Anyone else under the, "it's not sharp unless it shaves" thought process?

Heck I’ve learned so much since coming to bladeforums it’s not even funny. My entire life I’ve used the “run your fingers perpendicular to the edge” to feel that the knife is “sharp”. All these years I’ve been feeling a burr and thinking that was a “sharp” knife, which it is for most tasks. Since stropping and now using my dad’s Sharpmaker this weekend, I’m learning what sharp really is. The Sharpmaker is amazing, I need one.
 
i try to keep mine sharp enough to easily slice through paper. still practicing on getting them hair splitting sharp..
 
I must be one of only a handful of people who don't keep my using knives overly sharp. I have a few collectors that I have shaving sharp but for an EDC whats the point?

Don't get me wrong their not dull but I see no purpose using a razor blade to cut open a paper bag or cut a notch in a stick. Seems like a good way to injure yourself.
 
For me, it would be a paranoia. I have been able to get hair shaving sharp edges on all of my blades, even my S30V Ritter Grip. I have not, however, been able to get a hair shaving sharp edge on my Spyderco Bob T Slipit, which has S30V. I even got it professionally sharpened, but then I messed around with it on my folding diamond hones, and now it is officially dull again.
 
I've tried the hair on my arm thing, but really, if I can do whatever needs doing with my knife, I guess I'm happy, if it doesn't I'll sharpen it real quick.
 
i have been sharpening knives to a shaving sharp edge since i was 13 or so and have been for the past 37 years. the hair on my left arm has more or less ceased to grow from being shaven off so much :D
 
Joe Fowler said:
I don't really shave with any of my knives, so if it's sharp enough to do the things I DO do with them, then it's sharp enough.

Did that make sense to anyone? :o
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Makes perfect sense to me. I usually sharpen til it shaves but then I use it until it stops performing well. Then sharpen again. My knives are never ALWAYS shave sharp. Although it would be nice if they never went dull. :D
 
I'm not a fan of the "saving sharp" mindset.

I find cutting computer paper a much better indicator of functional sharpness.

Shaving sharp is good for some tasks but for most of what I use a knife for, a toothy edge gives better results. For instance, a razor sharp, shaving keen edge doesn't perforn as well on synthetic ropes and sheet materials as a micro-serrated, toothy edge.
 
shotgunner11 said:
I'm not a fan of the "saving sharp" mindset.

I find cutting computer paper a much better indicator of functional sharpness.

Shaving sharp is good for some tasks but for most of what I use a knife for, a toothy edge gives better results. For instance, a razor sharp, shaving keen edge doesn't perforn as well on synthetic ropes and sheet materials as a micro-serrated, toothy edge.
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Valid point. "The burr" can help in that.

BTW glad to see you've got some sheaths on the site. Look awesome man. The sheaths not you. You know you're awesome. :D
 
I used to love shaving sharp, then I got to the point where the hairs jump away from the edge solely out of pure fear.
 
I actually cannot sleep if one of my knives is not as sharp as can be.

Really. No exaggeration!
 
shotgunner11 said:
I'm not a fan of the "saving sharp" mindset.

I find cutting computer paper a much better indicator of functional sharpness.

Shaving sharp is good for some tasks but for most of what I use a knife for, a toothy edge gives better results. For instance, a razor sharp, shaving keen edge doesn't perforn as well on synthetic ropes and sheet materials as a micro-serrated, toothy edge.
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That makes pretty good sense, thanks Mike :thumbup:
 
adaman04 said:
Valid point. "The burr" can help in that.

BTW glad to see you've got some sheaths on the site. Look awesome man. The sheaths not you. You know you're awesome. :D
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My awesome transends looks, I am living walking proof that the ugly can attain even the highest levels of awesomeness-ess.:D
 
I don't use shaving as a benchmark, I think it's kind of ridiculous personally. There are plenty of other ways to test a knife's functional ability as a cutting tool... I can get my tomahawk shaving, but that doesn't mean I keep it that way...
 
mat_890 said:
Don't get me wrong their not dull but I see no purpose using a razor blade to cut open a paper bag or cut a notch in a stick. Seems like a good way to injure yourself.
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I donno, if it's sharp at all a clumsy accident is going to leave you cut either way. With a very sharp edge the work is done easier and with more control.

PayetteRucker said:
I don't use shaving as a benchmark, I think it's kind of ridiculous personally. There are plenty of other ways to test a knife's functional ability as a cutting tool... I can get my tomahawk shaving, but that doesn't mean I keep it that way...
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Well yeh, if it does the job easily it's sharp enough. So shaving sharp is sorta arbitrary. I do however find myself using it as a sort of reference to figure out if I'm done sharpening a pocket knife; It does indicate the general level of sharpness, and it's a pass/fail test. One starts with the knife that can't do it, and end with one that can. Therefore I can be sure that a knife is now sharper then when I started sharpening.
 
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I gotta say, yeah I too am a victim of shaving hair off my arms. But.!!!! then got the Idea from some sword makers (Japanese all crazy about cutting edge) So I started cutting *Rice paper* I have done this with every knife I have owned. It works. No rice paper cut clean= no clean shave. Even new out of the box. ! cut then put away, if not used. enjoy. edgy :thumbup:
 
PayetteRucker said:
I don't use shaving as a benchmark, I think it's kind of ridiculous personally. There are plenty of other ways to test a knife's functional ability as a cutting tool... I can get my tomahawk shaving, but that doesn't mean I keep it that way...
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I wasn't talking about the Izula's functional ability, I was talking about sharpness of a knife, but doesn't "functional ability as a cutting tool" increase with sharpness, IMO the sharper a knife, the less force you have to apply when cutting through something.
 
Joben said:
I donno, if it's sharp at all a clumsy accident is going to leave you cut either way. With a very sharp edge the work is done easier and with more control.



Well yeh, if it does the job easily it's sharp enough. So shaving sharp is sorta arbitrary. I do however find myself using it as a sort of reference to figure out if I'm done sharpening a pocket knife since it does indicate the general level of sharpness, and it's a pass/fail test. One starts with the knife that can't accomplish it, and end with one that can. Therefore I can be sure that the knife is now sharper then when I sharpening.
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Seems like were on the same page :thumbup:
 
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