Toilet Paper Sharp

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ricklee4570

Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
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I have a whole new respect for those of you who have posted video showing your knives sharpened to the point where you are push cutting toilet paper.

Incredible.

I have sharpened some of my knives to a mirror polish. And I mean flawless mirror polish. They will easily push cut paper, and pop a hair off your arm with extreme ease. But none will pass the toilet paper test.

I used my Edge Pro last night and but a 12 degree edge on a knife and progressed up to 6000 grit polish tape. Edge looked perfect. Still ripped the toilet paper.

Whats the secret?
 
Maybe it's just your TP slicing technique. This is a factory edge on this Ti millie, I just sharpened it on the Sharpmaker up to the UF rods. Doesn't slice TP quite as well as a polished edge but still cuts the double ply TP. So your 6000 tape edge should be able to do it.

[youtube]Q_lvstApk80[/youtube]
 
I also had a hard time getting clean cuts until I broke out the plain leather strop for the finishing touch. I had quit using it because it made hair whittling more difficult but it seems that was because the toothy finish from the diamonds provided more grab on the hair. The leather smooths that out and eliminates most of the snagging effect with the TP cutting. I have some polyester string that I use for a quick push-cut test that gives me a good feeling for sharpness. I can feel a real improvement in the push cut force with the "TP sharp" edge versus the hair whittling level so there is no question in my mind which is really sharper.
 
It's not a push cut. The blade is being pulled some so that it is slicing. Your TP might be different as well.
 
I have a Buck Maayo in s30v that cuts about like in the video singularity shows, and it wasn't taken down to 12* or a 6K tape(though it was stropped, so the edge would have been pretty clean). Technique matters a lot, as does the paper.
 
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The steel also matters. It is sometimes easier to obtain very very sharp edges on softer older steels, than compared to some of the more modern used steels for edges. I suggest getting as sharp as possible on a Buck 110 or a Schrade Old Timer carbon steel USA and then try to get that same sharpness on of 154 CM, D2 or S30V modern folder. It is much easier to do so on the Buck or Schrade than on my Spyderco D2. This was by hand sharpening btw. This was my experience and my opinion only.
 
These aren't soft steels, both M390 and ELMAX are at 62 RC.

1st knife is M390 and 2nd is ELMAX.

[youtube]Og047xX7XCw[/youtube]
 
It's not a question of sharpening, it's a question of TP brand. :)

What's your go to TP brands?
 
dsmegst said:
It's not a question of sharpening, it's a question of TP brand. :)

What's your go to TP brands?
Click to expand...

Exactly. I thought I was never going to get there until around Thanksgiving when I had the opportunity to introduce some of my relatives TP to mirror polished CPM-M4. I'm not so concerned anymore now that I realize the cheap stuff I use at home tears so easily.
 
The only red red charmine that I could find is the quilted stuff. Is that what y'all use? And how many of you go to single ply?
 
Yeah, well i can use a dull butter knife to split the plys! Great to save money on tp, too. BTW, I still see no purpose in THAT sharp of an edge!!!!!!!!!
 
jimh0220 said:
Yeah, well i can use a dull butter knife to split the plys! Great to save money on tp, too. BTW, I still see no purpose in THAT sharp of an edge!!!!!!!!!
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As I said before, we who do it, don't need it. We just want to know how to do it. :D


Seriously, I do it because, it teaches me about sharpening and what is going on with the steel while I'm doing it. Maybe when the time comes when I have learned all there is about sharpening(I do truly doubt that there is an end to learning), then I might just be content to have an edge that can cut what I want to cut.
 
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Maybe a lot does have to do with the brand of toilet paper, Im not even sure what brand I was using at the time. I could slice the toilet paper, but not push cut it.

Do any of you put micro bevels on your edges when polishing or do you use a straight single bevel?
 
ricklee4570 said:
Maybe a lot does have to do with the brand of toilet paper, Im not even sure what brand I was using at the time. I could slice the toilet paper, but not push cut it.

Do any of you put micro bevels on your edges when polishing or do you use a straight single bevel?
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I believe only Ankerson can push cut TP. It's just TP slicing for me.
 
Why do you guys have to cut your TP!? Mine is perforated!



That is really impressive, I have some knives that will slice TP pretty easily but none that would push cut it. I use the Dollar General brand which is a Scotts knock-off, 1150 sheets per roll or something like that. 4/$3!
 
Wow, discussing toilet paper brands on a knife sharpening forum. It's come to this? :)
 
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