How sharp do you prefer your everyday carry blade to be?

How sharp do you like your edc knife to be?

  • Sharp enough to tree top arm hair

    Votes: 24 11.5%

  • Sharp enough to shave arm hair and cut paper

    Votes: 151 72.6%

  • A nice working edge that holds up

    Votes: 38 18.3%

  • If it’s sharp enough to cut I’m content

    Votes: 3 1.4%
  • Total voters
    208
  • Poll closed .
At the very least, an edge that doesn't reflect light when illuminated with a torchlight. Ideally, sharp enough to push-cut newsprint, which is around the same as being shaving sharp or even slightly beyond.
 
I carry a folder in each of my trousers(pants).
I swap between work trousers , good ones , and shorts.
I carry my wolfspyder in my best trousers , My EKA Swede 9 , in my working trousers , and a PM2 Camo in my shorts.
All are hair cutting sharp. I would not carry any blunt knives , otherwise I would carry a butterknife !!

Gibbs rule #9
 
I've been doing a lot of research into sharpness and types of sharpness, and am involved in some edge stability testing as well, so this thread is very interesting.

One thing I've found is that our perception of sharpness vs the reality can be quite different and people often exaggerate their claims (like shooting).

For me there is a definite point at which an edge is too sharp. Too sharp for more than one reason:

I find that an edge that is too sharp becomes difficult to control in some materials as it bites and cuts so easily you can't direct it and the material just falls onto it as it wants. The still shaving sharp edge, but not too sharp, has just a slight resistance that is sufficient to give the user more control over that cut. This is where I like to be; an edge that easily shaves arm hair, and slices paper with no effort, but is not that next stage of sharp where materials fall apart at its touch.

The next reason it can be too sharp is for fixed blades. Too sharp makes sheathing more difficult - the edge catches on everything, and cuts into the retaining strap. Again, you can have a shaving sharp edge and have no issues, but that extra level of sharp certainly can cause problems.

The last one I'll mention here is the resilience and longevity of that edge. Sharper means thinner, thinner means weaker. No two ways about it. A thinner/sharper edge will be weaker and will become damaged through rolling more easily. You then need to strop it or steel it more often. If you need to strop your edge all the time, it might be too thin for what you are doing.
 
where is everyone getting phonebook paper these days? I havnt received a phone book in years at the house!!!!!

didn't think they still printed them in this day and age.

I have pondered the concept of sharpness myself especially when performing the act of sharpening . I have frequently become frustrated with different knives with different edge angles and geometries. some I can get respectably sharp others I cannot.

I have always wanted a mirror polished edge that could split hairs but have never even come close . and I cannot afford to invest the money in the equipment required to achieve this so I am slowly accepting the fact I can get hair shaving sharpness on most knives with a lot of effort and when I mistakenly watch a movie like "The Bodyguard" with Kevin Costner I laugh and tell myself that sword/silk scarf scene is just Hollywood make believe.
 
I use my knife multiple times daily in a warehouse to break down boxes and cut nylon straps. Each morning before work I'll usually strop it about 20 or so times on each side to get it hair shaving sharp.
 
The sharper the better. Wait, wait, this actually applies to a straight razor ! Still true...
 
BadComrade said:
I use my knife multiple times daily in a warehouse to break down boxes and cut nylon straps. Each morning before work I'll usually strop it about 20 or so times on each side to get it hair shaving sharp.
Click to expand...

I'm with you there. I work in an auto parts department during the day and a furniture store warehouse at night....so I open a lot of stuff and break down a lot of cardboard. So Monday through Friday I keep my sharpmaker at work and give whatever I'm carrying a few swipes before I start the day. Before work on Saturday I'll do it again before I leave for work.
 
I've spent a little too much time over at Maintenance and Tinkering, but I try to get all of my blades re-profiled to as steep an angle as I think they can hold without constant rolling\chipping, with as close to a perfect mirror polish that I can achieve, with the scariest sharp edge my skills and equipment can obtain.

Is it an efficient use of time, or the longest lasting or ideal edge for all cutting tasks? Probably not.

That being said, it's kind of fun having a big Carbon pilot survival knife that will push cut phonebook paper...
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Or a slim, narrow Kwaiken that's been taken down a zero grind that glides through whatever you put it to...
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I used to be very anal about how sharp my knives were. Now, I just want a decent working edge.

I still enjoy a super sharp knife though.:)
 
ponykid said:
where is everyone getting phonebook paper these days? I havnt received a phone book in years at the house!!!!!

didn't think they still printed them in this day and age.

I have pondered the concept of sharpness myself especially when performing the act of sharpening . I have frequently become frustrated with different knives with different edge angles and geometries. some I can get respectably sharp others I cannot.

I have always wanted a mirror polished edge that could split hairs but have never even come close . and I cannot afford to invest the money in the equipment required to achieve this so I am slowly accepting the fact I can get hair shaving sharpness on most knives with a lot of effort and when I mistakenly watch a movie like "The Bodyguard" with Kevin Costner I laugh and tell myself that sword/silk scarf scene is just Hollywood make believe.
Click to expand...
I hear you. I’m trying to decide on a good sharpener under $100 something i can Clamp the knife too and line the stones at a set angle. I was looking at the Landsky’s but have heard a lot of bad reviews so still searching..
Getting better at Freehanding on a large stone but just not good enough to try with my higher priced knives yet..

We will get there eventually though lol
 
I can get my blades just shaving sharp, more of a working type edge as they definitely won't split hairs.
They'll take em off my arm but it's not good enough to shave my face.
 
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