- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 883
I recently bought a Moran Featherweight. This is a great knife, as we all know by now. I won't give a full review at this time. Instead, I want to share with you all the sense of liberation I experienced as a result of sharpening away the beautiful Moran edge.
Generally, the first thing I do with a new knife is sharpen it to my own specifications. I like my edges thin and a bit "grabby". While the Moran edge on the Featherweight was thin enough to suit me, it was too highly polished for optimal slicing. Normally this would not present a problem for me, but I was hesitant to mess with this especially beautiful knife because I didn't want to mar the original finish: once the Moran edge has been sharpened, it cannot be restored with the talent and technology at my disposal.
I hesitated to use this knife for about two weeks--the amount of time it took me to acquire an Edge-Works kydex slip sheath (try saying that several times fast). With this superconvenient sheath to replace the well-made (admitedly), but thick and ugly Spyderco sheath, I now found it impossible to resist the urge to actually carry and use the knife. This meant that I could no longer justify saving the original Moran edge in its pristine, highly polished state. Knowing how much thought and refinement went into the design and manufacture of the Moran Featherweight, I didn't want to put it away and never use it. So I swallowed hard, got out my course DMT diamond hone and never looked back.
Grinding away the Moran edge was cathartic. I think I have purified my soul. I can now use a knife that needs to be used, and not worry about what I'll do when it gets dull. The knife belongs to me now, even though it still has Bill Moran's name on it.
For those of you who own one of these knives, or who are thinking about getting one, don't be afraid on account of the unmaintainability of the Moran edge. Within every Moran edge there is a perfectly good Conventional edge struggling to get out.
David Rock
[This message has been edited by David Rock (edited 20 February 1999).]
Generally, the first thing I do with a new knife is sharpen it to my own specifications. I like my edges thin and a bit "grabby". While the Moran edge on the Featherweight was thin enough to suit me, it was too highly polished for optimal slicing. Normally this would not present a problem for me, but I was hesitant to mess with this especially beautiful knife because I didn't want to mar the original finish: once the Moran edge has been sharpened, it cannot be restored with the talent and technology at my disposal.
I hesitated to use this knife for about two weeks--the amount of time it took me to acquire an Edge-Works kydex slip sheath (try saying that several times fast). With this superconvenient sheath to replace the well-made (admitedly), but thick and ugly Spyderco sheath, I now found it impossible to resist the urge to actually carry and use the knife. This meant that I could no longer justify saving the original Moran edge in its pristine, highly polished state. Knowing how much thought and refinement went into the design and manufacture of the Moran Featherweight, I didn't want to put it away and never use it. So I swallowed hard, got out my course DMT diamond hone and never looked back.
Grinding away the Moran edge was cathartic. I think I have purified my soul. I can now use a knife that needs to be used, and not worry about what I'll do when it gets dull. The knife belongs to me now, even though it still has Bill Moran's name on it.
For those of you who own one of these knives, or who are thinking about getting one, don't be afraid on account of the unmaintainability of the Moran edge. Within every Moran edge there is a perfectly good Conventional edge struggling to get out.
David Rock
[This message has been edited by David Rock (edited 20 February 1999).]
