We’re big fans of compact blade sharpening tools that you can keep in a pouch, so you can whet and hone your favorite pocket knife whenever it gets a little dull. If all you plan to sharpen on the road is your everyday folder or the blade on your favorite multi-tool, though, why not bring something even more compact? You know, something like the CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool.
Designed to hang on your keychain, the tool lets you carry a fully-functional blade sharpener in your pocket that’s just the perfect size to give your two-inch blade some much needed filing. That way, you’ll never have to worry about having to work with a dull blade on the go, with your sharpening tool simply waiting to be pulled out of your pocket the moment it’s needed.
The CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool measures just 2.7 inches long, ensuring it can hang in your keychain while sitting comfortably in your pocket. It’s equipped with two sharpening edges, namely a tungsten carbide field sharpener and a ceramic honing edge, so this should handle most any type of folding blade you currently have in your stash. According to the outfit, in fact, this thing will be compatible with nearly every folder in existence. Designed by mechanical engineer Tom Stokes, the tool was fashioned as a way to keep a basic knife maintenance tool within people’s reach at all times, ensuring you always have a way to fix a knife going awry even without a bag in tow.
Aside from sharpening your knife blade, the tool comes with two TORX heads, namely T8 and T6, so you can use it to tighten and loosen screws and nuts on your pocket tools (it should handle pivot nuts, pocket clip screws, and back spacer crews), making it doubly handy for various pocket knife maintenance tasks. Both those tools can fold out of the way when not in use, too, minimizing the tool’s footprint while sitting in your pocket. Want more? There’s also a flathead screwdriver, as well as a bottle opener, for handling the more mundane tasks you’re likely to come across throughout the course of a day. You know, like that beer we know you’re going to crack open the moment the sun goes down. Or something.
At this size, we’re not sure how convenient the CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool will be to work with, nor are we certain how long it will take to properly sharpen a standard pocket knife blade. If you’re used to doing work with pocket multi-tools, though, we have a feeling you won’t have such a hard time getting well-acquainted with a similarly-compact item. Plus, the convenience of always having it in your pocket just can’t be discounted. What good is a knife sharpener if you always end up leaving it at home because it’s too darn big to fit in your pants? Construction is glass-reinforced nylon for the handle, with the drivers made from metal.
The CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool is available now.
- Torx - T6 and T8
