Polished Edge

J

Jammer Six

Joined
Jan 26, 2015
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I'm interested in the value of a polished edge. I was set to post it in the other thread about polished edges, then I noticed that was for pictures. I'm not a picture guy.

What are the values of a polished edge? Specifically, what does a polished edge cut better than a non-polished edge? Are they appropriate for EDC?

Historically, I've put a mirror finish on the back of wood chisels, and pretty much no place else. It just takes too long and is too fragile. What good is a knife you wouldn't use for something because you're protecting the edge? (One of the big reasons I've put mirror finishes on the backs of chisels is that it only has to be done once.)

A decent, sharp edge with a Tormek or a Tormek clone takes about six minutes, and less than a minute to touch up. A polished edge takes an hour, and then will need to be touched up after the first use.

Why would you invest the hour and end up with a edge that you don't use under some circumstances, when you can have a knife you use for everything in five minutes? I use my EDC for everything from food to line to opening boxes.

I'm afraid I don't understand the logic. If I'm missing something, I'd honestly like to know what it is.
 
They just cut a lot nicer and last longer, IMO. Granted I only sharpen my kitchen knives and shop scissors but it only takes around 6-8 minutes more past the 1000 grit stone to get to a polished edge with some minor scratches left. Side benefit is my wife has told me NOT to polish the knives she uses, too sharp. Keeps her from using the knives I use so they last much longer.
 
I don't carry, I only play with my kitchen knives, Henckles and Kyocera, and scissors.
 
My favorite system is Edgepro. I use it because it is fairly quick to use and very effective. By maintaining the bevel angle for me, I don't have to concentrate had as I would with a bench stone. I use the 3000 grit polishing tape for a polished finish.
 
My polished edges don't just disappear after one use ? Usually every other day or so I'll hit my blades up with some 'Goo Gone' and then strop them back to push cutting paper/shaving. I find a polished/mirrored edge it's wayyy easier to maintain. At least in my experience.
 
Aquaholicc said:
My polished edges don't just disappear after one use ? Usually every other day or so I'll hit my blades up with some 'Goo Gone' and then strop them back to push cutting paper/shaving. I find a polished/mirrored edge it's wayyy easier to maintain. At least in my experience.
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What do you cut with it, day in and day out?
 
I've been reading Ankerson's edge retention test results in his many knife reviews. He shows that edges sharpened with 400 grit significantly outlast polished edges when cutting rope, cardboard, wood and nylon ties. He no longer polishes his edges. Elsewhere, I read that polished edges are good for shaving which requires push cutting rather than slicing. So, I too ask why spend the time and money for shorter useable cutting? [Whittling hairs with a polshed edge is an impressve demo I have to admit].
 
I am no expert, but in my limited experience, refined edges (with abrasives at 1 micron or so) are better overall but not last longer than coarser edges (at >10 micron abrasives). I don’t know about more polished edges. If you maintain the edge frequently, and if you don’t use the knife for long hard tasks, I guess it may make sense to put a refined edge on your knife for EDC.

I myself put an edge with one side coarse at ~40 micron and the other at ~few micron.


Miso
 
My experience with kitchen knives is a polished edge lasts longer than a 1k edge. This is cutting up vegetables and boneless meat on plastic mats, no wood since it is very abrasive. Also a polished edge will cut through the mat much easier than a 1k edge. The variables of steel and what you are cutting will change what edge prep works best.
 
polished edge = better at press/pressure cutting, chopping, shaving, carving, cutting into a backer - primarily dense materials

coarse/toothy edge = better at draw cuts, sliding cuts, offhand cuts - primarily fibrous materials

There's a lot of overlap in some cases. The finer edge tends to be, in my usage, easier to maintain. The coarse edge lasts longer per reconditioning.

It is absolutely worth it to have a polished edge on a machete or hatchet, not so much on a smaller knife.
 
Jammer Six said:
What do you cut with it, day in and day out?
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Cardboard,wire insulation,romex sheathing,and zip ties are my most cut mediums. Also mundane task like sharpening a pencil real quick when I'm out in the field, and food prep anything from meats to veggies. I finish all my EDC blades at 1000grit and I couldnt be happier.
I do highly recommend a Knife Plus Strop block though. Quick and easy touch ups. I hit the knife I use during the day every night before I pass out and I don't have to resharpen for quite some time.
 
Aquaholicc said:
Cardboard,wire insulation,romex sheathing,and zip ties are my most cut mediums. Also mundane task like sharpening a pencil real quick when I'm out in the field, and food prep anything from meats to veggies. I finish all my EDC blades at 1000grit and I couldnt be happier.
I do highly recommend a Knife Plus Strop block though. Quick and easy touch ups. I hit the knife I use during the day every night before I pass out and I don't have to resharpen for quite some time.
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Do you notice as the days go by and you strop more that the edge takes on polished qualities? I have stopped around a 1000 and stropped heavily to see what happens, it became a high convex polished edge with obvious 1000 grit scratches. It performed rather good.

Everyone stresses too much and forgets some basics. Most people cut up a variety of materials but not on a regular basis. Some days are cardboard heavy, others maybe wood and so on. The variety in cutting materials is going to make as much of a difference as the edge put on the knife. Then, you get into blade grind and thickness stuff comparing different knives. As you strop you polish and convex the edge so that complicates matters. Sharpen, cut, enjoy and repeat.
 
Honed_Edge said:
Do you notice as the days go by and you strop more that the edge takes on polished qualities? I have stopped around a 1000 and stropped heavily to see what happens, it became a high convex polished edge with obvious 1000 grit scratches. It performed rather good.

Everyone stresses too much and forgets some basics. Most people cut up a variety of materials but not on a regular basis. Some days are cardboard heavy, others maybe wood and so on. The variety in cutting materials is going to make as much of a difference as the edge put on the knife. Then, you get into blade grind and thickness stuff comparing different knives. As you strop you polish and convex the edge so that complicates matters. Sharpen, cut, enjoy and repeat.
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I simply am just a fan of using every possible resource I can to make me and my knives the best they can be. And with my experience I find that my edges last 10x longer when I strop casually. Even though I do enjoy sharpening on my Edge Pro..often time just doesn't alloy to get everything out and ready. So I found a strop is a good happy medium until you can in fact put some time into your knife bevel.
I hope we are helping J Jammer Six out though..lol
 
While a highly polished edge does look nice in terms of displaying a knife and for push cutting, from what I have read and from my own experience, a rougher, edge is far better for cutting abrasive materials such as rope. When I recently got back into collecting knives I started highly polishing the edges by stropping with various compounds. Than I got a hold of a ZT 562CF. The blade is in CPM 20 CV, so I did not change the factory angle, just stropped it.

I came to realize that the blade was less effective for me than it was when I purchased it.

So, at this point I am using a Worksharp Guided System and going no further than the ceramic.
 
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