Scary Sharp? Shaving Sharp?

3

30-30 Cal.

Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
243
Hi All,

I'm new here, and I've read many of your posts and have enjoyed them. But, I've got a couple of questions,I know "scary sharp" is simply a way of saying 'this here blade is sharper than @#@##." However, shaving sharp? I have some veryyyy sharp knives, the only production knive that comes close is the Keershaw leek-and it doesn't do the job. So, what do you guys think when you read "shaving sharp?"

Swear to God, I've actually tried shaving with some of these blades, a sad tale. Do I do a dry shave, or wet. If wet, it will rust and...oh, is "shaving sharp" one more urban legend?

Thanks, and happy to be here.

Dave
 
You have the taxonomy wrong -- scary sharp is actually sharper than shaving sharp! Most of us don't think it's very difficult or impressive to get a knife to shave hair, it's more of a baseline for sharpening competence. To test out shaving sharp, we typically use the hair on our arms or legs (leading to "knife nut mange").

Joe
 
hi, Dave!

welcome to the forums. odd thing about your Leek. i own 2 and they both came shaving sharp right out of the box.

in general, when forumites use the term "shaving sharp", we mean it in the literal sense: slide the blade across your arm or face, and it should cut the hairs off, just like a good razor.

i have come to know "scary sharp" to mean, SHARPER than "shaving sharp". as in, sure you can shave with it, but it basically "pops" the hairs off, without even having to rest against the skin. my Spyderco SS Endura arrived at my house this way. it was sharper than any knife i'd ever handled, and shaved my arm hair without any pressure.

your knives shouldn't rust in general; just be sure to oil them often, and certainly dry them soon after they are wet. though to be honest, i don't think most folks actually go about shaving with their knives. if you're interested in that sort of thing, you should consider purchasing a straight-razor and a strop (a different topic entirely, which i'm not really qualified to expound upon). i've only ever practically used my knife to occasionally shave a spot i may have missed in the morning, when i used my Gilette.

also, if you want to make your knives "scary sharp" on your own, you would do well to purchase Spyderco's SharpMaker 204. i didn't think i could ever really sharpen my knives to a shaving edge, until i bought the 204. makes it easy!

abe m.
 
Shaving sharp is when it removes hair from your arm (or other appendage) - scary sharp is when the hair jumps off your arm in resignation as the blade approaches and prior to contact. Some like scary sharp better.
 
Hi 30 30,
As Joe pointed out, shaving is really a starting point. If you're interested in getting steel shaving sharp, you need a frame of reference.
A nice straight razor can be had fairly cheap & once you've accustomed your face to shaving that way, you can test your sharpening skills by using the knife on one side & the razor on the other. Use lather of course. Razors are typically high carbon steel & will rust if not cared for, like any blade. Stainless does not mean Rustless. Blades need to be looked after.

Learn to strop your razor to keep it sharp & you're well on the way to keeping your knives tuned up as well.
I have more than one knife that "pulls" less than my straight razor when shaving & that defines 'em as shaving sharp to me, in the strictest sense.

Shaving less sensitive body parts without lather is actually a tougher test for a blade, as that will dull a good razor quickly, but not a good knife.
It's really not comparing apples to apples though because the razor is ground so much thinner & is purpose built just for shaving.
A good shaving sharp knife gives you many more cutting options than just shaving.
When you get your sharpening skills to shaving sharp , scary sharp will be the next goal

:)
 
I agree with the consensus here. I guy who wants to call himself a 'knut' should be able to make even a mediocre knife 'shaving sharp.' With time, I think most people can do 'scary sharp.'

However, there is a higher threshold, and one that I cannot get on all knives, and that is 'spooky sharp.' You know, the kind where you're working around carefully with a knife, you feel nothing, perhaps the tingle of a 'feather' brushing your hand, and then suddenly there are drops of blood on the floor.

I've known a few of these knives, and I can describe a list of conditions. First, it has to be a good knife of the 'better steels.' A professional heat treat wouldn't hurt. It is usually a knife with a steeper angle, say 15 to 18 degrees.

The bevel is uniform, front to back, and left to right. The knife has been sharpened a few times, and had a real good polish to get out all of the imperfections. A final few licks with a finer rouge on a good horsehide strop is a good bet.

