Is there a pro engineering type measure/test for sharpness?

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Houlahound

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Given that humans have been using very sharp objects continuosly for centuries for many important tasks including complex surgery I thought there might some standards for sharpness and or pointiness.

I can find no such test or scale, seems like it would be useful.

Thoughts?
 
The thing does exist.

How cool would it be to have factory sharpness & bevel angle quoted on the box like hardness, metal, length etc

I bet ithere would be competion to produce the sharpest edges outta the box. Something I would go for.
 
I think Rockwell hardness for most people means nothing other than something to brag about to knife nuts. It's typically the least important spec for most people IMHO.
 
Though while we're at it, together with bevel angle I'd love for manufacturers/retailers to detail the BTE thickness in the specs list.
 
Houlahound said:
I think Rockwell hardness for most people means nothing other than something to brag about to knife nuts. It's typically the least important spec for most people IMHO.
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Interesting stance.

If the hardness spec is accurate then it's definitely among the most informative (alongside knowing the blade alloy) since its beyond the end user to change it 99 times out of 100. You think a CATRA 'stat' would mean anything to non knife nuts were it placed on the packaging? Also, since poor storage or rough handling on the part of the retailer could change that 'measurement', how could you ever assume it's right in the first place?
 
they can test all they want
and seeing that
sharpness ain't forever;
but only as good
as its edge retention,
it would be suicide
for a manufacturer
to place a rating
guaranteeing cuts
of varying material and specs ::)
unless its a disposable blade.
my guess is that we will have to
continue with the chore of
sharpening knives for as long as
it doesn't perform like a light sabre..
 
While we're at it, I would like to know the times and temperatures for the heat treat process.

I could see Chris Reeve doing some of this, because they understand "those Bladeforums people". Spyderco... maybe....? With some of the specials...? Glesser seems like he's one of us, but he has a company to run too, and his own ideas about how to run it.

Some information is just never going out the door, because the lawyers would yell "proprietary!" and everybody else at the table would fold their hands.

As for putting it on the box? That's very expensive, but maybe on the website. One more reason for you to point your browser there so they can pester you with pop-overs or autoplaying videos. Yes, I'm looking at you, Kershaw. Get off my lawn!

Sorry about that! I think it's easy to forget that, for as big as Bladeforums is, we're still just a tiny segment of the market, and the ruthless mathematics of cost/benefit analysis frequently means that we're not on the "benefit" side of the equation.
 
Most of the things suggested for edge sharpness testing are actually edge holding testers. For actual edge sharpness you need to measure the edge apex. My memory may be faulty but it seems that someone mentioned using either microscopes or lasers to measure actual edge apex sharpness. I know that laser goniometers are used to measure edge angles by some knifemakers.
 
lambertiana said:
Most of the things suggested for edge sharpness testing are actually edge holding testers. For actual edge sharpness you need to measure the edge apex. My memory may be faulty but it seems that someone mentioned using either microscopes or lasers to measure actual edge apex sharpness. I know that laser goniometers are used to measure edge angles by some knifemakers.
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No everything linked so far is a sharpness tester and is incapable of measuring edge retention directly.
 
A
Larrin said:
No everything linked so far is a sharpness tester and is incapable of measuring edge retention directly.
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Are there any affordable sharpness testers that are accurate and consistent to a meaningful level of precision?
 
Twindog said:
Are there any affordable sharpness testers that are accurate and consistent to a meaningful level of precision?
Click to expand...
The cheapest is the Edge on Up tester which is essentially a scale with a test media holder for the BESS thread. I have heard of people discussing issues with values between different people but in terms of my own use it is consistent between myself.
 
Houlahound said:
I think Rockwell hardness for most people means nothing other than something to brag about to knife nuts. It's typically the least important spec for most people IMHO.
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That's simply not true. Steel performance is greatly affected by hardness.

Add:
Moreover, I can fix a knife with poor Out Of the Box sharpness.
If the steel is soft, there is nothing I can do about it.

The first thing I do with every knife I buy is sharpen it to put my own edge on it.
 
:) It's "nice " when your brand new knife comes super sharp , but doesn't mean much in the long run .

Even the superest of steel/HT is gonna get a bit duller with every significant use .

Stuff that matters to me are factors effecting long term performance / value . :cool:
 
You could measure the hardness of your penis when you are at home, and then print that on a t-shirt to wear at the bar. But that's not going to guarantee its hardness once you take it out for deployment, especially if you've been drinking too much softener.
 
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