Scotch-Brite test for blade quality

You've got the answers, that it will destroy your edge. Instead of debating the validity, why not go ahead and test your knives then report back?

I'm curious to know what steel lasts longest and that's good comparative test (quite homogeneous medium) to compare.
 
It's kinda funny really that a person might be criticized for using their knife to cut something that will dull the edge. After all, isn't that what a knife is for, to cut stuff. And by the very act of cutting stuff, most stuff anyway, isn't it inevitable to dull the edge.

I like the idea of people actually USING their knives to perform the basic cutting tasks that they need done. It makes a lot more sense to me to use ones knife to cut Scotchbrite pads, if that's the task at hand that they need to perform, rather than NOT using their knife because they're afraid of ruining their perfectly sharpened edge.

Not everyone carries a knife as "man jewelry", many people (like myself) carry them as cutting tools and won't hesitate to use them to cut the things they need cut. More power to them.
 
You don't mention how you sharpen your knives, so you may do this already. However, if not, here is a suggestion. Take the 420 steel knife you mentioned and lower the edge angle down to 10 degrees per side or less. Though very abrasive, the scotch brite pads are not going to damage a blade by any method other than dulling. Now, after lowering the edge angle, finish the edge with the coarsest stone you have. I lowered my Gerber knife to about 12 degrees per side and left a 220 grit water stone finish on it and it cut like mad in soft material. You might also try sharpening with a file. A file can give a hair shaving edge, and the coarse edge would last a while when doing this type of cutting. 420 steel should be no problem to file. Other steels might not work so well.
 
Chris, that is a good idea. I have all these users, why not test them and report back. Will give it a try tomorrow (well, today, now).
Chris "Anagarika";11177194 said:
You've got the answers, that it will destroy your edge. Instead of debating the validity, why not go ahead and test your knives then report back?

I'm curious to know what steel lasts longest and that's good comparative test (quite homogeneous medium) to compare.
Click to expand...
 
me2 said:
You don't mention how you sharpen your knives, so you may do this already. However, if not, here is a suggestion. Take the 420 steel knife you mentioned and lower the edge angle down to 10 degrees per side or less. Though very abrasive, the scotch brite pads are not going to damage a blade by any method other than dulling. Now, after lowering the edge angle, finish the edge with the coarsest stone you have. I lowered my Gerber knife to about 12 degrees per side and left a 220 grit water stone finish on it and it cut like mad in soft material. You might also try sharpening with a file. A file can give a hair shaving edge, and the coarse edge would last a while when doing this type of cutting. 420 steel should be no problem to file. Other steels might not work so well.
Click to expand...

Me2, I hadn't thought of changing the sharpening angle. Because my EDC knives are used for whatever comes to hand, I don't use a "slicing" angle on them. instead, I use a "chopping" or utility angle. I use a primary and secondary angle on them. I use 18 degrees for the main bevel and raise the blade to 23 degrees for the very edge. You make a good point about a more shallow or slicing angle since that is what is called for on this Scotch-Brite sponge - slicing. And, leaving a coarse edge sounds good because the effect would be something like creating a mini serrated edge.
 
Hahahaha. Well, everybody has an opinion, and forums like this are great places for expressing one's opinion. Some folks are purists and some, like me, are rag asses. (Rag Ass: colloquial term, or it used to be, I learned while working in a steel mill in my younger days. The "melter" was in charge of making the steel and he had up to three helpers. First, Second & Third helper (ranking system). They did whatever the "Melter" told them to do to get the molten steel looking as it should by adding raw materials. Anyway, the helpers were called rag asses because they always kept a rag in their back pocket.)

killgar said:
It's kinda funny really that a person might be criticized for using their knife to cut something that will dull the edge. After all, isn't that what a knife is for, to cut stuff. And by the very act of cutting stuff, most stuff anyway, isn't it inevitable to dull the edge.

I like the idea of people actually USING their knives to perform the basic cutting tasks that they need done. It makes a lot more sense to me to use ones knife to cut Scotchbrite pads, if that's the task at hand that they need to perform, rather than NOT using their knife because they're afraid of ruining their perfectly sharpened edge.




