Work Sharp Magnesium Folding Field Sharpener | Reserve Series review

The Magnesium Folding Field Sharpener sits in Work Sharp’s Reserve Series, but it is more than a colorway of the familiar Folding Field Sharpener. The current page identifies the WSEDCFFSMAG-TROUT SKU and shows Raw and Camo color variants. Its package changes both abrasive surfaces and guide markings: a 400-grit electroplated diamond face and a 2000-grit resin-bonded diamond stone, with 17° and 20° guides. This assessment uses the current manufacturer listing and Rev. 1 guide; it does not claim hands-on use, testing or ownership.

Read the 17° and 20° marks as discrete guide positions

Work Sharp lists 17° and 20° under the exact product’s angle specifications. They are two named positions, not an adjustable 17°–20° range: the listing does not establish support for 18° or 19°. The two surfaces are also depicted with different guide markings, and the short user guide gives a push stroke at one guide followed by a pull stroke at the opposing guide. It does not spell out whether the two positions are alternatives for different knives or a paired geometry for one sequence. Treat them as documented guide features rather than a recommendation about the right bevel or an instruction to combine them automatically; consult the exact manual and the knife maker’s angle convention before shaping an edge.

The finder therefore distinguishes its 17° and 20° capabilities from a continuous adjustment range. An exact-angle match only says a corresponding guide position is documented for a manual pocket-or-hunting arrangement. It does not establish the correct side angle for a particular blade, the knife’s clearance against the frame or whether the chosen position preserves its existing edge.

Two diamond faces serve different stages

The 400-grit electroplated diamond abrasive is the coarser face. The other face is a 2000-grit resin-bonded diamond stone, not the ceramic hone listed for the standard WSEDCFFS folding model. The Reserve guide says a newly sharpened blade can be touched up on the finer side alone; if repeated touch-ups take longer, it recommends a few strokes on the 400-grit face to reshape the edge before returning to the finer surface. That is the manufacturer’s stated progression, not a measured time or performance result.

For the resin-bonded stone, Work Sharp says a little water can reduce friction and clogging, and that the surface can be cleaned with warm water and dish soap. The instructions emphasize keeping control of the knife, holding the opposite handle and avoiding excessive pressure on the stroke toward the user. The compact form does not remove the need for a stable grip and deliberate blade path. No leather strop is listed in the exact package.

Why this is not the standard Folding Field Sharpener

The similar names invite an easy mix-up. The standard WSEDCFFS page lists a 400-grit diamond plate, fine ceramic plate, 20° sharpening guide and 25° honing guide. The Reserve Magnesium package instead documents 400-grit electroplated diamond and a 2000-grit resin-bonded diamond face, with 17° and 20° guides. Its manufacturer description also identifies a cast-magnesium body and magnetic closure. Those differences change the sharpening surfaces and guide positions, so an older standard-model review or guide should not be used to fill in the Reserve’s package.

Color is a separate, nonfunctional choice within this product page. The observed Trout SKU is WSEDCFFSMAG-TROUT; the manufacturer’s variant data also lists WSEDCFFSMAG-RAWBLK for Raw and WSEDCFFSMAG-CAMO for Camo. The blue-gray Trout product image shows the compact open body and red pocket clip, but the photo is not evidence of what is in a particular seller’s box.

Keep its field-use evidence narrow

The current product page tags the sharpener for Hunt and Pocket use, and its main description focuses on knives carried in the field. The model-matched guide gives a general knife-edge routine, not separate kitchen, serration, scissor or non-knife-tool instructions. A generic FAQ on the product page makes broad claims about the Folding Field Sharpener family, but it also describes ceramic faces that conflict with this Reserve model’s exact 2000-grit diamond package. That mixed copy is not enough to assign this exact SKU a serration or scissor arrangement. If those tasks are essential, choose a package whose instructions identify the relevant method.

There is a second package detail worth checking: the product-page body mentions an included sheath, while the explicit “in the box” list names the two diamond faces, angle guides and pocket clip but omits a sheath. The same generic FAQ says the abrasive faces are permanently attached, yet its ceramic wording does not match the exact Reserve package. The exact manual does not resolve either point. I leave sheath inclusion and abrasive replacement unconfirmed instead of converting the inconsistent page text into a definite package fact.

Who should compare this model?

The Reserve Magnesium is a plausible comparison for someone prioritizing manual pocket or hunting knife maintenance, a folding body and the documented 17°/20° guide positions. Its two diamond faces offer a coarse-to-fine path in a small carry format. It is a less direct fit for someone who needs a bench-supported system, a broad stone progression, an included leather strop, explicit serration instructions, scissors support or a documented continuous angle range. At 4.6 ounces, the manufacturer lists a light carry weight; that number does not tell you whether the body will suit a particular grip or knife length.

Before selecting a color, check that the offer names the WSEDCFFSMAG family rather than standard WSEDCFFS, and verify the exact finish suffix. Confirm whether a sheath is included and whether replacement surfaces are available if either point matters to your use. Then compare the two fixed guide markings with the knife’s stated bevel convention and read the Rev. 1 safety instructions. These checks are more useful than treating “Reserve,” “Magnesium,” or a broad product-family claim as proof of fit for every knife.