc. Get one, or two today!

Charles Brooks
google

I’ve had multiple Honey Badger knives and I’ve never been disappointed I highly recommend their products.

Brad Nelson
google

Best value for money knives and best service

George Kroch
google

Very nice blades and quality knives

Rene Rodriguez
Bill Smith
Bill Smith

Just left us a 5 star review

google
Bill Smith
5.0
December 10, 2023

One of the best, EDC knives anyone can add to their rotation. Made tough in South Africa to handle tough tasks. Choice of steels, colors,blade shapes, and sizes make The Honey Badger perfect for anyone.

google
J.D. Shelley
5.0
December 8, 2023

I’ve owned several knives throughout my career and I gotta say that HoneyBadger knives are my favorite! Their knives are tough EDC knives that stand up to everyday tasks. I highly recommend getting a couple. My favs are the drop point large size knife with blue scales.

google
Craig Harvster
5.0
December 6, 2023

I've been using the Flipper for a while now and have no complaints. It's easy to sharpen and clean and the grip is great. The ball bearings make opening one handed really easy and convenient when busy. The blade has had no corrosion despite being used for irrigation and different chores over a year or so. I have named her Ratel out of respect to the quality and robustness of this great value for money knife. I use her as a daily carry and love the lightweight sturdy design.

google
David J. Tooley
5.0
December 5, 2023

A friend of mine who is a knife maker told me, "People who ignore Honey Badger Knives are missing out on an absolute winner of a knife for the price. You should really pick one (or more) up. You'll see how good they are." I agree with him. Don't miss out on such great value and functionality.

google
Krechet Auto
5.0
December 5, 2023

This knife is always with me. I want it with a red handle)

google
eric spradling
5.0
December 4, 2023

Fantastic knife, my large Honey badger has been a perfect EDC knife. I will be buying another one with a different blade shape.

google
Tom Harmon
5.0
December 3, 2023

I’m a fan of these knives!

google
Joe J Brown
5.0
December 3, 2023

Tough knives. D2 blade is really tough.

google
Alexander Conway
5.0
December 3, 2023

Nice quality budget knife.

google
Erik Ferner
5.0
December 2, 2023

I have a Honey Badgers Tanto knife that I gifted to my son. He loves it and has it in his fishing tackle box. Great quality and arrived in a nice sturdy box.

google
Eric Draper
5.0
December 2, 2023

The starts I’m leaving signifies how much I want one of these knives.

google
Kelli Murray
5.0
December 1, 2023

I would love to win a honey badger knife!

google
Andrew Dodsworth
5.0
November 29, 2023

Quality, well made knives. American craftsmanship

google
Davide Lanfranconi
5.0
November 28, 2023

The knife itself has been working great ever since I got it, medium drop point with D2 steel. It is still sharp as when I got it despite slicing through a lot of cardboard, electrical tape, and self vulcanizing rubber wrap on coax connections. The loop hole was super useful for being able to attach a safety lanyard to the knife when using it on tower climbs to keep it secure. I did run into an issue where some of the screws and hardware came loose and backed out after a little over a year of use, but that was also due to me not checking the screws were tight, as you should do periodically. The spare replacement parts arrived very quickly, and customer service was super helpful and responsive in making sure I had everything I needed to get the knife back in working order. I would say that I would buy one again, but I have a feeling the next time I'll be buying one is to give to a friend or to replace this one if I loose it, as it is going to last me a long time :-)

google
Julie Hurley
5.0
November 26, 2023

My husband has nothing but nice things to say about how well that nice works I'm getting him one for Christmas because within 5 to 10 minutes my husband kept talking about how he wanted a knife from honey badger

google
Ben Jordaan
5.0
November 25, 2023

Best knife ever to occupy my pocket 💯👍. Never without it. Recommend it to anyone who needs a excellent, practical edc.knife. Good price as well, don't think you can do better than that.

google
Charles Brooks
5.0
November 25, 2023

This knofebis awesome! I have a Medium Black clip point knife. And I use it for everything. Cutting boxes, paranoid, even steak, because most restaurant steak knives are absolute trash. So, it's a great edc. Get one, or two today!

google
Brad Nelson
5.0
November 24, 2023

I’ve had multiple Honey Badger knives and I’ve never been disappointed I highly recommend their products.

