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- Dec 7, 2000
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- 5,179
For what it's worth, I've always felt testing damascus might be better done with hardness testing files anyway. No, I don't have any, I rely on the brass rod and cardboard for my testing. 
But Roger I'm with Nick on this one - just do it.
Here's how I do the brass rod test; others have their own methods that are probably better.
I have a short brass rod that lays on a heavy steel block. I press the edge of the blade (edge facing me) against the rod until I see it flex a bit. That is harder than they would make you think! Then I roll the blade back and forth over the rod, watching for it to flex all the way. I have a magnifying glass nearby that I use to examine the edge before and after rolling. I think the key is to get enough pressure to make the edge flex, and that really takes some doing. And it's much tougher near the tip.
You can also mount the rod in a vise to do the same thing but for me the drag sliding it across the edge makes it very difficult to maintain sufficient pressure on the blade.
Just don't bend that bad boy! And don't cut your fingers off! 
When I'm satisfied the edge is good I wrap a rag around the handle and commence cutting cardboard. Maybe I'm not harsh enough, I usually slice a piece of stiff heavy cardboard into 1/4" strips. If the blade is still cutting when I get down to a small piece of cardboard it passes. This may not be aggressive enough for many of the makers here, but I don't have the voodoo yet to make those magic permanent edges that'll cut car doors and still shave. My knives are either safe queens or skinners, and neither life is very hard on an edge.
My EDCs cut bags of dirt and sand and mulch open all weekend this time of year - now that is a test of a blade. And I'm wearing a lot of steel off em sharpening. Course, my carry knives are not handmade. I rotate between a Case trapper, a Hubertus auto and a Lone Wolf / Loveless City Knife. Of the three the City Knife holds the best edge; and it's a good thing for belt grinders and buffing wheels or I wouldn't be able to sharpen that bad boy. I don't know about anyone else but I get really frustrated trying to sharpen knives the traditional way these days. My 320 grit belt turning slowly and scratchless pink compound make short work of any dull blade. Lucky knife makers!
Anyway, Roger go for it. I think all your worry is for naught because your HT is surely as good as it gets. I don't know anyone who sweats the HT details the way you do. I can't wait to get my hands on that thing to do a little cutting of my own...so leave your edge on it when you send it to me. Just tape it up so it doesn't cut its way out of the box before it gets here!
I'm psyched, this is a cool project.
But Roger I'm with Nick on this one - just do it. Here's how I do the brass rod test; others have their own methods that are probably better.
I have a short brass rod that lays on a heavy steel block. I press the edge of the blade (edge facing me) against the rod until I see it flex a bit. That is harder than they would make you think! Then I roll the blade back and forth over the rod, watching for it to flex all the way. I have a magnifying glass nearby that I use to examine the edge before and after rolling. I think the key is to get enough pressure to make the edge flex, and that really takes some doing. And it's much tougher near the tip.
You can also mount the rod in a vise to do the same thing but for me the drag sliding it across the edge makes it very difficult to maintain sufficient pressure on the blade.
Just don't bend that bad boy!
And don't cut your fingers off! When I'm satisfied the edge is good I wrap a rag around the handle and commence cutting cardboard. Maybe I'm not harsh enough, I usually slice a piece of stiff heavy cardboard into 1/4" strips. If the blade is still cutting when I get down to a small piece of cardboard it passes. This may not be aggressive enough for many of the makers here, but I don't have the voodoo yet to make those magic permanent edges that'll cut car doors and still shave. My knives are either safe queens or skinners, and neither life is very hard on an edge.
My EDCs cut bags of dirt and sand and mulch open all weekend this time of year - now that is a test of a blade. And I'm wearing a lot of steel off em sharpening. Course, my carry knives are not handmade. I rotate between a Case trapper, a Hubertus auto and a Lone Wolf / Loveless City Knife. Of the three the City Knife holds the best edge; and it's a good thing for belt grinders and buffing wheels or I wouldn't be able to sharpen that bad boy. I don't know about anyone else but I get really frustrated trying to sharpen knives the traditional way these days. My 320 grit belt turning slowly and scratchless pink compound make short work of any dull blade. Lucky knife makers!
Anyway, Roger go for it. I think all your worry is for naught because your HT is surely as good as it gets. I don't know anyone who sweats the HT details the way you do. I can't wait to get my hands on that thing to do a little cutting of my own...so leave your edge on it when you send it to me. Just tape it up so it doesn't cut its way out of the box before it gets here!
I'm psyched, this is a cool project.
