Ever get a knife so sharp you don't want to use it?

CrimsonTideShooter

CrimsonTideShooter

Joined
Oct 23, 2010
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3,196
My sharpest knife right now is my Gayle Bradley. I thought I had it sharp before but after cleaning my strop and going over it again it went to a new level.

I am able to whittle free hanging hair no problem (even my very fine hair), and I can push cut TP. Now that this edge is so sharp I almost don't want to use it! I mean, what if I can never achieve this level of sharpness ever again?


PS: I use the edge pro, followed by stropping.
 
Yeah but they're Moras so I use 'em anyway. :p

I don't do a lot of hair whittling but I can get the stainless clipper ridiculously sharp on a regular basis.
 
I'm having that problem with a buck 110 custom. the thing is sooo sharp at least to my standers: hair splitting and push cutting computer paper (haven't tried TP). This is the sharpest factory edge I have seen on a knife so far and I really don't want to mess it up bad considering I got this knife as a user knife.
 
The first time you get an edge like that, you always hesitate to use it because of the concern of getting it as sharp. But as you sharpen more, you will learn to achieve that edge more consistently. The question now becomes, are you willing to work that hard or put that much work into getting those edges that sharp every time you sharpen when you know that you will lose that level of sharpness with the first few cuts?
 
singularity35 said:
The first time you get an edge like that, you always hesitate to use it because of the concern of getting it as sharp. But as you sharpen more, you will learn to achieve that edge more consistently. The question now becomes, are you willing to work that hard or put that much work into getting those edges that sharp every time you sharpen when you know that you will lose that level of sharpness with the first few cuts?
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If I will lose this level of sharpness with the first few cuts then it's definitely not worth it. But it is very fun to see just how sharp you can get a knife. :D
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
If I will lose this level of sharpness with the first few cuts then it's definitely not worth it. But it is very fun to see just how sharp you can get a knife. :D
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Yep, I find that trying to get any edge sharp to the extent of my skill is a very good learning method. A few months before, it usually took more time for me to diagnose why an edge was not becoming as sharp as I expected it to be. It takes me much less time now to find a burr, to realize what I'm doing wrong, and the myriad other ways that prevent me getting the edge I want. Oh, not that I'm satisfied with the edges I get now, I find that learning is a never-ending quest.

When I first was able to achieve free-hanging hair whittling edges consistently, I would never leave the house with a knife that couldn't whittle hair. I'm a little less OCD about that now.
 
singularity35 said:
Yep, I find that trying to get any edge sharp to the extent of my skill is a very good learning method. A few months before, it usually took more time for me to diagnose why an edge was not becoming as sharp as I expected it to be. It takes me much less time now to find a burr, to realize what I'm doing wrong, and the myriad other ways that prevent me getting the edge I want. Oh, not that I'm satisfied with the edges I get now, I find that learning is a never-ending quest.

When I first was able to achieve free-hanging hair whittling edges consistently, I would never leave the house with a knife that couldn't whittle hair. I'm a little less OCD about that now.
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It's normally the stuff you learn after you think you know it all that is most important. That is true for me at least. :thumbup:
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
My sharpest knife right now is my Gayle Bradley. I thought I had it sharp before but after cleaning my strop and going over it again it went to a new level.

I am able to whittle free hanging hair no problem (even my very fine hair), and I can push cut TP. Now that this edge is so sharp I almost don't want to use it! I mean, what if I can never achieve this level of sharpness ever again?


PS: I use the edge pro, followed by stropping.
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I hate to break it to you, but you cut stuff with it....hence you used it.
 
If you get it extremely sharp, why wouldn't you use it? If your knives are just for lookin' at, why even bother sharpening them?

I get my knives very, very sharp, use them, and then rinse and repeat.

It's a knife... go cut stuff with it.
 
i never got one so sharp i never wanted to use it but i made a 13" bowie once that scared me every time i took it out of the sheath, so much that i had to sell it. it cut me bad enough to require 10 stitches.
 
richard j said:
i never got one so sharp i never wanted to use it but i made a 13" bowie once that scared me every time i took it out of the sheath, so much that i had to sell it. it cut me bad enough to require 10 stitches.
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Wow! If you ever make another scary blade and want to sell it let me know! :eek:
 
Definately NO! When it gets hair whittling sharp, that's the time I want to use it. I doubt you will have a problem getting it back to that level since you are using the EP. I've always sharpened with a Sharpmaker, but it seems that the Edge Pro introduces a new level of sharp.:thumbup::D
 
richard j said:
i never got one so sharp i never wanted to use it but i made a 13" bowie once that scared me every time i took it out of the sheath, so much that i had to sell it. it cut me bad enough to require 10 stitches.
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I use them, but I will admit that I've gotten a few knives so sharp that I was a little more careful when using them.

There's an old Camillus stockman in my collection that takes an edge that I've never experienced before on any other knife. I use that knife knowing that any little slip is going to hurt... a lot. Never been cut by it though.
 
have any of you guys gotten these "extreme" edges just by using a sharpening stone and a strop? Just asking because that's what I use and I get a Fairly Good edge (paper push cutting, and hair shaving but not hair splitting).
 
knivesngear said:
have any of you guys gotten these "extreme" edges just by using a sharpening stone and a strop? Just asking because that's what I use and I get a Fairly Good edge (paper push cutting, and hair shaving but not hair splitting).
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I can't get a knife that sharp with just a stone and strop, but I know of a couple of people on this forum that can get that sharp and beyond using stones. :thumbup:
 
i used to use stones but my hands got too bad to sharpen that way anymore. now i use the paper wheels. 3m wetordry sandpaper on glass is good too.
 
richard j said:
i used to use stones but my hands got too bad to sharpen that way anymore. now i use the paper wheels. 3m wetordry sandpaper on glass is good too.
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RJ, hit your local auto body supply and see if you can get some 6" 3M Trizact 3000 disks. Works wet or dry, foam backed at 3/32" thick, and does wonders on convexed edges.;)
 
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