Curious, why bother with a cutting test with *insert brand name knife here*?

[LadyEarth]

If the knives are sharpen correctly, even a piss poor Chinese knife can cut paper. I've seen some knife owner carry the air of "See! See! my *insert brand name here* knife is superior because of how it can cut paper!" when in my eyes (at least) all knives are made to cut. It pretty much makes it redundant to make videos about such things while boasting about a named brand knife.

So why the big deal? Are there any objective reasoning behind this or is it entirely subjective (thus, redundant)?

 

[singularity35]

No big deal but cutting paper can be an indication of whether a knife is properly sharpened(no burrs, properly shaped apex).

 

[knarfeng]

Your post is unclear.
Are you talking about
"cutting tests in general" which might be cutting any matter of things.
or are you specifically talking about
"slicing paper"?

 

[LadyEarth]

Your post is unclear.
Are you talking about
"cutting tests in general" which might be cutting any matter of things.
or are you specifically talking about
"slicing paper"?

Both. I made sure to include both.

It just amuses me to see people standing for a certain brand by posting videos or other media means of the knife's performance when in reality, a knife is only as good as it's properly sharpened edge.

I've seen knife owner's behaviors fawning over the knife's edges while boasting about the steel of the blade as if it's the reason it cuts so well when, at least to me, it's the technique of sharpening the knife rather than the holding power of the steel in holding an edge.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

No big deal but cutting paper can be an indication of whether a knife is properly sharpened(no burrs, properly shaped apex).

This. Cutting media that requires the entire blade to pass through is a much better test when making general statements as edge geometry and thickness behind the edge are pretty variable from knife to knife with most production companies. Slicing, say, a potato is much more telling of the overall geometry of the blade.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Both. I made sure to include both.

It just amuses me to see people standing for a certain brand by posting videos or other media means of the knife's performance when in reality, a knife is only as good as it's properly sharpened edge.

I've seen knife owner's behaviors fawning over the knife's edges while boasting about the steel of the blade as if it's the reason it cuts so well when, at least to me, it's the technique of sharpening the knife rather than the holding power of the steel in holding an edge.

Depends on what they're cutting. I know you're a fan of Busse so I'll use them as an example. If I take a razor sharp Busse with a saber grind and 1/4" thick spine and a dull Konosuke gyuto with a mild convex and a 2mm spine and start slicing root vegetables the gyuto will still blow the Busse out of the water due to superior slicing geometry. Reverse the test and make the Busse dull and the gyuto sharp and try cutting through a log and the opposite will occur, with the Busse vastly outperforming the Konosuke.

That's an extreme example, but it gives some idea of how cut tests can demonstrate performance advantages due to geometry and, in some cases, mass.

I'm with you on the paper cut test, though, that's always seemed a little silly to me.

 

[Comeuppance]

Whenever a video review of a knife starts with them cutting paper or listing the specs, I immediately stop watching the video because holy crap what a waste of my time.

I can take a crowbar and sharpen one of the ends to the point where it will slice paper. Such a pointless demonstration.

 

[TexasWade]

If the knives are sharpen correctly, even a piss poor Chinese knife can cut paper. I've seen some knife owner carry the air of "See! See! my *insert brand name here* knife is superior because of how it can cut paper!" when in my eyes (at least) all knives are made to cut. It pretty much makes it redundant to make videos about such things while boasting about a named brand knife.

So why the big deal? Are there any objective reasoning behind this or is it entirely subjective (thus, redundant)?

I mostly agree but what else can you do? Come up with a better yet still convenient way to demonstrate sharpness or other suitability of an edge and maybe people will switch over. Paper is always at hand and much more plentiful than arm hairs or cardboard...

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I mostly agree but what else can you do? Come up with a better yet still convenient way to demonstrate sharpness or other suitability of an edge and maybe people will switch over. Paper is always at hand and much more plentiful than arm hairs or cardboard...

Potatoes, man, seriously. Show me the knife cutting a potato and some wood and I'll have a decent idea about what it can do cutting wise.

 

[TexasWade]

Bring on the potato cutting vids!
I've seen some wood whittling and carving but all the potato cutting I've come across has been on food shows, not knife demos. Ya got any links?

 

[BitingSarcasm]

I can take a crowbar and sharpen one of the ends to the point where it will slice paper. Such a pointless demonstration.

Great. When they start selling Tactical Crowbar Knives, I say we all blame Comeuppance for giving them the idea.

 

[jazub]

When people cut aluminum cans apart, people ask "what's the point?"
When people chop through cinder blocks, people say "that's stupid"
When people cut hanging meats, people say "over-the-top advertising"
When people cut motor vehicles apart with their blades, people say "stupid abuse"

Now paper cuts are off limits? Perhaps we should just set the knives on a shelf and talk about feelings instead of cutting attributes.

