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.
 
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.
 
When I can take my time and make it a zen experience, I actually enjoy sharpening. I want the edge to be as good as it can be but once it is sharp I cut my losses if I'm no longer having fun. Sometimes that leads to a full reprofile and mirror polish, other times it's as quick as I can get the entire edge cleaned up with a 600 diamond plate.
 
My personal experience is, when it can pop hair, it is sharp enough.

I realize that there is definitely different levels of sharpness, and many levels above what I am capable of but as a general rule, if it pops hair, it's sharp enough for me.

I can't tell you how many times I have cut up cardboard for someone and they simply can't believe how effortlessly my pocket knife does it, many say it's sharper than a razor blade.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
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.
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This…

Factory edges are mostly crap. The first thing I do is bring them home and test the sharpness. If they are over 100 on the BESS I regrind putting a 15 degree bevel on pretty much anything I carry as supersteels can handle it. I like a near perfect grind as well as scary sharp on the EDC because, well, I can!
 
I recently received a highly anticipated knife that I pre-ordered months ago. I was very happy with it when it was unboxed as it seemed to be everything I was expecting and more. But, in preparing to sharpen it I determined the angle of the cutting bevel on the show side was over 23 degrees and the lock side was about 19. Also, the tip and heel areas on both sides were not ground on the same angle as the rest of the edge. I initially sharpened both sides at 22 degrees just to get everything uniform and then sharpened again to 18 degrees. It is very sharp and uniform now. I'm used to seeing these issues with factory edges but this one was excessive. I sent an email to the design company describing the issues with the edge because I felt they should know, but I doubt they are concerned.
 
i dont sharpen too much but i remember one time trying to sharpen out blade rap on a gec 92 that the rods scratched blade, drove me nuts
 
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