What is your first testing material?

David1967

David1967

Joined
May 10, 1999
Messages
2,769
You know.... you get new knife and you have to find out how it cuts. What do you cut first?

When I get a new knife, I use the shipping box (only if the box is in really good shape I keep it). Then I find an old newspaper, magazines, stuff in our kitchen... you name it.

I recently got new Chimera and took it to my work. No boxes, no newspaper.... but I discovered a small box of my business cards in the drawer. What a great testing material!! Without big conspicious movements you can test your blade for hours
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. Well in about 1 hour I had only about 1/3 of my cards left and I decided that I might need them later so I stopped.

So what is your first (unusual) testing material??

David



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DIVERTI NESCIO

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My Photopoint pictures

Mikov Knives
 
The 3 things I do right away:

1. Run my thumb laterally across the edge. At this point, this tells me a lot of what I want to know. But, since the real truth is in the cutting ...

2. Arm hair shaving. How does this thing push-cut? However, push-cutting is generally less important to me than slicing, so ...

3. Poly rope! I buy a good length of thick, hard poly rope every few years. I use this rope as my slicing test medium for most knives. Since it's the same test medium for years on end, I develop a really good feeling for what does and does not constitute good performance. I feel this is a better approach than ad-hoc tests on whatever I can find around me -- if I do that, each knife is tested in a unique material, so I never know what to expect or what constitutes good performance. On hard poly rope, note that unless the edge is left coarse, it will typically just slide across the top of the rope, so I often have to rough the edge up a little to see how it will really do.

Joe
 
Before I do ANY cutting, I check the edge under my 20x stereo microscope.
This tells me whether it's worth testing or a honing session must come first.
1) Test then is my thumb, the "feeling" of the edge.
2) Shaving on my arm and/or testing the slide-angle on my thumb-nail.
3) Then, probably, a piece of paper
Happy sharpening
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Ted
 
I learned a pretty nifty test at the Fennell's post-Blade hoedown. Shaving the letters off a business card. Gotta be sharp and have good edge geometry to pull that off!
David

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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
 
I think that Joe T. has the right idea with his post.
I don't so much think that the exact medium that is used to test a knife's edge is as important as using the same medium over & over. This is so that you can develop a base line of cutting experience with which you can compare future new knives' edges and future sharpening jobs.
My personnel favorite is HP's bright white inkjet paper and "free hanging toilet paper". (Preferably Charmin)
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Also, good idea Davidb.
I'm going to have to remember to bring a few business cards home from work tomorrow and give it a try.
This one should be interesting.
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--The Raptor--

[This message has been edited by Raptor (edited 06-21-2001).]
 
yep, Joe has my methods down pat, except I use Manila rope. BTW, my wife is bitterly complaing about the lack of hair on my arms.
Maybe I should consider changing my methods of testing.
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If the enemy is in range, SO ARE YOU!
 
If a knife doesn't cut standing hair
it needs sharpening. I like to sharp-
en first thing anyway, just to know
what angle is on the edge. Also, it
inevitably will be a Sharpmaker edge
so way not do it first thing?

Exception, BK&T Campanion I have shaves
but I don't think I tried to cut stand-
ing hair, not needed?

thanks,
roguesoul
 
Thumb feel and then the arm hair... Looks funny when one arm is bald and the other is an invaritable forest
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strider.gif

All you need in life is a good blade and enough smokes to get you through the day.
ICQ# 117419996
 
Arm/Chest hair!

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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
 
Actually, I should explain what I meant by the back of your head! Sal Glessers method calls for pushing the blades edge down against the back hairs of the head. If it "catches" nicely, then it is ready sharp. Works for me.

Nakano
 
My all time favorite has to be "The Amazing Incredible Rubber Band Test."

I don't remember who came up with it originally, but here's how it's done.
Hold the knife up blade towards the ceiling and edge towards you. Put a rubber band over the blade, and pull it tight against the spine, then let it fly towards the blade as if you were going to "shoot" the rubber band.

I won't tell you what happens when you do this with an EXTREMELY sharp knife, it'll be more fun for you if you find out on your own!
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Desenfundeme no sin la razón, envaineme no sin honor
Usual Suspect
Too Sexy for my shirt
MOLON LABE!
 
Ken, the rubber band test is fun! I did a lot of experimenting with this a few months ago using several different knives. I came to the conclusion that the results are not entirely dependent on sharpness, other factors come into play and are possibly more important.

I will also not share the surprising results of the infamous rubber band test. You need to see it to believe it!
 
My Sebi and Moran came up with the best results with the rubber bands. The rubber band was cut into many bits with one hit!
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I am talking about 5-6 seperate chunks with one go. How the heck did this happen?

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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
 
I side with Raptor, that a consistent testing material makes a better benchmark.

For me, that's common newsprint. The fibrous nature of newsprint work nicely to provide not only tactile but also audible feedback about the nature of the edge. I can feel edge voids that I can't see with a magnifying lens.

Try it. A really sharp edge will move through newsprint with a hiss, while a duller blade will produce a harsher tone as the fibers tear.
 
LMAO!
C'mon General, THINK about it.
What happened?

The Rubber band test is NOT a very scientific way to determine relative sharpness, but DANG it's fun!!!!
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(But I'll bet your Sebbie and your Moran are VERY sharp!)


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Desenfundeme no sin la razón, envaineme no sin honor
Usual Suspect
MOLON LABE!
 
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