Smiths Products
Smiths Products covers two distinct categories under one brand — folding everyday-carry knives with stainless steel blades and G10 or aluminum handles, and a full range of sharpening tools from simple pull-thru sharpeners to electric sharpening systems and traditional Arkansas sharpening stones. This dual focus makes Smiths a practical one-stop source for both a new EDC blade and the tools to keep it (or any other knife) sharp.
Read our full Smiths Products Buying Guide ↓
Smiths Folding Knives: Blade Steel and Handle Options
Smiths' folding knives use 3Cr13MoV and 400-series stainless steel blades — softer, easier-to-sharpen steels well suited to a knife that will see regular touch-ups on one of Smiths' own sharpeners. Handle materials range from G10 (the BattlePlan) to anodized aluminum (Istana) and titanium-coated stainless (Furrow, Titania), giving buyers options across different grip textures and price points, all built around a drop-point blade profile with a pocket clip.
Pull-Thru vs. Electric Sharpeners: Choosing a Method
Pull-thru sharpeners like the Edge Pro and Angle models use fixed ceramic or tungsten carbide slots for quick, low-skill maintenance sharpening — good for regular touch-ups but not for repairing a badly damaged edge. Electric sharpeners like the Edge Pro Compact automate the process further and can handle a wider range of edge conditions with less technique required. Both trade some of the control a sharpening stone offers for speed and ease of use.
Sharpening Stones: Arkansas Stones and the Tri-Hone System
For shooters and knife owners who want full control over edge geometry, Smiths' Arkansas Bench Stone and Natural Arkansas Sharpening Stone offer traditional stone sharpening in fine and coarse grits. The Tri-Hone Sharpening System combines multiple stones in one mounted unit, letting you progress through grits without switching setups — a step up in capability from a single stone for anyone maintaining several knives regularly.
Choosing the Right Sharpener for Your Skill Level
Pull-thru and pocket sharpeners (Jiffy-Pro, Pocket Pal, 2 Step) are the easiest entry point, requiring little technique to get a usable edge. Stone sharpening offers the most control and the sharpest possible edge but has a real learning curve. For most EDC knife owners, a pull-thru sharpener covers regular maintenance, with a stone system as a step up once you want finer control over edge angle.
Frequently Asked Questions: Smiths Products
What blade steel do Smiths folding knives use?
Primarily 3Cr13MoV and 400-series stainless steels — softer steels that are easy to resharpen, a sensible pairing given Smiths also makes a full range of sharpening tools.
Is a pull-thru sharpener as good as a sharpening stone?
A pull-thru sharpener is faster and easier for regular maintenance but offers less control over edge angle than a stone. For serious edge work or repairing a damaged blade, a stone system gives better results.
What is the Tri-Hone Sharpening System?
A mounted sharpening system that combines multiple sharpening stones of different grits in one unit, letting you progress from coarse to fine without switching setups.
See Also: Knives • Folding Knives