Scarier & Sharper!
BACK in July 2011 I reviewed a new product called the “Scary Sharp”. Designed and engineered by innovative Kiwi Geoff Furborough, this simple yet ingenious knife-sharpening tool created quite a stir in the local market.
You can see my initial write up HERE but the basic rundown is that Furborough, a keen hunter and outdoorsman, invented a system by which a knife or other blade can be sharpened at a constant angle. This enables a perfect edge to be applied to your blade, no matter how inept you otherwise are at knife sharpening. The way the tool works basically makes it fool proof – pretty much anyone can now hone a knife and achieve a professional result. Watch the short video clip HERE and you’ll quickly grasp how the tool works. It is truly elegant in its simplicity …
I’ve used the Scary Sharp tool for a couple of years now and my knives – fishing, hunting and kitchen – have never been sharper. Every month or so I spend an hour in my shed quietly honing my blades. It’s very satisfying to put a “scary sharp” edge to your favourite filleting knife or the blade you use to carve the Sunday roast.
Now Geoff is back with a revamped tool. Apart from improvements to the stone carrier and some nifty laser cutting of the words “SCARY SHARP” outlined in red in the rear section of the frame, the tool is fundamentally untouched. High quality stainless steel construction means this tool will outlast you, your kids and probably your grandkids. As per the previous model, you can mount the tool permanently on a workbench (as I have done), in a vice or even use it on your boat.
The real changes in the Scary Sharp system are in the stones Geoff has sourced. Standard oilstones are pretty cheap and widely available. Teamed with a Scary Sharp tool, even a base model stone will do a good job at sharpening a blade. But top quality stones really give you an edge (excuse the pun!) if you want truly sharp knives. Geoff has located two top-of-the-line Arkansas stones – a combination hard/soft and a high-end black translucent stone designed for scalpels and surgical instruments.
The basic Scary Sharp tool comes with a standard Knick Wet Stone or an optional Norton Oil Stone. But you can now also purchase the Arkansas stones, along with additional stone holders. I’ve used the Arkansas combination stone to “finish off” my blades after putting an edge on them with the standard oilstone. The fine grit of the Arkansas stone “polishes” the edge and enables me to attain deadly sharpness after honing for only a few passes. There is a discernible difference to the result over just using a standard stone. These high quality Arkansas stones perform best when lubricated with water, turps or canola oil.
Following advice from Geoff, I sprayed WD-40 on my stone and got excellent results.
I honestly can’t see any fisho not using one of these Scary Sharp tools. We all have knives and use them regularly to clean fish, prepare food and rig tackle. Geoff’s brilliant Scary Sharp tool makes it simple and quick to keep your blades razor sharp, especially if you invest in a set of the Arkansas stones. I rarely, if ever, give unqualified praise to any of the various product I review for Fisho but I really rate Geoff Furorough’s Scary Sharp tool and thus can’t recommend it highly enough.
Find out more, and make online purchases, at www.scarysharp.co.nz.
