Just a thought about knife sharpening..

ono724

ono724

Joined
Jul 17, 2010
Messages
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I thoroughly enjoy sharpening my knives. I start sharpening and my mind goes off wherever and I just totally relax..it's almost like a form of meditation for me..so, is it just me? am I strange? :confused::D
 
Nope... I get some of my best thinking done when sharpening a knife. To properly sharpen a knife, you have to free your mind from everything and focus what is basically an infinite point. Very freeing and relaxing.
 
Psychopomp said:
Nope... I get some of my best thinking done when sharpening a knife. To properly sharpen a knife, you have to free your mind from everything and focus what is basically an infinite point. Very freeing and relaxing.
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+1

I do the same. Some music in the background while sharpening/ stropping a blade; very relaxing and enjoyable.
 
nothing strange about that at all.

sounds perfectly normal actually.

maybe that's because we're both weird. but in either case, You Are Not Alone! :)
 
Psychopomp said:
Nope... I get some of my best thinking done when sharpening a knife. To properly sharpen a knife, you have to free your mind from everything and focus what is basically an infinite point. Very freeing and relaxing.
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SO DAMN TRUE. When in a bad mood, you end up with a dull knife:mad:.
 
Gotta agree with everyone so far. :thumbup: It makes me relax and think clearly about what's going on in my life and what I need to get done.
 
Ha... I was sharpening my new Endura (I love dropping that little reference in every thread I post in...) and a situation came up that was upsetting me. I realized that I wasn't even touching the Sharpie'd edge bevel so I just put the knife down and walked away from the Sharpmaker because my mind wasn't in it. It's one of those things that you really have to have the right frame of mind.
 
I'm part of the group!

Relaxing and great for stress relief.
So is woodworking, or shooting (archery).
 
Psychopomp said:
Nope... I get some of my best thinking done when sharpening a knife. To properly sharpen a knife, you have to free your mind from everything and focus what is basically an infinite point. Very freeing and relaxing.
Click to expand...

That's basically meditation. Meditation is when you sit still and think of nothing and pay attention to your surrounding:thumbup:
 
Your mood, the food you eat, your physical condition (being tired) can all effect your edge.

I like complete silence when sharpening unless I'm outside. I also usually take a few deep breaths and "pre-meditate" before I start, having a clear mind from the start seems to help. On occasion I like to close my eyes to just experience the sound and feel too.

The Zen experience can be a great thing if you let it be.
 
I enjoy listening to the sound of the blade as it comes in contact with the stone. If my technique is off, the sound isn't right and I fail to get a perfect edge. I also find sharpening to be similar to meditation... it's great because I am concentrating on my technique and the contact of the knife to the stone, so all the other stuff that can cause stress in my mind is completely tuned out. It's like that when I play drums too.
 
I think sharpening is like other activities requiring fine motor skills, coordination, and kinesthetic feedback. When you have acquired the necessary skills you have to let your body do the work.
 
Sharpening is indeed relaxing... Until you try to slice paper with that edge you just finished on a 3 micron DMT EEF diafold and find that it tears the paper instead of cutting it. I swear I felt a nerve explode:eek:.
 
Noctis3880 said:
Sharpening is indeed relaxing... Until you try to slice paper with that edge you just finished on a 3 micron DMT EEF diafold and find that it tears the paper instead of cutting it. I swear I felt a nerve explode:eek:.
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LOL! I agree, all the previous relaxation will be negated with subsequent rises in blood pressure.
 
Yeah, I can definitely relate. I started sharpening my knives again just recentley specifically for relaxation actually. Well, that and just wanting some kind of challenge in getting it as sharp as possible.
 
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