Sharpening Tests?

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Portman30-06

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Oct 18, 2013
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We all know our own tests for sharpness. There's the paper test, the shaving test (my favorite!) and then there's the one where you scrape your nails. What's your guys favorite or are there any unique ones out there I didn't mention?
 
I have three things I do to test for sharpness, first take my fingernail and check for a bur, see if the edge is "sticky", and they shave a patch off my arm. :D
 
I don't consider the nail test a sharpness test, that's just checking for the burr.

For sharpness I use A4 paper as well as news print, I shave (WITH the hair, not against).
 
If the edge cuts objects I need it to cut....it's sharp.

I never find myself needing to cut arm hair or paper. :cool:
 
There's a few of these threads in Maintenance, Tinkering, & Embellishment. You might be able to find some more tests there. One of my favorite I ever heard was a guy tested blades by lightly touching them to the tip of his nose. If they were sharp, he said the sensation was similar to licking a battery :eek:
 
If I can make 50 or so julienne strips from one sheet of Charmin toilet paper, then I consider the knife's sharpness more then adrquate.:eek:
 
bpeezer said:
There's a few of these threads in Maintenance, Tinkering, & Embellishment. You might be able to find some more tests there. One of my favorite I ever heard was a guy tested blades by lightly touching them to the tip of his nose. If they were sharp, he said the sensation was similar to licking a battery :eek:
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I've never heard that, and I've never read this here, but I've read many sharpening books and quite often have I seen people claim to use their tongues in a similar fashion.

For the sharpness I require of my blades it seems very dangerous, I'd surely never try either of those methods.
 
Since nearly all sharp knives go through paper, i usually listen to the printer paper.

the quieter it slices, the sharper.

all my folders make some noise, my sharpest knife, the yanagi and sujihiki, slice printer paper fairly quiet. Like a silky 'wift' noise.

my GF can sit for hours slicing all our junk mail.
 
Cereal_killer said:
I've never heard that, and I've never read this here, but I've read many sharpening books and quite often have I seen people claim to use their tongues in a similar fashion.

For the sharpness I require of my blades it seems very dangerous, I'd surely never try either of those methods.
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I agree, I tried it twice. The first time (on a factory edge) it worked fine. The second time, I cut my nose :(
 
I do the wood test. If it cuts into 2x4 with ease I'm happy since it will cut most anything else I cut.
 
9blades said:
I'm sorry, but I laughed hard...do you have a scar?
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No, it was a very clean cut and healed quickly. It really didn't hurt much at all, the worst part was explaining what happened to my girlfriend :foot:
 
Normally I just use a light and look for shiny spots on the edge.
If the edge is not easily visible then it is sharp, if I can see light reflected on the edge, then it needs work.
I do cut paper and shave arm hair but have found that it is not necessary to test for sharpness.
 
I hold a sheet of newspaper at eye level. I pierce and cut a large "C" on the left side and a large backward "C" on the right. This test uncovers residual burrs.
 
I slice paper, making sure I use the full length of the blade. Any tiny nicks or blunt spots become obvious.
 
Wish I could let you guys try my yanagi. It makes even knife nuts go 'oooooh sexy'.

Also, try cutting printing paper at an angle and make the cut have a bevel? Ill take pics when I can. I can shave ink off ads wkthout cutting through other side, takes a steady hand.
 
I generally use phonebook paper and try for a clean slice lengthwise, width-wise and at a 45 degree angle. If part of the blade doesn't slice cleanly then it still needs a bit of work. That being said, if most of the blade slices cleanly lengthwise and width-wise the knife is sharp enough for my needs.
 
I rest the knife at about a 30° angle on my thumb nail so that just the weight of the knife is on it. If the blade digs into my nail enough that the blade will not slide across the nail, then it's as sharp as I need it to be for daily cutting tasks. This is about shaving sharp.

A knife which passes my test might not push-cut news print. It may not tree top arm hairs. It will shave arm hair.

I prefer using the nail test to having patchy arm hair.
 
I usually push cut the thin, yet large fiber, glossy print ads from the grocery on multiple sections of the blade. That's plenty sharp enough for me, will shave with ease, and I don't end up bald places where men should have hair.
 
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