How do you know when it is time to touch up your edge?

I know it is time to touch up my edges...

  • when the edge is too dull to cut

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  • when my regular sharpening session rolls around

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don't use my knives so they don't get dull

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I have so many knives they don't get used enough to get dull

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
Rev. Pete

Rev. Pete

Joined
Aug 25, 2001
Messages
843
Do you touch up your edges on a regular basis or do you just set a knife aside for sharpening when you notice it's performance is inadequate? For those of you who strop, how can you tell if it just needs a stropping or if it needs to be sharpened?

I just went to cut some plastic wrapping off a large shipping container with my small classic Sebenza. The plastic bunched up and the blade would not bite into it. I grabbed my little Ricky Fowler "package skinner" and it easily sliced through the plastic and made short work of chopping up the cardboard - even with it's short skinny handle. The point is, I use this Sebenza daily and I can't remember the last time I sharpened it. It has just always cut stuff. I happened to be at home and had another knife literally within arms reach but I really need to get some system going to make sure I always have a sharp knife on me.
 
I'm anal. On Sunday, after the Packer game and before dinner, I polish anything I lay my hands on. Not really a bad habit. I use only the finer stones on my Edgepro, and not much metal is removed. I have a sharp EDC all week.
 
when I feel like it, I use my knifes every know and then and just use the 1200 grit DMT when steeling it soesnt bring it back, I use a very small very smoth steel.:D
 
Originally posted by Ichabod Poser
I'm anal. On Sunday, after the Packer game and before dinner, I polish anything I lay my hands on.
Click to expand...

Is that because the Packers usually get polished? :D Just kidding. I used to like the Packers, but Reggie White ruined it for me.

I find it is much easier to keep a knife sharp than it is to sharpen a dull one. I try and not let my knives get dull.
 
shootist16,

"the Packers usually get polished?"

Oooh, that's painful; true, but painful. And I agree, it's better to touch-up a knife before it gets really dull. Besides, this is a hobby, and it gives you time to spend with all of the stuff you paid good money for.

One thing not usually mentioned is that you might also be able to stop corrosion during the inspection. I do this especially in the summer months here where knives spend time in muggy pockets.
 
I carry enough knives that "dull" isn't usally a concern.

The people I work with have started to get used to it...

my break comes, I toss food together and into the oven. check my edges over, and start sharpening. eat, then finish my edges that need it, and work again.

I was there for an extra hour or so yesterday(got a ride b/c I'm too cheap to take the bus, and my ride was working long before I was), so I sat around and touched up my edges.

I usually touch up when I can feel a difference, either in cutting or handling. I only have 1 knife on me that doesn't shave, but thats how I like the edge on it(and it ain't serrated).
 
I have so many knives that when they get dull, I just get another! :D

Actually, I know it is time to sharpen when I can see inconsistancies in the edge (rolls, flat spots, etc) or whenever the knife catches when cutting something simple like a bag of chips/candy or opening a box.

Then, I'll just try to touch the edge up on a polishing wheel and the edge is usually back in top condition. I don't think I've ever removed any material on any of my EDC knives!
 
I strop every knife that I use before it goes back on the shelf and I get another in my EDC rotation. That way I'm sure that I get a sharp one when I make an new EDC change.
 
You left one choice out. I steel my knife after every couple uses. Prevents me from having to sharpen very often. When it seems to cut less efficiently, I will lightly tough the edge up on the Fine rods of my 204. I never wait until my knife is too dull to cut, but I don't just sharpen for the heck of it either.

Mike
 
I use the "thumbnail" test. If I can't easily shave some thumbnail, it's time to sharpen. Unfortunately, my left thumbnail is reaching critical mass at this point.:eek:
 
GREAT THREAD!!!

I can "feel" it... You can just tell that your knife is not up to parr... it's funny... cause before I got into this game, I NEVER sharpened my leatherman or SAKs and I just pushed harder to cut stuff and it was always fine... NOW I can shave my arm and still believe my blade needs sharpening... WHAT!!! I have to TOUCH my skin with the blade to shave the hairs... I don't think so! Before I could "feel" it, I would just look at the blade... if you can get a glare off of the edge, it needs a touch up... I use a Sharpmaker, which is ok... QC on the stones is not the best... I have to make sure I don't use the "bad" corners that blth fine and med stones have. :grumpy: I'd like to learn to use an Arkansas Soft Stone... I'd like to learn to sharpen better and with many different methods...

BTW

Medic... you've got me SOLD on the steels... I really like the link you posted on the CRK forum... I like the strop/case idea
 
I'm like Medic1210 a bit, I touch the users up regurlarly on my sharpmaker and if I'm on the road, there's always a little Gatco mini sharpener in my laptop case. It's great for a field touch up, sort of like a mini Sharpmaker with a medium and fine set of ceramic rods that you can swap between a straight mounting and a V mouting in this little plastic carrier. The thing is only about 1.5" square by 1/4" thick and weighs almost nothing. I've been thinking about a DMT Duo Fold, but the Gatco works pretty well. It always freaks guys out when I see them use a dull SAK to open a box and I ask them to see it for a minute and after a few passes over the little Gatco, I hand them back their knife shaving sharp!

If I actially whack an edge badly (rare, I'm careful how I cut), then it's time to get out the bench stones.

jmx
 
I sharpen my knives whenever I feel the edge is not cutting perfectly thru cleanly and nice. I either give it a steeling and if it's not enough a sharpening on extra fine stone.
The trick is always touch up a sharp edge, and never let it get really dull.
You save yourself a lot of work this way.
After each touch up I always strop, unless the knife is specifically sharpened to cut rough, fribropus material or plastics, in which case I leave a rough micro-serrated edge.
 
Knives used in the kitchen get touched up on a steel at the end of every session, and at the beginning if they don´t feel right to begin with.

EDC´s get a touch up as soon as I don´t feel them right and I usually check them over the weekend.
 
i try shaving the arm hair on my left arm

my left arm is getting very hairless
time to find a test that's easier on the body ;)
 
I forgot to comment on stropping, I often strop on paper (newspaper works fine) just lightly after regular sharpening to get rid of the burr and polish a bit.

I only use my leather strop when I want a very very sharp edge and that is either for personal satisfaction :D or for an ocasional project like carving, detailed paper cutting, etc. I don´t think its normally needed.
 
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