Phone book paper vs Pop can

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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I probably already know the verdict but here's the story :

I was fixing a lady's machine today. A component did not fit right. A proper sized component wasn't made. The part was just not right as designed. I decided to shim it.

What is Nature's shim stock ? That's right . . . the pop can.

I pulled out the new Boker Trapper modded to single blade with the sharpening angle knocked back to OH-MY-BOB-THAT-IS-SHARP. I cut the ends off the can then slit it down one side then proceeded to cut strips off the aluminum sheet. The lady exclaimed "That knife must be pretty sharp !". I said "Actually cutting aluminum is about like cutting wood." "But yes this knife IS pretty sharp."

I was proud of my little green scaled monster.

So . . . what say . . . should we be testing our edges on pop can rather than phone book paper ?

I can't help showing a baby picture . The new addition to the family :



or two

 
You test on what you want. I'll continue to use phone book paper. As it so happens I don't drink anything that comes in aluminum cans, but I have plenty of phone book paper.
 
I don't drink anything that comes in aluminum cans
Click to expand...

I'm with you there. I was at work. LOTS of other people do so there are piles of the things.
 
Usually when I am testing for sharpness, it is to verify that I am in fact done sharpening that knife. Usually what the paper test tells me is whether I have missed some burr or left a chip someplace. I don't want my test medium to guarantee that I am not done sharpening. :)
 
What a fantastic story! I hadn't considered how relatively soft aluminum is, but I guess you're right.

A while back at work, just to show off, I cut a 4 gauge copper power wire with my Spyderco Tenacious. The end results were pretty decent; very clean cut, but not at the exact angle I wanted. Also MUCH SLOWER than using the proper tool (cutters designed for it). Impressive though. That is, until you then looked at my blade or tried to use it for something else. It flattened the entire edge that made contact with the copper. It resharpened just fine but... I won't be doing that particular trick again.

How did the machine work after installing the shim and part?

Brian.
 
I can't tell what the photos are of, and you call it green? The second photo.. no clue.. and why use cans when paper works fine... weird! :)

I cut stuff.
 
I bring some candles and short length of copper wire when camping, make small lanterns out of 16 oz beer cans for the campsite. The edge holds up fine.

If you tried to cut the bottoms of the cans repeatedly, or cut heavier gauge stuff you might have issues, but can stock is mighty thin.
 
Phonebook paper will do a much better job revealing how cleanly-refined a sharp edge is, revealing even very tiny burrs or nicks, or if it's left short of a full apex. Cutting soda can aluminum is relatively easy, even with edges that wouldn't be sharp enough to cut phonebook pages cleanly, if at all. Consider that most tools actually made for metal-cutting won't cut paper nearly as well. A simple SAK-style can opener does it's designed job pretty well, but would be a miserable failure at slicing paper.

However, cutting an aluminum can could reveal something about the strength & durability of a fine paper-slicing edge. If the edge still cleanly slices phonebook paper AFTER cutting the metal, that would be a finished edge to be relatively proud of. Even better, if the edge will shave hair after some tougher cutting tasks, though I'd still not expect that to last very long.

So, to test for sharpness, I'd use the paper. To test for edge durability after it's sharpened, I'd try the soda can cutting (or wood-cutting, carboard-cutting, etc), followed by the fine paper again.


David
 
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I cut about 20' worth of aluminum cans once. The edge would still whittle beard hair afterwards. Cutting the aluminum want really telling me much more so I stopped. I do like phone book paper for testing but news paper is easier to get
 
After the phonebook paper or newsprint try the next level: paper towel or tissue paper folded over. If the knife can make a deep and clean cut in one slice its pretty sharp. If it slide through and hardly bites in then it needs more work. Knives that pass this test will also pass the 3 finger test. Biting into the skin with only a mild pressure and less an an inch stroke.
 
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