What's the best way to test a knife's capabilities?

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geothorn

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Hello --

Say you've bought yourself a new work or hunting knife and you're curious to find out what it can do. How would you go about testing it's sharpness, it's durability, it's flexibility, it's edge retention capabilities, etc.? For example, what's everyone's favorite way to test sharpness? Cutting through a free-hanging rope? Slicing through typing paper until it starts ripping? Shaving the hair off of your arm?

Thanks!
Geothorn
 
Geothorn, hi. i'm new to these forums but will try to answer. from what i've read here, most like cutting cardboard(this seems to also test blade durability) and slicing paper at an angle. also try to cut papertowel when holding it up and pulling the blade down it.(this can be done if "scary sharp")

*these are for sharpness, that is all i do with my blades, i just cut with them.
maybe someone else will have better suggestions.

wwells20

*and yes, shaving hair off arm seems to be a standard! :)
 
geo,
if it does for you what you want it is good nuf... if you want compairson ...hummm i have looked up several sites and read their compairson testing....
and there are many diffrences in how thy go about testing... i have observed that a knife that does great in one type of test does not always do well in another tho jest as sharp as another but does not feel it!!!! this as diffrent steels have diffrent carestertics at the molaculie level on the edge with the carbides in the steel mattrex (pardon sp please). this site on how to sharpen and has a list of Steels and there qualities and an explation of why several are good one use or another scrole down and it even covers damascus as well as other WELL known steels like 154 CM & little known like STELLITE 6-K read carefully and note the details of each !!! very good site: http://users.ameritech.net/knives/steels.htm
another site is anvel fire on heat treating steel and how they do it for a good edge on diffrent steels ... http://www.anvilfire.com/FAQs/knives01.htm
these sites are work ok with no funny stuff...
 
Thanks for great replies!

I guess that I'll just have to start cutting and see how every knife does. :) Buying a new knife is just the formal part, cutting with a new knife is the fun part. :D

GeoThorn
 
geothorn said:
Thanks for great replies!

I guess that I'll just have to start cutting and see how every knife does. :) Buying a new knife is just the formal part, cutting with a new knife is the fun part. :D

GeoThorn
Click to expand...

I beg to differ with you in that not all cutting is fun...
cutting of ones fingers or other body parts :eek: is not 'fun' as it can cause severar pain :( and much bleeding makeing a hjeck of a mess to clean up :mad: aside form expensive doctor and emgerency room bills!!! :grumpy:
So...
Jest dont cut your self! :D
 
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