When do you say "That's sharp enough."?

Joe Duder

Joe Duder

Joined
Jan 22, 2013
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I usually sharpen my blades until they're hair popping sharp. Meaning, the hairs jump off my arm with very little pressure from my blade and without seeing dry or rubbed off skin. Then I usually test it on news print. I usually want a nice smooth, effortless, sharp cut through the print. Then I do an S shaped cut through the print. If I see paper fibers sticking out of the cut or the paper catches on any point of the blade, I usually strop it a bit more. I basically like my knives just shy of, if not, razor sharp.

Is this too sharp?

What are your tests?

At what point do you say "That's one sharp son of a ..."

Thanks, Duder.
 
If I can easily slice or slowly push-cut phone book paper with any part of the blade, I call it "sharp enough."

Good sharpening,
Dave
 
They still make phone books?!

Just foolin'. I'll bet phone book paper is thinner than newsprint.

Thanks.
 
I alway go until I can shave arm hair. Of course, if you sharpen a few knives religiously, you end up looking like you have a touch of the mange!!
 
I try to make diagonal cuts into newsprint. What I mean is cutting the paper at an angle and try to get a 1mm bevel on paper, very difficult.

also roll up some newspaper and slice sideways, dull edge will slip.
 
HwangJino said:
I try to make diagonal cuts into newsprint. What I mean is cutting the paper at an angle and try to get a 1mm bevel on paper, very difficult.

also roll up some newspaper and slice sideways, dull edge will slip.
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I like the sideways technique!
 
Tough to make a blanket statement, but generally if its 3 finger sticky and shaves arm hair I'm good. I'm better if it tree-tops leghair - doesn't have to come off in tufts, a few at a pass is good enough. Have taken to 3 finger sticky and cutting a circle out freehanging newspaper - this saves my arm and leg hair.

All depends on what its for, if for a co worker I might stop at just barely shaving arm hair but with a nice coarse edge.
 
I never really stop sharpening, and I frequently strop as a time filler, but I stop worrying about the sharpness when it is capable of slicing toilet seat cover. And effortlessly gliding through receipt paper.
 
When I can splice hair. All my knives have a 30 degree inclusive edge that I usually polish and strop until I can whittle a hair, then I'm satisfied.
 
mycough said:
Opening a box from Big Chris makes me say that every time. Russ
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LOL! I hear ya on that one...

Start to dig into my thumb nail with only the weight of the blade, no snagging across the edge of a finger nail, cleanly / easily slices jegs / summitracing catalog, shaves arm / leg hair easily.
 
spyderco lover said:
When I can splice hair. All my knives have a 30 degree inclusive edge that I usually polish and strop until I can whittle a hair, then I'm satisfied.
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I've tried to get my blades to whittle hair, but I just can't seem to get them that sharp.

Where abouts in Sac are you? I'm in Foothill Farms.
 
Joe Duder said:
I've tried to get my blades to whittle hair, but I just can't seem to get them that sharp.

Where abouts in Sac are you? I'm in Foothill Farms.
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Citrus heights area. And its all about what steel you use, and what your edge bevel/finish are. Most of my blades have a 2000 grit mirror polish that I then strop for a minimum of 30 minutes to get it absolutely perfect. After a few minutes you start to feel the difference in edge stickiness
 
My "sharp" definition has changed since I did my comparison test of Cruwear vs M4. I used to do all the mirror polishing and the million micron stropping until I put that on 3/8" manilla rope to Alice and it just slipped over it! I now go very, very sharp, but on a 450-600 grit. This will devour rope, hide, meat, etc. tons of "bite". It won't cleanly slice phone book paper, but it chews through fiberous rope and meat. I had an incredible Rib Eye steak the other night- prime cut, cooked to 140*, and my coarser, toothier edge was PERFECT for that. I now sharpen more for what practicality dictated I'm going to be cutting. Shiny, see yourself edges are pretty, but for me, don't "function" nearly as well. Besides, I've never been attacked by a phone book. :-) This is only my opinion, as always YMMV.
 
If it can push cut an a curve in phone book paper its good enough for me. The main reason I use phone book paper is because its free and its useless for anything else.
 
Vegas Blade said:
My "sharp" definition has changed since I did my comparison test of Cruwear vs M4. I used to do all the mirror polishing and the million micron stropping until I put that on 3/8" manilla rope to Alice and it just slipped over it! I now go very, very sharp, but on a 450-600 grit. This will devour rope, hide, meat, etc. tons of "bite". It won't cleanly slice phone book paper, but it chews through fiberous rope and meat. I had an incredible Rib Eye steak the other night- prime cut, cooked to 140*, and my coarser, toothier edge was PERFECT for that. I now sharpen more for what practicality dictated I'm going to be cutting. Shiny, see yourself edges are pretty, but for me, don't "function" nearly as well. Besides, I've never been attacked by a phone book. :-) This is only my opinion, as always YMMV.
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Hey vb, I read your test and I agree with you about the toothier edge. This is a conclusion that I've been slowly coming to for awhile. I have noticed that s30v takes an awesome tree topping edge on the 600 grit medium sharpmaker stones. If I try to take it much that it started losing its bite.
 
I use the phone book paper test for my knives. Slow cut with no snags, all good!
 
I've never said that ;) I will be proud when I achieve a true hanging hair test. I'm getting closer, but every day is an uphill battle against little black strands! Right now I settle for whittling hair.
 
Joe Duder said:
I usually sharpen my blades until they're hair popping sharp. Meaning, the hairs jump off my arm with very little pressure from my blade and without seeing dry or rubbed off skin. Then I usually test it on news print. I usually want a nice smooth, effortless, sharp cut through the print. Then I do an S shaped cut through the print. If I see paper fibers sticking out of the cut or the paper catches on any point of the blade, I usually strop it a bit more. I basically like my knives just shy of, if not, razor sharp.

Is this too sharp?

What are your tests?

At what point do you say "That's one sharp son of a ..."

Thanks, Duder.
Click to expand...

Is there such a thing? :D
 
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