Speedy Sharp

Has *many* uses - sharpening, survival, firestarting, engraving
This is a _must have_ for the outdoorsman or survivalist type. It's rock-simple with no moving parts. Those in the metalworking industry will immediately recognize this as a disposable carbide lathe bit, albeit a little thinner. The uses I've found so far:
1. Sharpening - yes indeed. It does the trick, and fast. It works best on longer straighter blades (lawnmower blades, machetes, etc), won't sharpen serrated blades. No biggie, tho. Will shave mild steel so effectively it actually makes a curl ("swarf") of steel, you're actually whittling the steel. WARNING-steel swarf is very flammable. I noticed that harder steels and cast iron make more of a fine powder residue. Will also sharpen shovels for ease of use in the garden. It's best for touching up edges, but not for a fine, keen edge or initial sharpening. For razor-sharp edges, angular control is essential. The DMT sharpening kit worked far better for this purpose. Also, as in machining-watch out for "chattering". This is...

Everyone in my household has one!
I love how fast the speedy sharp sharpens my pruners, hori-hori, and other gardening tools. After using a file to sharpen, which is harder to do and takes a couple minutes, using the Speedy Sharp was a revelation - just a few strokes put a fresh edge on my blade and kept me pruning away happily with cleaner cuts and less effort.

My favorite thing is that the Speedy Sharp fits in my pocket, so for marathon days of pruning, I can sharpen every hour or so and keep a good edge on my pruning shears and lopper. It works on everything, scissors, knives, garden tools.

And it's made of some material that is supposedly so strong that only a diamond can scratch it. They have a lifetime guarantee, so if you do manage to nick it with your giant diamond ring (yeah, like that's gonna happen), you'll be all set to pick up a freshie from the company.

Seriously - this is an awesome tool. Every gardener should have one.

Amazing
Wow, sharpens quick or hones just as quickly. Lightweight, takes up little space and really works well. If you get a tad too aggressive with your sharpening it will take off more steel quicker than you might think, go easy. I bought several for gifts and all my knife carrying friends are ecstatic.

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