Sharpening Record Page

[prime77]

Damn you guys are good. While not perfect curls I was able to do this with my Insingo.

and this with my Manix 2.

 

[wongKI]

Thanks for the thread, nozh.

I'm able to do it now with a Gayle Bradley. While not free-hanging, I placed the hair on a table, held down one end and cut little curls off it.

I can do it, with a little more effort, without holding down one of the ends.

I used the DMT Aligner to the extra-fine grit-bent the rods to go thin, which gave me a convex profile- then went to 600, 1k, 1.5k sandpaper and Autosol polish.

Pics will probably arrive soon.

Edit: Well, I can't get the pics of the spit hair, the macro function can't focus. Blade photo coming soon.


http://s874.photobucket.com/albums/ab305/KiwiScout/

 

[zyhano]

emerson horseman, 154cm steel
naniwa waterstones up to 10K. dmt diapasted strops, 6, 3, 1 micron

more pictures here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=769241

 

[zyhano]

it's addictive
victorinox something.
after stropping on 6,3,1 micron pastes and then on bare leather it was even better!

 

[hardheart]

butterknife. no joke


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[nozh2002]

butterknife. no joke


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I do not see why not. I am thinking to sharpen spoon (handle) this way and do not think it is impossible.

Was it easy or harder?

Little bit on different matter - I remember you mentioned experimenting with coarse stone and light pressure. Was you able to sharpne whittling hair sharp on coarse stone?

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[hardheart]

Polishing to whittling sharpness is easy once the edge is set, but creating the edge was a little harder. The steel is so soft that it takes nothing to ruin it, the burr and the edge are practically indistinguishable in durability and stiffness. Heck, slicing paper dulls the edge considerably.

I was able to snag a a hair and split a little of it on a coarse edge, but this was more a matter of luck and several tries. Just basically caught the right part of the hair on the right part of the edge. Definitely not something I can do repeatedly or easily.

 

[zyhano]

I learn how to whittle hair to have similar results as knifenut. This is not better sharpness but accurate careful whittling:

in less then hour I was able to do this more or less stable. I guess in day or two I will learn this trick better.

Thanks, Vassili.

so this is more about how you slice the hair than about the sharpness?

What's the key to the techinique? More of a slicing motion? at what angle? etc

 

[nozh2002]

so this is more about how you slice the hair than about the sharpness?

What's the key to the techinique? More of a slicing motion? at what angle? etc

I am not at the point of understanding yet to give others direction. But once you engage shave do not think that this is it - just hod you breath and carefully continue till you have it in good length. I am not sure yet but angle plays significant role - I try to keep opposite side of the edge parallel to the hair.

However it may depends on hair property as well.

May be knifenut teach us better - he first learn how to do this.

From other hand - as usual, most important to know is that it is possible and someone done it, then it is matter of research, trying etc. I am not too much ahead of you, really.

I'll keep practicing and may be learn how to do this trick as good as knifenut.

Regards, Vassili.

 

[zyhano]

for the sake of completeness in this thread and for those interested, I've posted a demo thread in maintenance, tinkering and embellishment on how to build your own strop with the diamond pastes with loads of pictures and an explanation. It can be found here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=770338

my strops are made like this and I can get the knives hair whittling with them. hope it helps

 

[somber]

Free hanging.:thumbup:

 

[zyhano]

spyderco persistence, 8Cr13MoV steel
full post on it can be found here

 

[zyhano]

benchmade 51 morpho.
D2 steel

started on dmt coarse benchstone and progressed to fine, xtra fine, xtra xtra fine and then the strops with dmt diapaste from 6 to 3 to 1 micron then plain leather.

more pictures and a small balisong noob review by me can be found here

 

[stoffi]

If you wanna make a list of people who possess the skill to create hair-whittling edges, then it should be a list of people who can do it freehand, not with a system. There is no skill involved in using an Edge Pro or Sharpmaker or what have you — compared to someone who can do it freehand without a guide.

 

[dsmegst]

If you wanna make a list of people who possess the skill to create hair-whittling edges, then it should be a list of people who can do it freehand, not with a system. There is no skill involved in using an Edge Pro or Sharpmaker or what have you — compared to someone who can do it freehand without a guide.

But there are plenty of people with systems who can't do this.

 

[nozh2002]

If you wanna make a list of people who possess the skill to create hair-whittling edges, then it should be a list of people who can do it freehand, not with a system. There is no skill involved in using an Edge Pro or Sharpmaker or what have you — compared to someone who can do it freehand without a guide.

It is much harder to have this in Sharpmaker then freehand same with edgePro I guess. It require special skill. Otherwise everybody will be her, but this is not a case. Try it yourself.

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[KennyB]

What do you hair-whittlers think about an edge that can carve strand after strand out of hair, but only if it's held somewhat taught?

I can't hold a hair straight out and whittle it like it were a stick; most of my hair is too curly, or it just kind of glances off. However, if I hold one end between my fingers a little to keep it "stretched out" I can do it. Sometimes I"ll wrap it around my index finger so it lays across my finger-nail, and I just carve strands off of the portion on my fingernail. It just doesn't seem as impressive though.

Is that close to true hair-whittling? I wanted to test with a stock blade but then realized I've sharpened them all, so just wondering what you guys think. I'm still not going to stop until I can carve a hair that's just sitting out there with no support, but I'm just wondering how close I am now. I mean, is the measure of sharpness in the edge being simply being able to carve hair, or is it in it being able to cut into and carve hair with such little effort that the hair doesn't even move before being cut? Just looking for opinions on that.

 

[MadBaxter]

i could split hair with an old victorinox cadet straight out of the box once
Didnt last very long

 

[zyhano]

What do you hair-whittlers think about an edge that can carve strand after strand out of hair, but only if it's held somewhat taught?

I can't hold a hair straight out and whittle it like it were a stick; most of my hair is too curly, or it just kind of glances off. However, if I hold one end between my fingers a little to keep it "stretched out" I can do it. Sometimes I"ll wrap it around my index finger so it lays across my finger-nail, and I just carve strands off of the portion on my fingernail. It just doesn't seem as impressive though.

Is that close to true hair-whittling? I wanted to test with a stock blade but then realized I've sharpened them all, so just wondering what you guys think. I'm still not going to stop until I can carve a hair that's just sitting out there with no support, but I'm just wondering how close I am now. I mean, is the measure of sharpness in the edge being simply being able to carve hair, or is it in it being able to cut into and carve hair with such little effort that the hair doesn't even move before being cut? Just looking for opinions on that.

You're close. This was what I always reached as the last step before i could do hair whittling

 

[nozh2002]

You're close. This was what I always reached as the last step before i could do hair whittling

Yes you are almost there, do not give up, you will do this pretty soon.

Thanks, Vassili.