To that, I've had about three Microtech USSOCOM tantos that were spooky. I've had one Kershaw Whirlwind with a very steep, yet perfect angle that is the sharpest knife I have ever seen, and all of my friends agreed, including the friend that 'over paid' me for it. I have a Buck 'Big Sky' 403 that is just flat out dangerous to be around. My Sng is very close, in fact now it is in the 'spookier' realm.

However, I don't find these knives that useful at all times. Sometimes a good basic knife with a 22 degree angle and a serviceable edge is a good EDC.

The spooky edge requires a lot of maintenance.
 
Over on the Himalayan Imports Forum we call it: Full-Body-Shiver-Sharp...as that's what happens when you test the blade.

If you can gently touch your finger against the edge of the blade - and no damage results...your still far away from "the shiver" you get from a knife so sharp that getting cut doesn't even hurt.

Require maintenance? Yep. But not as much as you think. All you need is a good regular stropping (about every 3-4 times you use it, or for every time you roughly abuse it). That's exactly what the barber did. Cutting facial hair is a funny thing - takes an extremely sharp blade so that there is no "pull" but at the same time, that blade has to be tough or else you'll have to strop after every stroke!
 
Pendentive,

"Full-Body-Shiver-Sharp" LMAO :D

Yeah, that's the edge!

The problem with this type of an edge is that my friends and I just polish them for bragging rights sitting around my kitchen table. It's kind of like "exhibition knives," they never really get used for fear of damaging their perfect condition.

I do like my SnG in its present condition. It's sharp enough to still draw compliments from onlookers. However, it's in that 'son of spooky' vintage where a real knut would look at me and say, "You know, Ichabod, with a touch more control on the Edge-Pro, and a gentle strop, this knife would do well in heart surgery."

Of course, then it would be perfect, and I'd be looking for another EDC. Why put even more money into Mick Strider's pocket for such foolishness?
 
Shaveing sharp for arm hair is not hard to get for a beard it takes a really thin edge.I had a case Canoe I could get that sharp but it would not hold the edge for any real cutting.The test I use is news paper.If it will easally slice through paper that thin with out any drag or pull it is sharp enough for anything I will need to do with it,at this level it will take off arm hair with only a very slight preasure against the skin.Scary sharp IMO is to sharp for every day day use this is when it will pop off arm hair with no contact with the skin or you can take a hair from your head and hold it between your fingers and swipe the blade at it and you can hear it pop.Very cool sound though.
The sharpest knive I have ever seen was a damascus worker.The cleck at the store showed it to me and was saying how sharp it was.He touched his thumb to the blade and it sliced him open fairly deep without depressing the skin at all.Even on a very sharp knife the edge will push down a little on the skin before it starts to cut.This did not at all.
 
I encountered a Benchmade 921 that was mythically sharp. My cousin demonstrated by lightly dragging the blade across the heel of this foot. Pretty tough skin there, and it easily sliced down a few layers filet style. I was impressed, and have been trying to replicate this ever since. (sharpening I mean...not the heel thing)

Robb
 
I encountered a Benchmade 921 that was mythically sharp. My cousin demonstrated by lightly dragging the blade across the heel of this foot. Pretty tough skin there, and it easily sliced down a few layers filet style. I was impressed, and have been trying to replicate this ever since. (sharpening I mean...not the heel thing)

Robb
 
Since no steel blade can approach the microscopicly perfect edge of an obsidian blade I geuss it must be supernatural-spine-tingling-extra-terrestial sharp.:p

I'm just happy with shaving sharp usually.:D
 
Shaving arm hair is a LOT easier than facial hair, although who here hasn't tried at least one facial shave with their favourite EDC :rolleyes: :D
As said shaving sharp is usually reffered to in connection with arm/leg hair and is usually minimum standard.

My definition of "scary sharp" is when I am scared to put my non knife holding hand any where in the vicinity of the blade. One slip or muscle spasm and I know I'd be in trouble.
Being a person of a nervious disposition I consider this just one step above shaving sharp :D
There are a couple steps of sharpness above this in my personal scale, but I haven't bothered to name them.
 
does anyone have a tutorial for achieving the scary sharp edge? I can get shaving sharp no prob, but not scary sharp. my edge angles are usually 30 degrees included.
 
Originally posted by spyken
does anyone have a tutorial for achieving the scary sharp edge? I can get shaving sharp no prob, but not scary sharp. my edge angles are usually 30 degrees included.
Click to expand...

