Sharpness tests at extremely fine grits?

OhioApexing

OhioApexing

Sharpener
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
Messages
235
Yeah, I did read the sharpness test sticky, but I’m looking for some additional tests.

Going through my stone progression, I usually test on the lower grits by slicing printer paper. On the higher grits, I use some really thin magazine paper (think phonebook). I just sort of look for ease of slicing/push cutting, as well as the presence of any rough spots.

By the time I’m at my 1 micron strop, I can’t tell much of a difference on paper. As I work through submicron strops, I have a REALLY hard time figuring out when I’m “done” with one and ready to move on to the next. It’s all just “sharp as hell.”

My hair is pretty curly, light colored, and fine. Not really conducive to hair whittling tests. I can do it, but pulling a hair out of my head on every strop (or even worse, several hairs out on each strop) ain’t really fun. I’m also pretty much out of hair on my arms for shaving tests, lol. I guess I can try and get hair from my girlfriend’s brush or the shower, but it’s my understanding that you want as close to fresh as possible.
 
As a blade gets finer and keener, it cuts more quietly through the same medium as before. You also feel less as you cut, as there is less resistance..
That's what I go by, because after a certain point the cuts are all clean .
 
Basedlarrydavid said:
Yeah, I did read the sharpness test sticky, but I’m looking for some additional tests.

Going through my stone progression, I usually test on the lower grits by slicing printer paper. On the higher grits, I use some really thin magazine paper (think phonebook). I just sort of look for ease of slicing/push cutting, as well as the presence of any rough spots.

By the time I’m at my 1 micron strop, I can’t tell much of a difference on paper. As I work through submicron strops, I have a REALLY hard time figuring out when I’m “done” with one and ready to move on to the next. It’s all just “sharp as hell.”

My hair is pretty curly, light colored, and fine. Not really conducive to hair whittling tests. I can do it, but pulling a hair out of my head on every strop (or even worse, several hairs out on each strop) ain’t really fun. I’m also pretty much out of hair on my arms for shaving tests, lol. I guess I can try and get hair from my girlfriend’s brush or the shower, but it’s my understanding that you want as close to fresh as possible.
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In terms of using paper aside for slicing ability I also listen for the sound the knife makes as it cuts the paper. A really sharp knife cuts the paper much more quietly.

Also not a test for for degree of sharpness per se but sliding the edge of your finger nail along the edge of the blade makes even very small chips in the blade apparent. Just don’t use pressure a sharp blade will cut right through your finger.
 
I use cash register receipts and look to see how easily I can slice paper. It's sharp enough when I slice a very thin curly slice.
 
Mostly I can tell by how easily the edge sinks into my thumb nail.
When my stomach feels a little queasy I'm there.
When I want to test a particularly fine edge I look at my arm hair with a jeweler's visor and take tiny curls off a single hair while it is still in my arm going from root toward the tip. It's harder that way to take a a curl.

Jig sharpened I can still easily do that with a blade as wide as 54° inclusive (I haven't tired an edge that is more obtuse than that).
 
Paper test is easy. Magazine paper also. Shaving arm hair is easy too. Tree topping I can't do with a knife. I can do it with a straight razor though. You guys ever try lapping film?
 
I don't think papers a good test as if you go fast enough you won't see much of any difference. Going slower works fine.. But it just seems not as good a test due to variables. But then again... Some testers will do cut tests until it can't cut hair and then will do more cutting until it can't cut paper and so on and so forth.
 
I still am content with push-cutting Yellow Pages (0.002" thick). I like to be able to push-cut semi-circular motions as I go down thru the page. That degree of sharpness obviously works great with the thumb-nail test also.
My Apex Edge Pro does most of the work, as usual.
 
In my understanding, you can store hair but need to prepare it (moisturize) before using for a test.
You should accompany your girlfriend to a hair salon and collect her hair as much as possible :)
 
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