I thought your post was fine. But as Phil pointed out, it did not really add anything that many of us already know. It may have taught some people something, and I hope it did, but my reaction was more like, yeah, so?
So I did not say anything. At least I did not say anything until you started this thread to complain about the low response rate in your other thread. Please do not do that sort of thing. It is considered bad form and may well get you flamed.
The basic problem with trying to explain sharpening to people is that they have to do it enough to understand What they are trying to accomplish. That usually only comes with some practice. I think you seem to know what you are doing. But if you understand sharpening, you know that any number of different techniques can be used to achieve good, great, and outstanding edges. Of course, defining what is the perfect edge is pretty much impossible because it depends on the cutting task at hand, the edge geometry, and the physical characteristics of that particular piece of steel.
The
sharpening FAQ by Joe Talmadge is much better from an informational standpoint than what you wrote. Your challenge: "if you DO know more then please show me up..." is really silly. You said also that this was 'one of those subjects where everyone has to be right', and then you set out to tell us your version of the truth.
I am here to tell you that Nobody is right. Everyone may use different stones, different angles, and different polishing agents; all these things are unimportant. It is what in the sharpeners Mind that is important, not the steel in his hand. Sharpening is a spiritual thing, a thing of grace and beauty. In Zen they say that that as soon as you try to talk about the infinite, you have left the true path. It is the same with sharpening.
It is likely that many of us know as much or more than you do about sharpening techniques, steel, edge geometry, heat-treatment, and a host of other knife subjects, as well as some other things. No doubt you also have a lot of knowledge and experience to offer us.
If you had written your post as a reply to someone asking about how to sharpen, it would have been graciously recieved. I use slightly different materials and techniques to achieve what I think are great edges, in fact, a number of different techniques, depending on the blade and its function, so I was not particularly inspired to repond to your topic.
Be wary of making bold assertations and challenges. Someone might actually call your bluff, call you out, and shoot you down like the dirty dog you are (oops, ...sorry. I had an old western movie flashing before my eyes). I myself am simply satisfied to have written you this post. Take the pebble, grasshopper...
and Welcome to BFC!
Paracelsus, joking around very seriously
[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 04-15-2001).]