A very sharp knife will slice through paper. A good knife with good steel will do so after a gnarly chopping/cutting performance or if it is a thick stock blade. That is my opinion.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Slicing paper is one way to test the entire edge. Both directions. You can have a wire edge where the edge shaves cleanly one direction, not the other. Or a wire edge that shaves both directions but won't cleanly slice paper.

It's just a test. I can tell you, I have received many edges that would not slice paper at all! That is always a disappointment!

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Bring on the potato cutting vids!
I've seen some wood whittling and carving but all the potato cutting I've come across has been on food shows, not knife demos. Ya got any links?

Only one I've seen was on the new Master Hunter in 3V (it did pretty well for as thick as it is), but it's a test I use to evaluate knives I pick up. It's not so much a pass/fail thing, but you can get some good info if/when the potato cracks. It's particularly handy for seeing how abrupt the transition is when you hit the shoulders of a hollow or saber grind. Potatoes are pretty darn cheap, readily available and it's not too messy to cut them, so I'd love to see more reviewers use them as a test.

It's even a nice test for big choppers as my view of chopping knives is that if you carry one they need to offer some advantages over a hatchet and camp food prep could be exactly that advantage.

 

[trevitrace]

Potatoes, man, seriously. Show me the knife cutting a potato and some wood and I'll have a decent idea about what it can do cutting wise.

This is from some time ago, but this cut a tater just fine.

Granted, for a load of potatoes, it would've taken much longer with the Busse than a knife thinner behind the edge, but a knife that is sharp and thick can do it just fine with technique and a little patience.

 

[killgar]

I think it might have been Confucius who said-

"If video bothers you, don't watch video."

and

"If video amuses you, be not irritated, enjoy video for amusements sake".

And such is the path to a content and joyous life.

 

[RevDevil]

Both. I made sure to include both.

It just amuses me to see people standing for a certain brand by posting videos or other media means of the knife's performance when in reality, a knife is only as good as it's properly sharpened edge.

I've seen knife owner's behaviors fawning over the knife's edges while boasting about the steel of the blade as if it's the reason it cuts so well when, at least to me, it's the technique of sharpening the knife rather than the holding power of the steel in holding an edge.

Well that is to be expected on a forum where knife enthusiasts can be found in a high concentration. A lot of people here love steel, the properties of alloying, heat treating, cutting performance. Yes, to some people a knife bought at a gas station is just as good as a $240 ZT or a $1000 Emerson custom. Sadly that is not the case. We can ask the same question about guns, cars, clothing, and everything in between. Why do people buy Corvettes when a Ford Fiesta will work just as well? Because they like them, and everyone has a hobby.

 

[Etna]

For me, cutting tests mean squat. Any knife that has a blade length of approx. 2" - 2.8" and is capable of slicing cardboard boxes into individual sheets, cutting open shrinkwrap, fibreglass packing straps, packing adhesive tapes, thin to moderately thick nylon or fibre ropes and heavy duty zip ties is an awesome knife in my book.

And by that definition, all my Taylor S&Ws, Taylor Schrades, Sanrenmus and Enlans are awesome knives.

 

[knarfeng]

Your post is unclear.
Are you talking about
"cutting tests in general" which might be cutting any matter of things.
or are you specifically talking about
"slicing paper"?

Both. I made sure to include both.

It just amuses me to see people standing for a certain brand by posting videos or other media means of the knife's performance when in reality, a knife is only as good as it's properly sharpened edge.

I've seen knife owner's behaviors fawning over the knife's edges while boasting about the steel of the blade as if it's the reason it cuts so well when, at least to me, it's the technique of sharpening the knife rather than the holding power of the steel in holding an edge.

►Whether a knife will make a push cut in a single sheet of paper is a matter of sharpening technique.
►How long it will continue to push cut sheet after sheet of paper is a matter of alloy, heat treat, and edge geometry. The results of such a test show how well the maker of the knife has mastered these facets of knife making. This is even more true when the test is cutting other media such as cardboard or rope.

I'm not particularly interested in whether a knife will cut a single sheet of paper.
I'm very interested in how much cutting a knife can do before requiring sharpening.

 

[LadyEarth]

Depends on what they're cutting. I know you're a fan of Busse so I'll use them as an example. If I take a razor sharp Busse with a saber grind and 1/4" thick spine and a dull Konosuke gyuto with a mild convex and a 2mm spine and start slicing root vegetables the gyuto will still blow the Busse out of the water due to superior slicing geometry. Reverse the test and make the Busse dull and the gyuto sharp and try cutting through a log and the opposite will occur, with the Busse vastly outperforming the Konosuke.

That's an extreme example, but it gives some idea of how cut tests can demonstrate performance advantages due to geometry and, in some cases, mass.

I'm with you on the paper cut test, though, that's always seemed a little silly to me.

I have to admit that I like this path of thought. It gave me some more colors to the knife slicing landscape by providing a sort of spectrum to keep the knives into context of it's design. And for that, I thank you.

And I thank everyone in here that has chipped in and gave me some of the views regarding my topic. Good to know some other folks have similar amusement over all this (to say the least).