Hi guys,

I understand the difference between trade quality blades and high quality custom knives, I fully respect the effort and skill required producing quality knives. I have butchered hundreds of cattle using various tradies with a preference for Green River because they are soft carbon steel easier to sharpen than stainless competitors.

More recent experiences with a Svord drop point and a Martiini puuko have highlighted my limitations in knowledge and skill resharpening! I recently skinned and quartered a big scrub bull with the Svord(factory edge) & the knife still popped hairs on my arm afterward. No way any trade blade could have done this without touch up in any way. I would use three or four knives with furious touching up on a steel to achieve the same in the past!

The challenge restoring the factory edge required a diamond plate, Arkansas soft stone (white) and a barbers strop impregnated with jewellers rouge. A steel does not work on the polished edge on the harder knives....

Unless you have serious experience using sharpening knives opt for the trade quality knives 'cos you won't be able to sharpen the damn thing!

Thank you to the professionals for their lovely pics of their labours!