how do you whittle hair?

harkamus

harkamus

Joined
Apr 23, 2007
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I've seen pics of single strands of hair that was whittle. How does one achieve this? I didn't think this was humanly possible. I'd like to see if my knife is sharp enough for that. However, I don't even know how to hold a strand of hair to try whittling it.
 
The basic technique is to cut toward the follicle. The other direction doesn't work right. It's easiest to do if you hold the hair tight, but it isn't necessary if your knife is sharp enough.

As far as sharpening is concerned, you want a finely-polished, refined edge. I like the inclusive edge angle to be at most 30-degrees. It's possible to do with Spyderco fine ceramic, but it's better to go to UF ceramic followed by a strop. (There are many other suitable abrasives, this is just what I use.)
 
Phillip Dobson said:
The basic technique is to cut toward the follicle. The other direction doesn't work right. It's easiest to do if you hold the hair tight, but it isn't necessary if your knife is sharp enough.

As far as sharpening is concerned, you want a finely-polished, refined edge. I like the inclusive edge angle to be at most 30-degrees. It's possible to do with Spyderco fine ceramic, but it's better to go to UF ceramic followed by a strop. (There are many other suitable abrasives, this is just what I use.)
Click to expand...
Very nice!
 
Phillip Dobson said:
As far as sharpening is concerned, you want a finely-polished, refined edge. I like the inclusive edge angle to be at most 30-degrees. It's possible to do with Spyderco fine ceramic, but it's better to go to UF ceramic followed by a strop. (There are many other suitable abrasives, this is just what I use.)
Click to expand...

Finishing up on my UF rods I can run my VG-10 Mcusta down my arm and watch the hair just float off. No pull, no snag, just a clean cut. :thumbup:

Oh, it whittles too. :D

I find the best "hair whittling" edges are from fine edged steels like VG-10, 1095, etc. I've been able to do it with S30V, but not 154CM or D2. CPM D2 a bit, but it isn't as clean as VG-10.
 
I'm suprised you couldn't get it hair whittling on 154CM. I have seen that those blade get polished greatly and take a killer edge. D2 I have never seen hair whittling.
 
It took some practice, but I was able to get a hair whittling edge from a 220 grit water stone. Admittedly, it was a beard hair, but still. I can usually get hair whittling edges off the Sharpmaker brown (medium) rod flats. Check youtube for Nohz video. It shows how he does it. Its possible you can do it now, just never thought to try it, since you didnt think it was possible. I need to try the Spyderco ultrafine stones. For now I use a very fine lapping film from the local woodworking shop.
 
I get CPM D2 to whittle hair better than VG-10 or S30V, but my knives in ZDP 189 and M4 get the sharpest. I can get regular D2 to whittle Haiti pretty easily, as well All of my blades can get hair whittling sharp pretty easily, it just takes lots of practice at sharpening and a bit of skill, along with suitable abrasives, as mentioned.

Mike
 
crbauhs said:
I'm suprised you couldn't get it hair whittling on 154CM. I have seen that those blade get polished greatly and take a killer edge. D2 I have never seen hair whittling.
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Might have been a fluke or maybe I just wasn't trying hard enough. It was a Benchmade 520. I wasn't disappointed or anything, it's hardly like I bought the knife to shave with.
 
gunmike1 said:
I get CPM D2 to whittle hair better than VG-10 or S30V, but my knives in ZDP 189 and M4 get the sharpest. I can get regular D2 to whittle Haiti pretty easily, as well All of my blades can get hair whittling sharp pretty easily, it just takes lots of practice at sharpening and a bit of skill, along with suitable abrasives, as mentioned.

Mike
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ZDP-189 is amazing. :thumbup: It's one of those steels that you can feel the hardness when you're sharpening.
 
Josh K said:
ZDP-189 is amazing. :thumbup: It's one of those steels that you can feel the hardness when you're sharpening.
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Besides William Henry and Spyderco and to a lesser degree, AG Russell's one-hand-opener, are there any other knife manufacturers that utilize zdp 189?
 
Roger999 said:
[youtube]DLUkbKAFvhY[/youtube]

I whittle it towards the "bulb" at the end of the hair.
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roger 999 ,amazing feat ;great video. did,nt know a knife could get that sharp,neither my eyes or hands are good enough,to do that.if i had'nt seen your video; i did'nt think it was possible.thanks man.
 
DennisStrickland said:
roger 999 ,amazing feat ;great video. did,nt know a knife could get that sharp,neither my eyes or hands are good enough,to do that.if i had'nt seen your video; i did'nt think it was possible.thanks man.
Click to expand...

Just got my first hair witteling edge with the sharpmaker with fine stones and some cheap sears green compound on a piece of leather. It was on my 8cr13mov cryo. Now that I have a little confibence with stropping I will try my s30v manix 2
 
dskobli said:
Just got my first hair witteling edge with the sharpmaker with fine stones and some cheap sears green compound on a piece of leather. It was on my 8cr13mov cryo. Now that I have a little confibence with stropping I will try my s30v manix 2
Click to expand...

Just so you know, The guy you quoted is banned and this thread is from '09. Congrats on your first hair whittling edge though! It's a great feeling.
 
Woah. Maybe I should feel honored that someone thread necroed one of my old threads.

Regardless, I've since figured out how to get an edge to whittle hair. I tend to put 24 - 28 degree inclusive edges on knives depending on blade steel. This is enough to whittle after going to the micron pastes.
 
you can make a decent vg-10 blade whittle hair twice (meaning split into three) with just an old belt with either metal polish or white tooth paste. from the guys here, i gathered three sharpness categories in whittling hair:

3. hair splits when cut towards the folicle
2. hair 'pops' off when cut with a light push
1. hair falls to the floor almost upon touching the edge.

for touch, a modest sharp edge 'grates' against one's finger print ridges noticeably. a hair splitter feels like it wants to cut you beyond the 'grating.' a really, really sharp edge doesn't grate but feels rather sticky (meaning it's already cutting into your skin.)
 
Ahhh, the real question is WHY whittle hair? Yeah, if sharp is good, then obscenely sharp must be better. You never know when you run out of cordage, you've shaved most of your arm hair off testing your sharpening skills, and you need to use the last remaining strands to save yourself from certain death, but, alas, you are a few centimeters short, so whittle you must. Thankfully, I cannot answer the op's question, as I have never tried.

When someone can tell me the practical application of such a phenomenon, my life will be truly moved to a completely Zen state. Until then, I stick to my cordage theory and lay at night pondering this, right along with why Miley Cyrus is such a train wreck and remains interesting to people.
 
First the thread is resurrected and finally it is trolled. There is a difference between going bit off-topic, and completely disrespecting everyone else's discussion.

Perhaps you might spend more time in Whine & Cheese, jimh0220.
 
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