sharp enough?

V

Virg

Joined
Jul 26, 2000
Messages
47
I tried out my new HandAmerican leather hone the other night, and just love it. I touched up at least four knives, and I now have more blades 'shaving sharp' than I have beard for! My question is, after 'testing' the edge on several knives, my arms are missing copious patches of hair. Is there another, better way to test my efforts at the hone than shaving hair off my arm?!

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V.
 
Slicing newspaper. You will find the "bad" spots in the edge when the paper tears. If your blade isreally sharp, you can cut curves without tears.

Paul
 
Try leg hair.
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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
You could use Other folks arm hair, but you better be Really friendly with them
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Actually, shaving small strips from pine is a good test. See how thin you can make a shaving. Also, look at the mark the knife leaves on the wood. An imperfectly sharp knife will leave streaks or scratches on the wood. A very sharp knife will leave an ultrasmooth polished surface behind. Cutting ribbons hanging from helium balloons is a good party trick. The idea is to cut the ribbon in two without making the balloon move. Have sharpening!

Paracelsus
 
Try running the blade over your thumbnail. If it bites into it, it's sharp.
Brian

[This message has been edited by Saberman (edited 01-16-2001).]
 
I have recently been using the method of slicing layers off the surface of standard Laser/Copy Paper without cutting all the way through as a good indicator of Shaving Sharp.

Sal Glesser demonstrates this in the Sharpmaker 204 video.

Slicing Newspaper or Tissue paper without ripping is also pretty demanding.


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AKTI Member No. A000370
 
I have the leather hone set by Handamerican also. I use 600-grit surface for touch-up and 10000-grit for polishing.

I find standard newsprint just right for testing edge finish. You can both feel and hear the relative sharpness of a blade edge, and any knicks or imperfections on the blade edge are immediately obvious. I've detected edge imperfections with newsprint that I couldn't see with a 30X magnifier.
 
I've found a paper towel to tell a lot too. If a blade isn't anywhere close to razor sharp you'll tear it. I've cut paper nicely only to try the paper towel test and find out just how 'dull' the blade was. An OK sharp blade will cut a paper towel with a ripping sound but a REALLY sharp blade will cut the paper towel with almost no noise.
 
Just run the blade over your arm...about 1/8" above your skin (with the 'grain' of the hair). If it's really sharp you'll see hair on the blade...and no patches!
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Virg,
IMHO - Knives are never-ever sharp enough....Ever!!!!
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Also, I'm glad to hear of yet another happy Hand American customer. I'm definately gonna' throw my money their way.
I think that they very well may be the best leather hone/strop system out there.
But I guess that I've got to give it a try to actually determine that. Right??

--The Raptor--


[This message has been edited by Raptor (edited 01-16-2001).]
 
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