Not everyone carries a knife as "man jewelry", many people (like myself) carry them as cutting tools and won't hesitate to use them to cut the things they need cut. More power to them.
Click to expand...
 
Why you need to make two pieces of scotchbrite from one in your daily use? These usually come in convenient sizes.
 
This is hilarious.
I also have to cut abrasive crap all the time (lately sandpaper) and of course I want to know what my steel is capable of, even if I will never have to test it at that level.
 
Its easier (for me) to just cut sandpaper with a knife and resharpen it rather than go to the store and buy disposable blades.
 
People cut sandpaper instead of folding it over and tearing it off on the edge of a table or similar?

That's the only way I've ever seen it done by carpenters and refinishers.
 
enderwiggin said:
People cut sandpaper instead of folding it over and tearing it off on the edge of a table or similar?

That's the only way I've ever seen it done by carpenters and refinishers.
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. I'm in the process of building a new home. All my carpenters and cabinet makers fold and tear along the fold. Cut sandpaper with a knife? As a test, ok fine, but as a chore? Hilarious.
 
Why you need to make two pieces of scotchbrite from one in your daily use? These usually come in convenient sizes.
Click to expand...

Like someone mentioned earlier, I get the really large Scotchbrite pads in various grits, not the little green pads for you dishes. You have to cut them down to manageable sizes for different tasks. Just sayin....
 
cziv said:
Like someone mentioned earlier, I get the really large Scotchbrite pads in various grits, not the little green pads for you dishes. You have to cut them down to manageable sizes for different tasks. Just sayin....
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Hhhmmm ok, that's fair. So how do you cut them?
 
cziv said:
It's easy ancient secret! :D

[video=youtube;7S3fuCmtqjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S3fuCmtqjY[/video]
Click to expand...


Doesn't the scotch brite abrade the edge of the hand? :D


And since you posted the vid, it's still ancient but no longer secret. :D
 
killgar said:
It's kinda funny really that a person might be criticized for using their knife to cut something that will dull the edge. After all, isn't that what a knife is for, to cut stuff. And by the very act of cutting stuff, most stuff anyway, isn't it inevitable to dull the edge.I like the idea of people actually USING their knives to perform the basic cutting tasks that they need done. It makes a lot more sense to me to use ones knife to cut Scotchbrite pads, if that's the task at hand that they need to perform, rather than NOT using their knife because they're afraid of ruining their perfectly sharpened edge.Not everyone carries a knife as "man jewelry", many people (like myself) carry them as cutting tools and won't hesitate to use them to cut the things they need cut. More power to them.
Click to expand...
It isn't the use, it is the translating to a test. the abrasion is so high that any marginal differences will be overwhelmed. If every edge goes dull on the first cut, then there is no ranking. This will happen for a very large number of steels.
 
Rüdemann;11177396 said:
Me2, I hadn't thought of changing the sharpening angle. Because my EDC knives are used for whatever comes to hand, I don't use a "slicing" angle on them. instead, I use a "chopping" or utility angle. I use a primary and secondary angle on them. I use 18 degrees for the main bevel and raise the blade to 23 degrees for the very edge. You make a good point about a more shallow or slicing angle since that is what is called for on this Scotch-Brite sponge - slicing. And, leaving a coarse edge sounds good because the effect would be something like creating a mini serrated edge.
Click to expand...

I let some pipe insulators try out my M2 knife a year or so ago. They made a few cuts and afterward the knife would still shave my arm, just barely. It was sharpened at 7-10 dps (degrees per side) and given a microbevel with a Spyderco medium grit (grey) ceramic.
 
Damn, hardheart, you is way smarter than you look! :D It may be genetic curiosity or simply juvenile behavior that some men never outgrow [ALL men if you ask most women]. If you buy a Bugati you jus has to see how fast it'll go. Or, my elite Land Rover will pull your POS Dodge 4by all over the mud flats!

hardheart said:
It isn't the use, it is the translating to a test. the abrasion is so high that any marginal differences will be overwhelmed. If every edge goes dull on the first cut, then there is no ranking. This will happen for a very large number of steels.
Click to expand...
 
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