Question on sharpening

G

Gary007

Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
1,452
I'm a newbie at sharpening. Just got a Lansky and it seems to sharpen up my Buck's real nice.

One way I check for sharpness is to run my thumb across the blade and I feel for that grabby sensation. I have noticed though that in one direction it is grabby, and the other direction is smoother. Is this pretty normal?
 
You have probably built up a burr, that is the micro edge of the knife is bent to one side. The easiest way to clean it up is to strop the knife on a piece of cardboard or leather belt. Hope this helps
 
You have probably built up a burr, that is the micro edge of the knife is bent to one side. The easiest way to clean it up is to strop the knife on a piece of cardboard or leather belt. Hope this helps
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Good advice, another thing to do is sharpen right till you feel the burr, and then to work the other side more gently, to work it off. Stropping is good because it aligns the edge(the infintesimal nicks on the edge) but its really best to work the burr off while sharpening. I'm not familiar with the Lansky unit, I sharpen with a grinder and 4 or 5 diamond grit sticks, so this info might need refinement.
 
Got it right. Definitely got a burr on one side.


A good test for sharpness - can it easily shave arm hair?


There are also two "fingernail" tests you can do.

1 - place the blade edge on your fingernail, perpendicular to your finger, and while keeping the blade perfectly straight up-and-down, "push" the edge toward the end of your nail. If it scrapes off a small "roll" of fingernail material....sharp. Otherwise, it will just glide across.

However, this will not tell you if there is still a burr. Just that that side is sharp. If you turn the knife the other way, it will test the "other side". If that glides, but the other catches - definite burr. If both scrape the nail, then you have sharpness. The "stickier" the edge feels, the sharper it is.


2 - You can also take the tip of your thumbnail and run it down the edge, careful to not contact your thumb. Wherever you feel a "bump" or a "catch" - will need sharpening. Also, it should feel smooth as glass. If it's rough - could still be sharp, but hasn't reached "scary sharp" yet.


;)
 
2 - You can also take the tip of your thumbnail and run it down the edge, careful to not contact your thumb. Wherever you feel a "bump" or a "catch" - will need sharpening. Also, it should feel smooth as glass. If it's rough - could still be sharp, but hasn't reached "scary sharp" yet.
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Maybe that should read "walk it down the edge". If it were beyond "Scary sharp", even past "razor sharp", but at the hypothetical "******* ******* *****-*** edge with a vengeance and ill-tempered" you might be lookin' at at a split thumb, and wrist, and forearm for that matter; I mean hey, that's pretty sharp.

But seriously, do be careful doing that, especially if you are not paying atttention.
 
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