What's your sharpening goal?

Rennd

Rennd

Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
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What do you hope to be able to get your edges to do?
My goal has evolved over the years to shaving, to cleanly shaving, to mirror, to hair whittling, and now, my probably unattainable goal: to split a hair dropped on the blade edge. You guys read that book eragon? At one point, he and his brother said they could do that. While that's fantasy, I'd really like to actually do that someday.
So, what are you guy's sharpening goals?
 
push cut paper slowly from having the knife edge sitting right on the top of the edge of the paper. that's as sharp as you can get.
 
Its been almost a year now where I've been at freehand sharpening. My skills have progressed a lot and I can attain hair splitting edges, but as mentioned above by Chris--I don't get them every time. Still need a lot of work getting really crisp edges straight off a stone. I always need the aid of a strop to really clean up an edge and bits of burr I can't get off.
 
I would like to be able to whittle off neutrons, but I will settle for being able to push cut tissue paper.

I should clarify that I am not yet at push cutting tissue paper, I can slice cleanly though (except when I twist the blade and ruin the cut). Push cutting is actually hard to attain.
 
I can pretty quickly with my oil stone and strop get hair shaving sharp and that's good enough for me. Now mind you it's not like barber razor sharp but it does shave hair.
 
I sharpen until it's sharp to the touch but not sharp enough to cut free-hanging hairs, except in the case of Buck knives and the blades of my SAKs. They'll easily slice through paper and you can even shave with them if need be, but since a lot of my blades chipped a couple of years back when I sharpened them at an angle that was too steep I ended up just going with a wider angle instead.
 
Consistently whittle hair in less than 2 minutes of sharpening time. I've done 3 and 4 minutes, but haven't made 2 yet.
 
To buy me some DMT Stones and a 306uf Spyderco, and get to it. But i cant yet since i dont Know what grits to byt the Stones in.
 
I really like this question.
As sharpening is a progressive skill, it makes good sense to ask about goals

I invested in a set of Chosera stone, so what ever I can do with these stone is as sharp as I want
But practically, I aim for shaving sharp
 
HHT-5 with a stainless steel blade. I have reached HHT-4 with stainless a few times, and HHT-5 with carbon twice. I think when I finally do this I will be willing to put the stones away and get a wicked edge or edge pro.
 
I have decided that sharp enough is sharp enough. I know what I use knives for so I know when the blade is there. It may or may not shave hair off my body - usually does unless I'm in a hurry - but sharp enough is sharp enough for me. Anybody who has ever watched me field dress a deer knows what sharp enough looks like, right through the brisket like butter, well a little oohmph! doesn't hurt but they won't tell. :)
 
CRH said:
I have decided that sharp enough is sharp enough. ........
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Very well said! I too feel the same way. If my knives are sharp enough for the job at hand, without my needing to use excessive force to get them to do it, I don't need any more. I've gotten more before, when I was challenging myself to learn. I learned. Now all I need is correct, long lasting performance.


Stitchawl
 
I believe I'm happy with my results I'm getting now, consistent hair whittling edges. I have a sharpmaker but I rarely use it. I got the three stone dmt set for Father's Day and that will get me all the results I need. If I'm feeling froggy, I'll use my king 1k, king 6k, and then chinese 12k natural. That gets scary!
 
I don't care to whittle hair or tissue paper. I'm happy with sharp enough to shave arm hair as I'm more concerned with edge retention. DM
 
With my edges, I wish to split subatomic particles and unlock the secrets of the universe. More realistically, generally I aim for arm hair shaving and paper whittling.
 
TouchOfRed said:
To buy me some DMT Stones and a 306uf Spyderco, and get to it. But i cant yet since i dont Know what grits to byt the Stones in.
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If you get the blue, red , and green (coarse, fine, and extra fine) DMT, that should cover you pretty well. Then go to fine sandpaper or waterstones after if you want.
 
stitchawl said:
Very well said! I too feel the same way. If my knives are sharp enough for the job at hand, without my needing to use excessive force to get them to do it, I don't need any more. I've gotten more before, when I was challenging myself to learn. I learned. Now all I need is correct, long lasting performance.


Stitchawl
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I agree with this. On occasion in the past I ve managed toilet paper push cutting sharpness, but now I feel that s a waste of time. Those edges don t hold that degree of sharpness long. I now prefer a coarser edge for longer lasting sharpness.
 
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