how sharp do you keep your knife?

foxx said:
Depends on the knife, it's steel, and how I use it. My EDC stuff is shaving sharp. I have work knives, yard knives, beaters and keepers. I strop and/or use photo printer paper on the nicest and sharpest. The harder use stuff might just see some ceramic rods as a touch up, and various grits of sandpaper as needed.

If I use something with any length, it gets touched up, quickly, no obsessing.
Click to expand...

+1, except I do obsess with the sharpness on most of my knives - especially my Japanese kitchen knives. But it really depends on the knife and its intended usage. Generally I am OCD when it comes to sharp - but what's the point of going overboard on a soft-steel machete?
 
If it stops cutting thick pallet plastic wrap like a hot knife through butter than I know it's time to touch it up. I dropped my cold steel super edge neck knife right on the tip today so it's gonna get sharpened.
 
Depends. I only break out the sharpmaker about once a month, and everything is brought back to shaving sharp. Often by that time the H1 spyderco ladybug on my work keys is pretty dull. (dull by my standards anyways.) the backups that stay in my EDC bag (man purse) may not even get used between sharpenings, they are tested, cleaned and put away. My EDC sage 2 is usually still barely shaving sharp, and it seems that the other ladybug on my other keyring (ZDP-189) hasn't ever been less than shaving sharp, even though it probably does more cutting than anything.

Kitchen knives are sharpened at this time too. Their condition month to month depends on who has used them the most in the past month. I use, clean immediately, and put away. My son and wife, not so much. doesn't bother me as I find taking a dull knife and bringing it back to shaving sharp very satisfying. It takes about a month for the hair to regrow on my thighs.

If I'm planning on using my knives for anything extra like hunting or camping, they are sharp when we leave and usually get sharpened within a day or two of getting back.

Grizz
 
I like mine to go through cardboard with little effort. A pretty low standard for around here. But I honestly don't do much body hair removal with my folders, so thats good enough for me.
 
I keep mine as close to this sharpness as I can. Strops keep them pretty damn close.

Even my SMF with a 42 degree inclusive edge stays about that sharp.

[video=youtube;cznPI-mdWMg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznPI-mdWMg[/video]
 
Shaving sharp. At night I touch up every knife I used (usually just my EDC but whatever was used). If the Sharpmaker doesn't get it done, the EP will. ;)
 
wow i give u guys credit. i hardly sharpen mine maybe every few months but i hardly use it. i know i need to get better at it. i have a sharpmaker and everything. come on who is going to make the super super steel that doesnt need to be sharpen? lol
 
Liquidm1980 said:
wow i give u guys credit. i hardly sharpen mine maybe every few months but i hardly use it. i know i need to get better at it. i have a sharpmaker and everything. come on who is going to make the super super steel that doesnt need to be sharpen? lol
Click to expand...
I've used bench stones for years but I have a Sharpmaker now and with the optional Diamond and X-Fine sticks it really rocks.:):thumbup:
 
I'm not good enough to get the "hair popping sharp" but If I can push cut paper I call that good enough.
 
just got my wicked edge, i geuss we shall see what i can do once the 800/1000 stones show up from back order. i have zero experience with strops so it will be interesting to see results
 
If it can't cleanly push cut through paper then I have to compulsively spend the next however long sharpening and stropping until it does!
 
HandofCod said:
If it can't cleanly push cut through paper then I have to compulsively spend the next however long sharpening and stropping until it does!
Click to expand...


Yup, this ! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Mine will usually shave hair & slice computer paper, if they don't, then see above.
 
I keep my knifes sharp enough to pass the HHT. I dont really use mines that hard though, just normal use.
 
When they are freshly sharpened, they will usually cut hair above the skin. I've backed off on keeping them razor sharp lately. If they get to the point they won't slice paper, it's back to the sharpener of choice; waterstone, belt sander, Sharpmaker. Even if the edge gets a nick, I'll often live with it until it's time for the normal sharpening.
 
Look at me the wrong way and ill cut your brain sharp.

Actually not quite, i touch mine up on the sharpmaker or a strop loaded with crest (it does the job, im to cheap for stropping compounds) every night, even if i haven't used it. Its just a fidget of mine.
 
For all my casual cutters, I just make them as sharp as I easily can w/brown stones in my Sharpmaker- hatchets, axes, SAK's, run of the mill sheath knives and the Sebenza.

Dedicated hunting knives get more attention. My MasterHunter is kept perpetually scarey sharp. I'm of the opinion that the sharper the knife, the more dangerous it is. I realize I'm in a distinct minority for this view.

I guess a knife that isn't dangerous isn't good for anything.

My friend's dad is a butcher. He has an entire kitchen drawer full of real deal scarey sharp knives, in the typical crowded jumble that is a woman's implement drawer! Even as a knife guy, I was intimidated and concerned. If you had casually jammed your hand into the drawer to retrieve a knife, it would have been worth all the fingers on your right hand.:eek: I personally consider that to not be an exageration, at all. Dunno how they lived like that.

There's a cheery thought:(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top