Universal testing medium?

F

Fallschrimjager

Joined
Jan 17, 2001
Messages
151
Manila rope, free hanging rope, convicted crimminals,wood, meat, straw matting, bamboo? What can you think of that could become the universal testing medium for knives, kinda like the ballistic gelitan for blades. Something that most everyone could agree on and have access to.
 
You need a wide variety of testing mediums as the cutting ability of a blade is influenced by different factors to different extents when different materials are being cut.

For example look at the following :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/MEUK_52100.html

The cutting ability on rope is pretty much determined by the sharpness and angle of the edge. Since both knives were of the same sharpness, the Sub-Sniper outperformed the MEUK significantly because of its more acute edge angle.

But when both were tested on hardwoods, the performance reversed. Here the results are again influenced by sharpness and edge angle, but edge width also plays a role and the huge difference in favor of the MEUK is enough to give it the lead.

When various soft woods were used (mostly pine), the MEUK jumped even further ahead as now the edge width had a much larger influence and the primary grind was also having an effect.

-Cliff
 
For "utility" knife testing...Newspaper, arm hair, thumb-nail.
For "tactical/combat" knife testing...Death-row inmates.
.:D.
 
Free hanging convicted criminals wrapped in duct tape sounds like the best test for fighters.

But I think Cliff is right on this one.

Maybe a set of 6 or so mediums would work better than one. But you'll never be able to get everyone to agree on what they should be.
 
I tried to do a penetration test once with my kabar - I was scraping ballistic gelatin out of my armpit for an hour. :barf:

Seriously though, all those subscription cards that fall out of magazines are perfect.
 
When it comes to rope, I'm confused as to why people pick manila. I don't think I've ever run into manila rope in my own real-world cutting. I run into some soft rope (don't know what it's made of), and harder poly rope, never manila. In all honesty, I don't run into all that much rope in real life anyway, but it's never manila. Maybe other people run into more manila rope and less poly rope.

Hard poly rope really does require different characteristics than manila rope, and since I run into it more, I tend to use that when I do rope slicing tests.
 
OK as far as different style blades for different tasks I can see the need for more than one type of medium, but in all the tests on all the blades couldn't there be one medium that could be in all the tests for cutting ability? One that could be duplicated at home so you could compare your knives cutting ability vs. others, and to see if your sharpening skills are up to par. I see alot of votes going for the death row individuals(it's not looking good for them).
 
Arm hair. When you run out of that, use leg hair. By the time the leg hair is all gone, your arms are ready for testing again.

Take care
 
Joe Talmadge :

I'm confused as to why people pick manila.
Click to expand...

Cheaper, easier to cut / handle, less abrasive ?


medusaoblongata :

you'll never be able to get everyone to agree on what they should be.
Click to expand...

You don't need everyone, not even close. A couple of dozen people could assemble a huge amount of information in a very short period of time. There are lots of makers that want to see standard tests done on blades, I know this because I talk to them on a regular basis.

Personally, I am about 25% of where I want to be on the stock tests. There is a lot more that needs to be added so as to allow a decent overview. The next thing will be 2x2's to show the difference in cutting ability between it and the hardwood dowels.

Fallschrimjager

One that could be duplicated at home so you could compare your knives cutting ability vs. others, and to see if your sharpening skills are up to par.
Click to expand...

The only way to achieve this goal is to start doing it yourself. Results can be combined with others and this should create interest and may induce others to do similar. Along these lines if there is something that you do that you would like to see me to so you can compare the results of your blades with what I have used, drop me an email. Assuming the materials used are easy to obtain I have no problem with adding another stock test.

To clarify, my position is not (and never was) that a review should simply be stock tests. While controlled cutting does allow you to quickly guage various specific performance aspects and thus rank a knife against others, there is still a need for an extended trial use in a more dynamic situation for many reasons, ideally with users of various body types and skill levels to present the most complete picture.

-Cliff
 
Cardboard, weathered garden hose, rubber tubing, plastic lawn edging, tree limbs, briars, tall weeds, water filled soda cans and plastic bottles, pesky neighborhood rug rats (kidding on that one :D), business cards, newspaper, nylon reinforced tie down straps (semi truck types), grounded electrical wire (not live!! :eek: ), PVC pipes, junk mail, and food.

These are just some of the testing media that I use. If you all have a salvage/surplus warehouse nearby, it is worth a visit to spend time rummaging through their inventory. You never know what you'll find and you usually can get it pretty damn cheap too.
 
I dunno, but I'm thinking the nuthut about 5 blocks from my house could provide some testing...
:rolleyes:

I find arms to provide a good testing ground, or computer printer paper(have enough of it, only about 5000+ sheets in the house).
 
old towels! Just hold in front of you and give it a quick slash trying
to let only a little of the edge touch and it you have a nice cut your knife is sharp. Could always test it out on the stoners that live next door!
Knifeman==>-----
 
After reading the above posts I have come to realize that I have got a ton a stuff to go out and cut.:eek:

I may have to take tomorrow afternoon off.:D
 
I like to use pages from the MicroWarehouse catalogs. Nice thin paper, and I have a bunch of it.

My new Mayo TnT goes through it like it's not even there, and this 5" fixed-blade by Dick Patton buzzes through it with ease as well. I've got a D2 folder I've been trying and trying and trying to get as sharp but it's just not working. Dunno what I'm doing wrong yet...?

Mike
 
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