google
George Kroch
5.0
November 24, 2023

Best value for money knives and best service

google
Rene Rodriguez
5.0
November 24, 2023

Very nice blades and quality knives

google
Derek Hooks
5.0
November 24, 2023

Great knife

google
EDiPD Everyday
5.0
November 23, 2023

Was gifted one, great company with great products

google
Dustin King
5.0
November 23, 2023

Awesome knives with great quality and a really great price. It's apparent that a lot of consideration for the user has been put into the design; these are my new favorite pocket knives!

google
Steven Hubbard
5.0
November 23, 2023

Very nice product. Been collecting knives for years and would recommend Honey Badger.

google
Jason Parks
5.0
November 23, 2023

Awesome knives.

google
Alan Romero
5.0
November 20, 2023

Great knives at greater prices

google
jimi day
5.0
November 18, 2023

Great products with tons of customization options... Definitely a unique and affordable way to really dress up your knife and make it your own!! Go check out their website and grab one of the wonderful options available... You won't regret it!!

google
Adizzle Foshizzle
5.0
November 18, 2023

Quality knives that can hold an edge. Great grip. A wonderful EDC option for those that want a great knife made with quality material that won't make your wallet cry.

google
Michael Perkins
5.0
November 14, 2023

Great blades for whatever your needs are

google
David Hardesty
5.0
November 12, 2023

Honey Badger is my go to EDC. Mix and match colors, size and blades for each days activities. Never be without a knife.

google
Derek Jankowski
5.0
November 11, 2023

Great knives. Worth every penny. Pick one or two up you won't be disappointed

google
Liam and Stacey Stewart
5.0
November 11, 2023

I bought the clip piont flipper large black knife from Hunting and Fishing Whanganui and loved it! When I accidentally lost it I knew I had to get another. Super sharp and good hand feel when gutting and processing deer in the field.

google
Dan Good
5.0
November 10, 2023

One of the best knifes you can buy at a great price as well.

google
Eitan Ankri
5.0
November 9, 2023

היום זו גירית הדבש השלישית שלי,התמכרתי לתמורה למחיר שהיא הטובה ביותר בכל שנותיי כאוהב סכינים וביחוד אולרים,הסכין מגיעה חדה מהמפעל,הארגונומיה מצוייינת(יש לי מידות ידיים לא שיגרתיות ועדין אתם קולעים בול),הסכין עמידה ביותר לעבודה בחיבור וגם עמידות לחלודה,הירידה לפרטים במקומות שיש חיכוך גבוהה באחיזה היא משהו שלא פוגשים בסכין יקרה פי 3,במילה אחת וואו. צרפתי את הסכין החדשה של גירית הדבש אצלי והחברה החדשה גם לאוסף וגם כ EDC,אני בטוח שאהנה מאוד לגלף איתה את הקשת הארוכה(לונג בו ) הבאה שלי סביב מדורה עם חברים והרבה בשר על האש.

google
Ja K
5.0
November 9, 2023

Don't care. It's Honey Badger.

google
Michael Morton
5.0
November 9, 2023

Your knives have a great design and are comfortable to carry as well as priced right

google
jared horner
5.0
November 8, 2023

Seems like a very good knife for the price I'm very pleased so far.

google
Angel Lugo
5.0
November 4, 2023

The out of the box edge was push cut sharp, and after a fair amount of around the yard hard use it is still going strong with a few stroppings. I love it.

google
Steve Treadaway
5.0
November 4, 2023

Sharpest knife I've ever purchased.

google
Jon B
5.0
November 4, 2023

I have two Honey Badgers and love them both.

google
shaun russell
5.0
November 4, 2023

Great knife

google
Man Can
5.0
November 2, 2023

Best knives.

google
Shaun Melarvie
5.0
November 2, 2023

Great company and dependable products 👌

google
Daniel Weber
5.0
November 1, 2023

Love there designs expecialy for the price you can’t go wrong

google
Paul Jung
5.0
October 31, 2023

My all time favorite pocket knife

google
Anthony McDonald
5.0
October 30, 2023

Amazing knives!!! D2 steel holds an edge. I abuse them way more than I should, but they hold up very well.

google
Russell Smithers
5.0
October 28, 2023

I have bought Honey Badger knives from another store and they match up with some of the best thank you for being a great business HONEY BADGER!!!!!

google
Darren Tomkins
5.0
October 28, 2023

I have a Honey Badger and am mighty impressed!

google
Frank
5.0
October 27, 2023

Coltelli bellissimi , affilatissimi ,leggeri e robusti con delle Lame veramente eccezionali e affilate

google
Big Nug
5.0
October 27, 2023

Some great quality EDC knives at affordable prices!