On the Edge Pro, go down to the polishing tapes.
On a sharpmaker go to the Ultra-Fine stones. You may not be able to feel a difference between the fine and ultra-fine by hand, but there is a big difference when sharpening.

For both finish with stropping with chromium oxide on leather, then a final stropping on clean canvas (jeans).
 
I llike an edge as sharp as I can get it and have it able to stay that way without alot of fuss. Blade geometery has alot to do with that. The easiest knives I have had that can get that way the quickest belive it or not in my experience has been the CS Voyager series. They are just ground thin. Can't speak for the flat ground Spyderco's as I haven't owned any of them. Although I have owned a bunch of Spydies. I have worked long and hard at perfecting my sharpening talents so to speak and the knives that frustrate me the most are the EKI line of chisel grinds. Had a CQC professionally sharpened and now the edge is I guess what you could call scary sharp and it is easier to maintain now to boot. Seems to be robust also. You know you can use it and it doesn't get dull nor does the edge chip out. The angle of the edge is as high as the serrations which according to the old fella that sharpened it is now a true chisel grind.

I just swapped for a mini Buck/Strider of the earlier design. I have this blade shaving sharp but it just doesn't have the pizzazz of any of the blades mentioned above. Maybe expecting to much from it seeing how it is so thick and short. The thing still slices very well though.

All in all my blades on the knives I currently own are as sharp as I can get them. Some are easier to get that way than others. It has alot to do imho with blade design rather than steel used. If the steel is heat treated properly for that particular mix of elements it should serve you well. I think alot of the peopel using knives will let the knife get to dull too before attempting to retouch the edges. This can be a problem with the high Rc steels or more exotic steels. The key here is to not let them get that dull from use before maintenance of the edge is a problem. Keep'em sharp
 
Hi All

Great dialog, and enjoyable. let's see if I've got it right, there's scary sharp, shaving sharp, spooky sharp, full body shiver sharp, aw, I'm just clowning around. When I posteded, my point was if you say your knive is shaving sharp, then you should be able to shave with it. I don't own any professional sharpeners, but I do have a fine assortment of whetstones, and I personally have never been able to shave with any of my knves (and no, I don't want to shave with them, I prefer my good ole razar). I just do it as a test. I like the idea of cutting a hair held out as a test. Still, a knive can be too sharp to be really useful, can't it

Thanks,
Dave
 
This raises a question - of the various sharpnesses, which ones are good for cutting which types of materials?
 
NOt sure about all the scary, full body shiver, etc...(although i know exactly what you mean.:) but it has been my experience that in every day use, shaving sharp is probably the best. You are not afraid to get close to it, cuts most things you want to cut and does not seem to loose it's edge as fast, although that may just be a perception thing. Its also much easier to achieve and I am just lazy :) I have gone to insane lengths to make a knife as sharp as I could (even looking under a microscope at the edge) for a cutting competition, (try that on a 14 inch persian for nightmares, the wavy blade is HORRIBLE to get sharp along the whole edge) and although I am sure my knife was at least as sharp or sharper than every other one there, I didn't win. There is a lot more to using a knife than having an ultra sharp knife. for tip sharpness test try this, hold a roll of toilet paper in one hand, unroll about 3 or 4 tiles and let them hang from the roll. Take your scary sharp knife and try to CUT, not rip the bottom most tile by swatting at it. Another fun one is putting a buisness card or popsicle stick in a clothespin and cutting it in half, leaving half in the clothspin. It can be done, really!
geez I wrote a small book!
 
30-30> ok, so ou want the freehand method? good for me... 15yrs of freehand.

I own cheap stones, 5-8cdn in places like walmart and hardware stores. 200/300 combo and 500/800 combo. I also own a spyderco 303mf doublestuff that I've rubbed stropping compound into the sides.

My Calypso jr is the sharpest knife that I've got right now(waiting to get my dragonfly back from the new rig to confirm my old edge). 20deg inclusive edge done with sandpaper(80 to 1500 papers) with the standard whetstone method. The hit the spyderco whites, strop(either my full sized or the side of the case), and then 5-6 strokes each side on the 800grit stone at about 5deg more[final edge will be around 30 on the cutting surface].

It will shave, it will pop hairs, it will fillet paper(newsprint and 3m yellow stickies), and it will do a nice number on your fingers.

But thats 2yrs of working on the edge and using it.
 
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