Selecting a sharpening system for a hunting camp can be tricky business. There are many options available for keeping steel sharp, and even more knife makers and blade style options.
What exactly is a hunting knife? After the hunt, a hunting knife prepares the game for food. This includes but is not limited to skinning and boning. Some hunting knives may have a blade with a curved part for skinning and a straight part for slicing meat. You will also find that some blades incorporate a Gut Hook.
A whetstone (water stone) is a rectangular stone with a gritty surface used to sharpen knives and other metal tools. Sharpening stones can be natural or synthetic. Natural sharpening stones may be slower to process than synthetic ones, but they produce a fantastic cutting edge without removing a lot of steel. A whetstone requires a certain level of skill to use successfully, it can be heavy, bulky, and at the end of the day, it’s one dimensional.
A quick and convenient alternative to packing sharpening stones is the Warthog V-Sharp XE (Xtreme Edge) which features 4 snap-in angle settings (17°, 20°, 25°, 30°) with an 8 oz. durable ABS plastic; the V-Sharp XE is waterproof. Skinning, filleting and kitchen knives use 17° to 20° angles, making the V-Sharp XE the obvious choice. Comes standard with 325 grit (finishing steel included) and 600/1000 grit (optional) natural diamond rods. Simply run the blade in a cutting motion completely through and out of the sharpener, keeping the blade flat against the blade guide. This movement provides a constant angle from heel to toe, regardless of the materials or brands of the blade. The V-Sharp XE sharpens the blade on both sides simultaneously, perfect for most other flat blade knives. It is ideal for hunting camps and base camps!
Gut Hook File: Gut Hook knives feature sharp semicircular “hooks” behind the point of the knife. The gut hook serves more than one purpose. For hunters and fishermen, it helps to open up a game’s intestinal cavity by first making a small incision at the bottom. The gut hook is then placed in the small opening and pulled down like a zipper. This makes it easier and potentially faster to play the field and drastically reduces the chance of puncturing an internal organ. A gut hook is a utility tool for cutting twine/rope on the utilitarian side. A major drawback to a gut hook is how difficult it can be to sharpen. Still, many hunters find the gut hook feature a must when it comes to backcountry hunting. The Warthog Gut Hook File features a 600-grit diamond shaft, a blue composition handle with an oversized lanyard hole, measuring 7 1/4″ overall, and a 3 7/8″ diamond shaft. ideal for large tooth and gut hook blades.
Make Warthog V-Sharp XE and Gut Hook File permanent residents in your hunting camp!
extreme edge
- 4 snap angle settings
- (17°, 20°, 25°, 30°)
- 325 grit natural diamond rods (included)
- 600 Grit or 1000 Grit (optional)
- comes in black
- super light
- Durable ABS plastic housing.
- adjustable spring tension
- Finishing Steels (included)
- 1 year warranty
- Weight: 8 ounces (229 grams)
- Retail Price: $74.99
Intestinal hook file
- Ideal for Fishing/Hunting
- Diamond rod: 600 grit
- contoured handle
- Includes cord
- Size: 7 1/4″ overall, 3 7/8″ Diamond Rod
- MSRP: $44.99
For over 20 years Warthog Blade Sharpeners have been manufacturing and exporting high quality diamond knife sharpeners. Warthog was established in 1999 with the goal of creating a world first and innovative knife sharpener that would deliver better results than any competitor on the market. Treat your blades with the respect and care they deserve. We have done extensive research on various types of knife sharpeners, and the results may surprise you. Microscopic photographs of the edges show just how much damage traditional sharpeners can cause.
For more information please visit
WWW.WARTHOGUSA.COM