Official Product Review On The SharpensBEST Spark-N-Sharp – We Field Tested The SharpensBEST Spark-N-Sharp Extensively

Official HuntTheNorth.com Product Review On SharpensBest Spark N Sharp Magnesium Fire Starter

OFFICIAL HUNTTHENORTH.COM PRODUCT REVIEW ON

Sharpens BEST Spark-N-Sharp

Official Product Review Score: 29 / 30 “A Rating”

Functionality 4 / 5
Durability 5 / 5
Effectiveness 5 / 5
Variety 5 / 5
Price 5 / 5
Overall Product Satisfaction 5 / 5

Functionality 4 / 5

HuntTheNorth.com prostaffers field tested all of the products available in the SharpensBEST “family” of products including the “poker chip” a key ring sharpener, the “rectangle key ring sharpener”, the “long handle”, and the “Sharp-N-Spark”. Each was well-suited to the task it was designed for and all functioned perfectly. The poker chip is great to carry in your pocket at all times, as is the rectangle key ring sharpener. The rectangle is slightly larger than the poker chip and features the “V” carbide. The long handle we found perfect for most all sharpening and honing needs, out doors, and in the kitchen drawer. The Spark-N-Sharp functioned perfectly in the field test. We recommend using the “V” notch ONLY for reshaping of inexpensive knives. The open face is also perfect for sharpening a very wide range of blades, tools and knives of all kinds. It is also very good for honing and fine tuning an edge. “ tune ups” as owner, Brad Buckner would say.

Durability 5 / 5

This is about as simple and as durable a product as we have ever seen. The Tungston Carbide steel is 20X harder than most knives and the nylon handles and housings are almost indestructible. You could miss use them greatly and not damage them. Remember, impact will chip carbide. Super hard steel and super tough nylon are combined to make this family of sharpening tools, that will literally last a lifetime. One suggestion is to tap the ferrocerium firesteel striker in the Sharp-N-Spark lightly on a bench top or with a small rubber mallet on occaision to make sure it is seated properly in the handle. It is designed with a friction-fit for easy removal and replacement and could work itself loose over time. Most people will find it will last a lifetime.

Effectiveness 5 / 5

Every product worked great in the field, the kitchen, and the shop. The two pocket models are good for carrying on a key-ring, or loose in the pocket. The long handle we found to be very much at home in the kitchen drawer as well as outside. We tested the entire family on hatchets, hunting knives, fillet knives, kitchen knives of all sorts, scissors, serrated edges, anything that one could imagine ( no lawn mowers, drill bits or saw blades ). SharpensBEST sharpeners worked great on everything we tried. Once we got started we sharpened almost everything! There is almost a therapeutic value and sense of accomplishment in using these tools. THEY work! The Sharp-N-Spark worked equally well and is easy to hold on to when your hands are cold or being aggressive is required. It is similar to the long handle but contains a screw-in firesteel striker in the handle. The alloy is called Ferro-cerium and is a combination of six different rare earth metals. It produces small (almost powder-like) shavings with moderate pressure applied to the open face sharpener, 90 degree corner. A more aggressive strike produces a large spark and can easily start fires built with dry tinder. For survival we recommend carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer as an fire accelerant. You can use the very hard sharp edge of the Sharp-N- Spark ( open face ) to scrape off fine tinder from small limbs and branches to start a fire. Look for PINE trees. The ( pitch ) is like gasoline.

Variety 5 / 5

We found that the family of SharpensBEST product set, offers a tool to fit most any sharpening need. Hunting, hiking, camping, fishing and most things in, or, around the house or job. The poker chip sharpener is excellent for carrying on a key chain, or in the pocket loose, as is the rectangle, Cut the key chain off. The long handle is ideal in camp, in the kitchen, or in the shop and provides a little more to hang on to while sharpening a lot of tools. The Sharp-N-Spark is the ideal tool for keeping knives sharp in the field, and keeping yourself alive if lost in the wilderness.

Price 5 / 5

All of the SharpensBEST products are relatively inexpensive. We found that by far the best value is the set that includes all four. The whole set on SharpensBEST.com sells for $49.95 plus shipping. This is an excellent value and provides the two pocket models (poker chip and rectangle), the long handle, and the Sharp-N-Spark.

Overall Product Satisfaction 5 / 5

SharpensBEST products are made with a “very hard” tungsten carbide, steel( the hardest of all steel ) and the toughest nylon available. They are easy to use, the price is right, the variety of the family of products is perfect. They are 100% pocketable, light weight and portable and long lasting. If not for the “V” notch, this product line would have received a perfect score. SharpensBEST “V” notch is not like the ones found on cheap sharpeners. We recommend using real care, and use the “V” only with light pressure for reshaping of inexpensive knives.

There is a possibility that the manufacturer will be removing the “V” notch in future models, as it is easy to miss use and damage blades.

PRODUCT ADVANTAGES

  • A Must Have For Any Serious Big Game Hunter or Survivalist
  • The Product Is Very Light Weight & Portable
  • The Product Is Virtually Indestructible
  • Offering Excellent Selection / Family Of Products
  • It Is Very Inexpensive – Only $24.95 Online

PRODUCT DISADVANTAGES

  • Aggressive V Notch Sharpener Could Damage Blade If Improperly Used
  • Limited Availability – Only Available Online Or At Specific Trade Shows
  • There Is No Place To Store Any Type Of Tinder Inside The Unit
  • Given The Overall Size Of the Spark N Sharp There Seems To Be Room For Additional Survival Features

SharpensBest Spark-N-Sharp

SharpensBest Spark-N-Sharp

Field Testing the SharpensBEST
by Rick Janes

For the past couple of years I have stood in amazement in front of the SharpensBEST booth at the Denver International Sportsman’s Expo. I watched as Brad Buckner, owner of SharpensBEST, sharpened knife after knife to a razor sharp edge.

I was so impressed with the product that I requested that Hunt The North.com create a new category to promote hunting equipment, and the Hunt The North “Survival Equipment” page was created.

Field testing of the sharpeners themselves was done primarily in the kitchen, garage, and workshop.

We sharpened everything with these clever tools including hunting knives, fillet knives, serrated blades, pruners, lawn tools, and much more.

Most impressive was the Sharp-N-Spark. We field tested the product in a real life situation when we had a mechanical problem with a snomobile in the Arapahoe State Forest in Colorado. While one sled ran for parts (a piece of gas line) a couple of us stayed back with the machine and gave the Spark-N-Sharp a try in a real survival setting.

Using Brad’s advice, we dug a small pit in the snow with one of the shovels we always keep under the hood of each sled. With waist deep snow, there was not much to be found for kindling on the ground. We collected a couple of handfuls of small dead twigs off the trees and placed them in the hole. After shaving a a small amount of material off of the striking rod that is stored inside the handle of the Spark-N-Sharp, we were ready to test the effectiveness of the tool. But not without one secret ingredient that everyone should carry with them in the wilderness, a small bottle of hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer is 62% ethyl alcohol and burns like gasoline. The gel sticks to the tinder and acts as an initial fuel.

Within three strikes using the Spark-N-Sharp, we had a comfortable little fire going and were able make a nice medium fire, staying perfectly warm and comfortable until the parts arrived.

Overall this is an excellent product family. Each will last a lifetime and you will never have a dull moment!

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON HOW TO PURCHASE A SHARPENSBEST SPARK-N-SHARP