knives and paper

I use old phone book pages to test the sharpness of my knives. One or two slices from the paper's edge is clean with no tearing or paper, then my knife is sharp enough for any use I'll ever have of it. Never seen any evidence of dulling them. Heavier grade paper may have other binders/abrasives in them that may dull a razor edge (?).
Rich
 
I've experienced this when hastily sharpening a knife to hair popping, then cutting a piece of paper or two. I'm about 99% sure it's because I still had a micro-burr on the edge.
 
Paper has quite a bit of silica in it, depending on the trees its from, and the processing. So there is some abrasive quality to it. newsprint can be used to strop, partly the ink, partly the paper. There is a reason cardboard is used as a test medium. However you should be able to cut a lot of paper before loosing an edge. can you define "fast" how long do your edges last, and what are you cutting?
 
They also often add clay to office paper / writing paper. That's how they get it hard and shiny with a smooth surface.
 
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