What's your sharpness test?

I usually use phonebook paper, if it cuts without snags forward and backward then I am good to go
 
For most chores I see if the knife can slice through a piece of white printer paper quietly, followed by seeing if it can make thin curls along the edge, and test with my thumb to see if it bites on contact.
 
Shaving hair and slicing paper cleanly.

After careful progression up to 600 grit I'm almost always happy with my results.
 
I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this thread...I usually test on my thumb to see if the edge will grab the skin (that is the best way I can explain it haha) and every once in awhile when I'm feeling brave I'll whittle a hair. :D

edited to add:
I also check to see if I can cut the blue wrapper that pieces of five gum come in (am I showing my age here? :D)
 
9blades said:
I also check to see if I can cut the blue wrapper that pieces of five gum come in (am I showing my age here? :D)
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Another interesting one I've never tried before! Also, I have a new favorite test. If I can just cup the knife and let the weight of the knife push cut through magazine paper I really like that edge. However, the weight of the knife makes a big difference for this one :p
 
Cutting the head off a slave. But this gets expensive if you do a lot of sharpening.
Push-cutting phone book paper for edges that will be use primarily for push-cutting, and horizontally slicing a ripe tomato without holding it for slicers.
(Cut a flat surface on the tomato and place on a cutting board first.)
 
Running the edge across my thumbnail. I can easily feel how it bites and whether the edge is uniform.

TedP
 
speaking of paper slicing, someone stole my business and government phonebook again! this isn't funny anymore. i let maybe 6 neanderthals into my house regularly and 3 of those are knife nuts. they've stopped printing phone books years ago in my country and they're now hard to come by. :(
 
ask them if they want some phonebooks that they can cut up. if they pay shipping, i'll send them however many i can fit in a medium flat rate box. i need to thin out the phonebooks i have here in the house.
 
Sharpnessis said:
That is seriously sharp Richard! I like it!
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pbeezer and pmc actually seen me do that twice with k II when they were up last sunday. the first time the paper never gave me a problem but the second time when pbeezer was recording me cutting the paper, the paper messed with me.
 
Sharpnessis said:
I'll touch the edge to the tip of my nose. When it's really sharp it feels like a 9 volt battery on your tongue.
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I'll be damned! When I first read that, I immediately thought,"I bet that'll work!" Intuitive, kinda. And it does. Which knife? All of 'em, so far. When I find one that doesn't, I'll have the excuse to sharpen it some more.
Probably need to cut back on the coffee...
 
hank_rearden said:
speaking of paper slicing, someone stole my business and government phonebook again! this isn't funny anymore. i let maybe 6 neanderthals into my house regularly and 3 of those are knife nuts. they've stopped printing phone books years ago in my country and they're now hard to come by. :(
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In the absence of phonebook paper, I've found that many mail-order catalogs use thin paper that seems to very closely mimic the 'slice-ability' of phone book pages. :D

Cabela's catalogs work well for this. No shortage of those around our place (both myself and my father are on the mailing list).


David
 
Sharpnessis said:
I'll touch the edge to the tip of my nose. When it's really sharp it feels like a 9 volt battery on your tongue.
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Sharpnessis said:
Give it a try. Let us know how it works for you. Maybe I'm the only weirdo around :eek:
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My family already thinks I'm kinda weird, what with all the cuts on my fingertips (which I often display with pride). Add them to the tip of my nose, and they might start worrying and looking at me funny (or, more funny than usual). :eek:


David
 
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