Anyone else a little OCD

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kane22

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Feb 25, 2013
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I seem to be a bit OCD/perfectionist. I enjoy sharpening, the quest for the perfect edge, looking at it under magnification, trying different methods. Nothing worse than getting a new knife only to find the grind is all jacked up. Normally the heel or the tip is off and it would require taking off what to much steel to make it right that it's not with it. Am I the only one that finds themselves sharpening knives that really don't need it just to see if you can make it sharper?
 
Depends. I'd rather not have to, and am happy to leave well enough alone. But, there are times I can't ignore what seems should have been addressed before I received it...whether by accident or oversight.
 
Depends on what I plan to do with the knife. But you are not alone in “edge disappointment” on a new knife.
 
I use my new knives with their factory edges, eagerly anticipating the moment they need sharpening, then microconvex almost everything w/ handheld diamond plates and strops. It's like the knife is not really mine until the edge is redone how i like it.
 
I'm with you. It seems that most new knives come sharp but do not have consistent edge angles heel to tip or one side to the other. And it doesn't matter if it's a Chinese made budget knife or a US made premium blade. I also enjoy sharpening and creating a nice edge, but I shouldn't be grinding off a bunch of steel correcting issues from the knife maker.
 
Yes, borderline (?) OCD, but not regarding sharpening. I like medium course edges (600 - 800) anyways, and sharpening has always been a chore, ever since I was a kid (had to do my mom's kitchen knives regularly on a benchstone). Knife action, the perfect sheath, etc., is a different story.
 
Since my own preference is for edges more acute than most any factory grind, I've been in the habit for several years of putting my own edges on new knives by default. I do this almost universally with any new knife I plan to use & carry. So, even in cases where the factory grind looks clean, if it isn't within my preferred geometry, I replace it with my own edge. I've become spoiled on the dramatically improved cutting performance of more acute edges.
 
JBoone said:
I usually put a new edge on before the factory edge is dull
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Depending on how soon before, that's anything from just good maintenance habits, to unnecessary edge consumption.
 
I think being a perfectionist is a common trait in this hobby. New knives are never perfect,... so there is lots to do.
 
kane22 said:
I seem to be a bit OCD/perfectionist. I enjoy sharpening, the quest for the perfect edge, looking at it under magnification, trying different methods. Nothing worse than getting a new knife only to find the grind is all jacked up. Normally the heel or the tip is off and it would require taking off what to much steel to make it right that it's not with it. Am I the only one that finds themselves sharpening knives that really don't need it just to see if you can make it sharper?
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I really hope to attain this level of knife sharpening someday… I can make mine “sharp enough” but really need to learn a lot more about sharpening.
 
As others have noted, factory bevels are generally pretty uneven depending on if they're hand or robot sharpened from what I've seen. Some knives I've gotten are just straight up dull or still had the burr on it. Or sometimes even if they were "sharp", the factory used super obtuse axe head geometry so it doesn't really cut well anyway. So being a freehand sharpener able to obtain higher than factory sharpness (not necessarily saying much considering most factory edges), I generally sharpen almost all my new stuff if I plan on using them.
 
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