Actually the last and longest post I quoted complains about the $$$ involved in mirrored edges. So yes there was a question of cost that I was referring to.
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Mirrored edges, whats the point?
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Actually the last and longest post I quoted complains about the $$$ involved in mirrored edges. So yes there was a question of cost that I was referring to.
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I'm not sure if your first post was just unsuccessful trolling, or if you're just being obtuse...
I used to put nice, neat, even, mirror-polished bevels on my knives with a set of japanese waterstones and strops. I still do on occasion, especially for woodworking tools and plane irons. When I actually used my knives, though, I found that they didn't actually cut any better when it came to the chores I encountered at work, so I decided it wasn't worth the time and effort to put that much effort into my sharpening any more. Many of us know how to put beautiful, mirrored bevels on a knife - some of us just prefer not to.
Your statement that people who don't like mirror polished edges simply 'lack the skill to get them' was kind of childish and extremely ignorant - that's why we're laughing at you.
A bit of sandpaper around a rod going up in grits to, say 1500 or 2000, and then a Spyderco UF rod used like a file to get a mirror finish on the bevel, then more careful near the edge. That's how I would do it with materials at hand... I'm sure there are better ways.
I'm not sure if your first post was just unsuccessful trolling, or if you're just being obtuse...
I used to put nice, neat, even, mirror-polished bevels on my knives with a set of japanese waterstones and strops. I still do on occasion, especially for woodworking tools and plane irons. When I actually used my knives, though, I found that they didn't actually cut any better when it came to the chores I encountered at work, so I decided it wasn't worth the time and effort to put that much effort into my sharpening any more. Many of us know how to put beautiful, mirrored bevels on a knife - some of us just prefer not to.
Your statement that people who don't like mirror polished edges simply 'lack the skill to get them' was kind of childish and extremely ignorant - that's why we're laughing at you.
You can laugh all you want I wasn't even refering to you in that post. I was targeting the people who said mirrored edges were 'useless' which is a lot more ignorant than me joking...
Blade forums is serious business lately good god...
Ankerson
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They aren't useless....
Different levels of edge refinement for different types of uses.
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These threads never fail to show...the same old thing.
People, if you think an edge type (that a decent portion of sharpening nuts defend) is silly/useless/worthless...perhaps you lack understanding of how others use their blades?
Arguing edge types is a lot like arguing tractor vs. sports car. They both have their place.
People, if you think an edge type (that a decent portion of sharpening nuts defend) is silly/useless/worthless...perhaps you lack understanding of how others use their blades?
Arguing edge types is a lot like arguing tractor vs. sports car. They both have their place.
Never tried it... I have a serrated folder around here somewhere but I can't find it... I'll try mirroring a section of a steak knife tomorrow.
should be fun.
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I just wish I had the skills to sharpen a knife properly and put one of those lovely polished edges on some of my knives. I think they rock! Some knives just defeat me and its really my biggest source of frustration. I guess I should invest in an Edge Pro or Wicked Edge instead of another knife but damn those things are intimidating. Never had a sharpening problem with production knives though, only customs. It certainly seems to me that some custom makers could use some of the skills displayed by members here when it comes to sharpening their knives.
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Wait, has anyone claimed that?
Really? There have been whole threads to that effect. Ankerson seems to be the most notable person that touts the coarse edge now, ironically. He used to be a polished edge person, now he stops at about 400 grit on most everything as far as I know. I too have started using coarser edges, but not as low as Jim, and not on all knives. Different uses, different edges.
Ankerson
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It's more of a semi polished edge, the 400 grit is a Congress Moldmaster SIC stone, that's as high as I go now for the most part as I believe it gives a nice balance of edge retention (Higher than a Polished edge from my testing) and cutting efficiency.
Depending on the steel I have seen as much as 90% better edge retention in testing with this type of edge finish over the high polished edge, the ave is usually in the 50% range with the more normal steels.
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It's more of a semi polished edge, the 400 grit is a Congress Moldmaster SIC stone, that's as high as I go now for the most part as I believe it gives a nice balance of edge retention (Higher than a Polished edge from my testing) and cutting efficiency.
Depending on the steel I have seen as much as 90% better edge retention in testing with this type of edge finish over the high polished edge.
Nice. I need to try on of those Moldmaster stones. If I stop at 400 grit on a diamond stone then the edge is MEGA aggressive and toothy, even after some stropping. SiC must just cut a little differently!
That reminds me, I need to put an edge on my Southfork.
Ankerson
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The 400 grit Moldmaster is more of a polishing stone, the 320 is much more aggressive.
I will take some time to reprofile the South Fork, they really got the HT dead spot on.
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The smother something is the less resistance there is the more efficient it will cut. The other side of the coin is the "toothy" edge or micro serrations they work like saw blades grabbing material and pulling it out. I say have both I like to polish out my blade down to a 15k stone then strop the keen edge with .5 micron diamond spray or paste to add a bit of "thoothyness" back in to the blade. As with many others here I enjoy sharping of my knives its relaxing in a way to me, and hey a sharp knife is a safer knife. Nothing is greater than your first mirrored edge you do your self. The first time the light catches the edge and reflects back at you it saying "I'm sharp do not touch", its awesome. That and we are human its in our nature to be attracted to shiny things, diamonds, gold, cars, and so on.
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I prefer mirrored edges because they cut better in ow I use knives. You can slice and pushcut with a highly polished edge, pushcutting is reduced with the coarser finish while slicing is reduced with the polished finish. But I can still slice with a small increase in force, I can't shave or pushcut delicately by increasing force.
In slicing tests on the CATRA, we only got a ~5% difference between 25 micron and 3 micron diamond edges. 45 micron performed the worst, and still only around 12% below the best.
In slicing tests on the CATRA, we only got a ~5% difference between 25 micron and 3 micron diamond edges. 45 micron performed the worst, and still only around 12% below the best.
Ankerson
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I was comparing ~14 Micron to .5 Micron.