Review on 🔪 Smiths Outdoors Pocket Sharpener 50364 by Ricky Pee

TLDR Version: Buy if you want a good sharpener and are not a survival idiot. Do not buy this if you have any illusions of surviving in the ultra light as you will likely die. This little device has a fun design that packs a lot of nice features into a compact design. The through-hole sharpener is not a new idea and works on the principle of creating a small micro edge that can be quite sharp. A diamond round sharpener is also good for re-sharpening serrated edges and for deburring a blade that has already been cut. I wonder why there are reviews on here that say this product is ineffective. When you realize that this tool is not intended to add a lasting edge to the tool, but to maintain the already sharp edge produced by this tool, you really start to see the beauty of the simplicity of its design. After making a micro blade with a knife you put the knife through and this changed the cutting style of your blade, you have to understand that it will work differently than before since this is not the type of blade that you have worked before. If you don't want to work with a micro blade, which may deviate from the original blade profile, this may not be the tool for you. If you know how to use a diamond sharpening rod to maintain the original blade profile, you're good to go. If you understand how it works, how different sharpening parts work together and how it affects your future cutting operations, then buy this tool. I bought three of these, one from Revain. I had no issues at all with the tool's functionality for its main purpose. Again, I don't expect this tool to be a complete professional knife sharpening system that will have my knives laser cut. This requires a different and more expensive system. I also don't abuse my knives by letting them do things they weren't designed to do. For example, a knife like the Victorinox Tinker is not a hard wire cutter, and if you decide to cut something like that with it, then I have a token for you that Bill Engvall will proudly present to you. . If you decide to use the tip of a knife as a screwdriver and break or chip it, don't expect this little tool to fix your mistake when you push the blade into a job you don't want to use. Let's get to what I consider a bonus. Functionality, survival applications. Whistling isn't the loudest, but it's better than yelling and uses less power and voice. There are specially designed whistles that work better, and yes, you should probably carry them around. The little flashlight isn't really bad, not the highest lumens I've seen, but it's a handy little flashlight to look inside. backpacks or boxes in the dark. If you rely on this light for all your lighting needs and try to upgrade to an ultra-lightweight light, you'll quickly find yourself in the dark. You better have a headlamp and Maglite Solitaire Led on your keychain. When it comes to flashlights, the rule of two equals one applies, and backup batteries are the order of the day. This light was never meant to be used all the time, it was just a good option for the limited time it can work. In my opinion it's not a deal breaker. If I want to buy a flashlight, I buy a good strong one. I didn't buy it to light, I bought it to sharpen knives, which makes it good. Compass works on all three I have and works fine once you understand its limitations. It will never be a military lens compass built like a tank and this little fella will be more prone to breakage or loss due to its size, construction and mounting method. Let's get to one of the best executed parts of the compass. the whole instrument, besides its main purpose of lighting a fire. It throws lots of sparks and makes a great addition to your primary tool and/or firearms kit. Why backup? Due to the fact that the flint itself is small and thin, so it breaks easily. It does not fire as long and reliably as a custom 1/2" x 6" ferrocerium rod that is pre-drilled for lanyard attachment. I bet many people haven't even read the instruction manual on the product information pouch that comes with the tool, which shows you how to run the pull hammer through the carbide grinding area to create those sparks and have probably already broken or will break your tool , because they screwed up; They probably blame the tool for not knowing their gear with due diligence in advance. Folks, we need to understand that the products we buy have limitations and specific uses. We must be able to understand these areas of application in order to use these tools with the right mindset so that when we need to use a tool outside of its intended functionality, we can do so safely, knowing that we may have one need a different MacGyver approach for something more workable. When you fully understand the limitations and take the necessary precautions to only rely on survival apps in the worst of situations. Translation, if you're looking for a survival panacea with this tool, do a reality check. If you are looking for a good sharpener with added backup survival features, buy this tool.