Wastikivi/Ray Mears Knifes Bride Sharpening Stone and Leather Sleeve

The Wastikivi/Ray Mears Knifes Bride Sharpening Stone and Leather Sleeve are a prefect set up for sharpening your tools in the bush. The exceptional pocket sharpening stone, small and lightweight, along with the exquisite leather sleeve have been specifically designed with the end user in mind.

Made from natural stone, the Knifes Bride Sharpening Stone has a grit of between 800-1000. It produces a slurry well, without the need for a specialised slurry stone and despite its hard nature sharpens quickly, particularly when used with carbon and high carbon tool steel blades so favoured for bushcraft.

It should be used with water, but being non-porous it does not need to be soaked and can simply be made wet and used immediately. Its non-porous nature also means that it is less prone to frost damage when used in sub-zero temperatures.

While the stone is tough, we have chosen to compliment it with a handmade leather sheath for the stone’s protection and the protection of other items in your pocket. The sheath can be attached to a lanyard. By counterpoint to today’s throwaway culture, in the Woodlore tradition, we intend this product to provide you with many years of hard service, and hope that it will become a family heirloom handed down to future generations.

Our stone is manufactured specially for us by Wastikivi Finland. It is made from phyllite a metamorphised form of slate which has been used for sharpening since at least the sixteenth century.

The stone is 10 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm thick. One edge is rounded to facilitate the sharpening of inside bevelled crooked knives as well as other curved blades, this edge can also be used to lightly dress the blade edge after honing. One end of the stone is bevelled ideal for sharpening fishhooks, while the other end is flat so that it can easily be used in the field in the way that Ray teaches.

The name Knife’s Bride perfectly captures the necessity of a sharpening stone. For efficient use cutting tools need to be kept sharp and clean. Sharp tools are also safer as they do not glance or slip from the work surface. On expeditions it is best to sharpen regularly on the 'little and often' principal to prevent the need of carrying a coarser stone for remedial work.

The leather sleeve is made in our workshop by our legendary master leather crafter. A gentle squeeze to the sides opens the mouth of the sleeve for access. For the best protection place the bevelled end of the stone in the stitched end of the sleeve.

Should the leather become wet remove the stone and allow the leather to air dry thoroughly in a cool place. The outside of the sleeve can be treated with a light coating of a proprietary leather oil to keep it supple and prolong its life.

Used responsibly cutting tools are essential to the practise and study of bushcraft, they are essential tools for safety and rescue, improve our fire lighting options particularly in bad weather, enable us to process food and open the door to a multitude of practical craft work. Carving is also a joyful traditional activity that develops hand strength, hand eye coordination and knowledge of natural materials.

For an insight into Ray's ethos on our leather goods, please view our Leather Goods page.

Details - stone:

• Dimensions: 100 mm x 30 mm x 10 mm
• Weight: 70 g approx
• Material: Phyllite
• Exclusive to Woodlore

Details - sleeve:

• Dimensions: 130 mm x 55 mm
• Ray Mears ‘Snowshoe’ logo embossed on front
• Designed specifically to fit the Wasitikivi/Ray Mears Knifes Bride Sharpening Stone
• Lanyard attachment point
• Colour: Rich Brown