So what is the measure of sharpness to go by?

Eliteone2383

Eliteone2383

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Im reading alot that factory sharp is in fact not sharp. I thought my Benchmades were very sharp but I am mistaken lol. What is "sharp"?
 
If you feel they are sharp...sharp enough to cut the things you want to cut....they are sharp. End of story.

There is no objective standard or measure for "sharp."
 
If you can whittle hair, make a s cut in phonebook paper, or cut toilet paper then that is really sharp. Make sure it's a clean cut and not a tug and rip.
 
williamisthe1 said:
If you can whittle hair, make a s cut in phonebook paper, or cut toilet paper then that is really sharp. Make sure it's a clean cut and not a tug and rip.
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What if you don't care about whittling hair or cutting toilet paper? I have never had the need to do either.
 
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marcinek said:
If you feel they are sharp...sharp enough to cut the things you want to cut....they are sharp. End of story.

There is no objective standard or measure for "sharp."
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This. I used to get way more hung up on how sharp I could get my knives, but I don't actually have much need for really exceptional edges. In general, I want my folders to be able to slice printer paper without snagging and if they can't they get sharpened. For my kitchen knives it's dicing a tomato.
 
marcinek said:
If you feel they are sharp...sharp enough to cut the things you want to cut....they are sharp. End of story.
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Yep.
I've also found that sometimes the uber-polished edge some people love doesn't work as great for certain materials.
It really does depend on what it is you plan on using the knife for.

Grind all the metal away on a kukri till it's as sharp as a straight razor...then watch the edge fold as soon as you chop a twig. :D
 
Insipid Moniker said:
This. I used to get way more hung up on how sharp I could get my knives, but I don't actually have much need for really exceptional edges. In general, I want my folders to be able to slice printer paper without snagging and if they can't they get sharpened. For my kitchen knives it's dicing a tomato.
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I'm around there too. Unless I'm making my award-winning 5 Alarm Whittled Hair and Diced Toilet Paper Chili. Caliente!
 
I thought I new sharp...Until I watched Dr Wako videos. Now I sharpen until I can cut S shapes in copy paper without hanging up or snagging
 
Able to shave without scraping to cut the hair... with a couple of exceptions. For a work knife that I abuse a lot, I don't worry so much about that.
 
thatsaknife said:
I thought I new sharp...Until I watched Dr Wako videos. Now I sharpen until I can cut S shapes in copy paper without hanging up or snagging
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Well, again, if you need to cut S shapes into copy paper.....:)

That said, I like to sharpen sometimes and do the cool tricks. Polished edges, that sorta stuff. But it's all more "sharp" than I actually need.

Though...I don't like flat spots and I do want my blades to catch a nail their full length. That's not really a sharpness test, more of a "edge quality" test.

Though that test always gives me the heebity jeebities.
 
Sharp enough for me is being able to fairly easily and cleanly slice through thin magazine paper. It's not the ultimate level of sharpness by any means, but it's pretty damn sharp.

I don't do "arm shaving" tests, because who wants weird bald patches on their arms?
 
I believe my benchmades have come out of the box sharper than similar ZTs. I just need it sharp enough to easily cut food / cheese.
 
Its subjective. For me there is dull/working/shaving
I'd love every knife to be shaving sharp from the factory. Unless it has some obtuse grind, every knife over $100 should shave out of the box, its a sign of quality to me.
Working edges are what I typically prefer, usually because they last longer than shaving edges.
Obviously, then theres dull. Might still take off some nail shavings.
 
I tend to sharpen my knives if they can't slice printer paper. I sharpen them up until typically they can pop a hair, or whittle one. That though is just more of an excuse to continue to practice my sharpening skills, than any real need for my normal knives to shave me.

But I find that the ability to slice paper cleanly is pretty indicative of an edge that will cut most of the things I need to. Anything much lower and I'll start to notice the difference while using, which is why it gets sharpened at that point.

Oh, and for the record, its quite difficult to slice toilet paper cleanly. If someone has a knife that can slice TP, that is dang sharp.
 
My definition of sharp is a knife that gives you gusher without pain. I usually inspect the edge with my finger tips. Its not really sonething you can explain. After so many years you just get a sense for it when you feel an edge.
 
marcinek said:
If you feel they are sharp...sharp enough to cut the things you want to cut....they are sharp. End of story.

There is no objective standard or measure for "sharp."
Click to expand...

If they're sharp enough to cut what you need them to cut, then they are sharp enough...

If you want them sharper, go for it....
 
PURPLEDC said:
My definition of sharp is a knife that gives you gusher without pain. I usually inspect the edge with my finger tips. Its not really sonething you can explain. After so many years you just get a sense for it when you feel an edge.
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When I tested the edge of my Microtech Scarab with my finger, it took off a layer of skin!
 
I've been working on my sharpening skills lately...trying some different stones and changing my freehand techniques.

My goal has always been shaving arm hair cleanly...my left arm and sometimes my right one too is ALWAYS mostly bare. I don't really care, that's what I do. I sharpen a couple of knives every weekend.
Lately, I've started spending more time slicing printer paper and then receipt paper and I'm finding that's actually much more indicative of the type of edge you're producing. You can see how cleanly it slices, I like to make multiple push cuts using the length of the blade, and it helps me find where along the edge has wire edge remnants left, is too coarse, hasn't been completely apexed, or needs further refining on a finer stone.

That's what's fun about free handing. Every single curve of a blade offers different variables and different challenges for grinding a clean apex and refining/removing the wire edge. Hard as hell, but fun.
 
PURPLEDC said:
My definition of sharp is a knife that gives you gusher without pain. I usually inspect the edge with my finger tips. Its not really sonething you can explain. After so many years you just get a sense for it when you feel an edge.
Click to expand...

You do that "catch a fingerprint ridge" thing? I kinda do like that one.
 
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