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7 Best Compact Pocket Knife Sharpeners
There are few things less useful than a dull knife.
A knife with no edge isn’t going to cut, slice, or pierce anything—making it nothing more than a cool-looking hunk of steel that serves zero practical purpose.
For your knives to serve any real use, they’ve got to be sharp. To make that happen, keep a pocket knife sharpener in your pocket, tool pouch, everyday backpack, or kitchen gadget drawer at all times. Whenever your knives get a bit dull, whip it out and with a few pulls of the blade, you’ll be back in business with a keener-than-ever edge.
- Minimize danger: Did you know that a dull blade is more dangerous to its wielder? More pressure is needed to cut, which increases the risk that it’ll slip and injure you. Sharpening knives is being safety-smart.
- Honed in seconds: These compact, portable knife sharpeners are built to hone your knife’s edge with a few quick strokes. If you want a full sharpen—professional grade or to revive a dull or dented edge—opt for a professional sharpening.
- Good for all your knives: Whether you’ve got a dull kitchen knife, skinning knife, hunting knife, fish-gutting knife, multi-tool knife blade, or even self-defense knife, these little sharpeners can handle them all.
- Dual edges are a must: A coarser bit or side (usually diamond or tungsten carbide) will restore a sharp edge, and a finer side (typically ceramic) will ensure the knife is honed properly to maintain its sharpness longer.
Below, I’ve collected a few of the best portable knife sharpeners around, simple but ultra-practical tools to help you keep your knives hella sharp all day every day.
Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener
For a quick, efficient, on-the-job sharpening, this is the tool for you.
The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener makes the sharpening process beautifully easy, thanks to its angle guides (set to 20 and 25 degrees) and five abrasive steps.
Start off by using the diamond plates to grind down the edge, refine it to razor sharpness on the ceramic plates, and finish it off with a good stropping on the leather strop.
The sharpener is small enough you can carry it around anywhere you go, and it’s sized for everything from short-bladed pocket knifes to full sized kitchen knives. For the price, you won’t find many better and more versatile options.
Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic
With the Lansky BladeMedic, you can sharpen your knives in a hurry. The tungsten carbide starting sharpener will restore your knives’ edges in just a few strokes, and you can finish it off to the perfect polished edge on the ceramic sharpener.
The sharpening angles are pre-set so you can get the ideal sharpness every time with minimal effort. This sharpener can even be used for serrated edge knives, with a ceramic sharpener sized small enough to fit between even the smallest, tightest teeth.
The fold-out diamond sharpening rod is ideal for quick reconditioning when your knives are just starting to dull but aren’t yet ready for a full-on whetstone sharpening. It’s the ultimate practical tool for knife lovers.
WESN Pocket Sharpener
For cleaning up the edge & maintaining your knife blades, WESN’s Pocket Sharpener is a convenient and capable little tool. Its thin minimalist design makes it super portable while the electroplated diamond and ceramic surfaces ensure a sharper edge on all your blades.
Fallkniven Sport DC3
The Fallkniven line of knives is industry-leading for a reason: they’re tough, reliable, built with quality steel, and hold their edges amazingly well. And when the time comes to sharpen them, you’ll want the Fallkniven Sport DC3 small-sized sharpening stone.
Weighing in at just 38 grams, it’s small and light enough to easily stow in your hunting, fishing, and camping pack. It’s also got both diamond and ceramic sides to give you that perfect, refined sharpness you need.
To make it even more portable, it comes in a leather slip pouch that also protects the stone from damage on the go. With this bad boy out in the field with you, you’ll always have the keenest edge.
Smith's Pocket Pal X2 Sharpener
Get ready to be blown away by everything this sharpener can do. Not only is it a user-friendly sharpener—with a tapered diamond rod sized for sharpening serrated blades and both a carbide rough slot and ceramic finishing slot—but it also doubles as a practical outdoors tool.
The integrated firestriker lets you start fires anywhere, anytime, and the built-in LED light doubles as a flashlight in the dark. Add to that an attached compass and a signal whistle (built into the body of the sharpener itself), and you’ve got yourself a truly versatile piece of everyday carry gear.
Work Sharp EDC Pivot Knife Sharpener
This truly is a pocket-sized pocket knife sharpener. Just under 3 inches long and a little over 2 inches tall, it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and features two slots (carbide and ceramic) to help you restore your knife’s edge with just a few strokes.
The convex shape of the carbide is designed precisely for a more reliable cutting edge, and there’s even a diamond plate that you can use to sharpen fish hooks and other edge tools.
You’ll love that the sharpener has a pivot-response to follow the unique curve of your blade to maximize sharpness and edge consistency. The only real downside is that it’s so popular it often sells out.
HELLE KNIVES Knife Sharpening Stone
For those who love handcrafted knives and custom tools, this sharpening stone is the perfect choice for you.
The artisanal stone is crafted in Norway by third-generation bladesmiths, featuring both a 360 grit side for coarser tasks and a 1000 grit side for precise finishing.
The stone is sized small enough that it can stay in your kitchen drawer or go out into the field with you, and the stylish leather case is the perfect option for transporting it everywhere. It’s a high-quality tool you’ll love using time and time again.
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