Do you get angry when a knive isn't sharp out of the box?

If it's from a small-run makers who say that they make, assemble, and/or finish all their knives by hand, I expect it to be fully hand sharpened out of the box. Otherwise, the blade has probably been machine sharpened. I don't expect experienced craftsmen to spend time putting a fine edge on a mass produced $100 knife - maybe not even a $200 one. OTOH, I expected my Mission knives to be sharp as razors out of the box, and they were. I certainly expect the same of the Fallkniven I recently ordered.
 
I love Spyderco! My Caly3 arrived and it is the sharpest thing I've ever seen.
 
I have a couple of small TOPS knives and I think they have the worst grind of any knife. When I receive them the first thing I do is get out the stones and reprofile them.
 
If it needs a few stokes on the flats of the white Sharpmaker stones, followed by a strop, that's fine.

But having to spend hours reprofiling the bevels pisses me off - especially when I have paid $330 for it.
 
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This use to frustrate me a lot before I got my spydie sharpmaker, Almost like if it was one of my standards that it should be ready to use OOB.

But with the number of knives I've collected over the years this opinion has changed.
 
it's an interesting question ab ut sharpness, i have three knives sorted for taking wiht me on a week long trip on friday, one is a uber sharp, highly polished roselli carpenter for woodworking, there is also a sebenza with a sharp edge but not stropped to the same level- still very sharp but not that same level of razor edge, because i don't think it holds up as awell to general work. Then there's a mora knife witha very coarse edge which has then been thoroughly stropped, perfect for cutting rope, string, plastic etc. and just other dirty nasty jobs that i don't want to use the sebbie for.


the point of this ramble is that your idea of sharp may be different to a manufacturer and even to most end users, the factory might put a fairly sharp but very robust edge which is perfect for many people but maybe not for you, that just means that the knife isn't right for you, but it might actually be the perfect edge for most people
 
Doesn't matter to me. If it's gonna be my EDC, I'm gonna
reprofile it to my taste anyway. It is nice to flip a new knife
open and pop hair with it, but that edge is going to be long
gone as soon as I get to my DMT's.
 
mongomondo said:
I love Spyderco! My Caly3 arrived and it is the sharpest thing I've ever seen.
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If out of the box sharpness is important to you, Spyderco is probably number one; I've never recieved a dull spyderco :thumbup:

I don't really care if knives are a little dull out of the box, I'll eventually have to sharpen them anyway.
 
I'll echo what some others here have said, that it doesn't anger me per say, but is irritating. Sure, you're going to eventually resharpen it anyway, but not everyone wants that to be the first thing they do with a knife, and in my opinion it shouldn't have to be.
Someone likened it to getting a toy without batteries, I don't think that's the best analogy myself. A toy is for entertainment, and while a knife may be a "toy" for some folks, for others it's a tool with a purpose.
I'd say a better analogy would be buying a car without gas, or oil, sure you're going to have to fill it up or change the oil eventually, but at purchase? Or say you buy a hammer without a shaft, it's possible that down the line you'd have to replace a wooden handle, but if I buy a hammer I probably have something that needs hammering and don't want to spend time hafting a handle beforehand. Seems in line with buying a knife, most folks that buy one need a cutting tool, not everyone is a knife nut buying for the thrill of the hunt or to try out a new pattern/design, etc.
That said, I generally reprofile and sharpen my knives early on as well. Not always right out of the box, but occasionally. Guess I'm on the fence here, in that I expect a knife to be sharp, I just don't expect it to always be the type of edge that I'll use or up to my standards of sharpness. To each 'is own though, that's just my two cents.


Gautier
 
What I find irritating is when the maker states that the knife is razor sharp on the packaging or etch on the blade and the blade is dull as a butter knife. Sharpening most common Aus/400 series steels is not a big deal, but some of the "tougher" steels that come butter knife dull can be a bother, Queen is known for that on their D-2 blades as an example.
 
mhawg said:
I guess for some people griping is easier than sharpening but at least I save the postage.


If that seems unduly abrasive remember that I woke up in the driveway this morning with the engine running and the stereo cranking and a receipt for $85 from the bar in my wallet. Do not try this at home, remember we are professionals.
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85 bucks??? Even in NC you've got to be a light weight.

I like a knife to be as sharp as it can be out of the box. I just bought a knife, not a crowbar. Benchmade and Spyderco have both been consistently good to me in this regard. Busse less so, but I have seen signs of improvement (even with thick edge geometry).
 
It makes me mad to get a knife not presharpened For me a razor sharp knife out of the box is the mark of a good producer but benchmade and crkt are good companies that is disapointing that they came dull
 
vwb563 said:
I dont mind it not being sharpened as much as realizing after buying it that I'm gonna have to re-profile the edge! That's what makes me mad!!!,,,VWB.
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This is my argument as well. I LOVE to re-sharpen my knives regardless of how sharp it came from factory. BUT I hate having to re profile them more so if they have a coating on it.

As far as it being a quality issue, idk. I can see the argument there as in they should take the time to finesse every aspect of the knife especially when your paying a good chunk of money on it. To me, as long as the material is outstanding or what I payed for it and the construction of the knife maybe surprises me in a good way, im a happy camper.
 
I anticipate having to sharpen them anyway. On the contrary, when they come sharp I'm happy. :)
 
For a Mfg., or any knifemaker for that matter, to send out a dull knife demonstrates a flippant attitude. When I pay for a tool to do a job, I expect it to do that job satisfactorily out of the box. I have plenty of experience sharpening and reprofiling blades, but the fact of the matter is that a Mfg. or maker should not expect the end user to finish the product themselves after buying it.
 
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