You like "scary sharp"? This would *terrify* you!

peacefuljeffrey

peacefuljeffrey

Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
1,308
My new Mini Griptilian came pretty sharp right out of the box -- sharp enough that I didn't mind carrying it without doing any personal touch-up.

Well, over Independence Day weekend I went to the local gun show and picked up a Spyderco Ceramic Whet Stone (comes in a blue plastic box). I had such good results with it on a couple of Victorinox paring knives that I found myself wanting to do that touch-up on the Mini Griptilian after all.

It must be the combination of the 440C of the 'Grip, the excellent usability of this stone, and my hard-earned experience at gentle and accurate sharpening, that resulted in the fact that this knife is now in the category I would call "Ridiculously Sharp." I keep opening the knife, running a finger along its blade edge, and marveling.

Sorry to toot my own horn like this, but it's actually not all about me. I think this stone is really so easy to use (if you have some freehand sharpening skills) because it's bigger than my Spyderco Profile. It's also totally flat, instead of curved on one edge. It's easier now to hold the edge angle consistent.

If you want to carry a super sharp knife, get a Mini Griptilian (which has a great narrow grind) *and* a Spyderco Ceramic Whet Stone (medium grit/gray color stone) and you will have great success.

---Jeffrey
 
Originally posted by peacefuljeffrey
I keep opening the knife, running a finger along its blade edge, and marveling.
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Now wait just a minute--scary sharp is supposed to cut you with the slightest touch. You're either bleeding all over the place from multiple gashes in your finger, or this knife just isn't as sharp as you claim.:p

But seriously, that's cool that you found a good sharpener for ya.
 
I had a similar experience with my Spyderco Sharpmaker (plus ultra fine rods) and my Griptilian. It will catch and cut free standing hairs on my arm. I amazed some of my non-knife-knut friends by holding a piece of printer paper by one corner and slicing the free hanging paper to ribbons with quick strokes and by shaving the print off newspaper. ;) Sharp knives are kewel :cool:
 
And they're safer too, for three reasons:

1. They'll cut with less force, so you'll be less likely to muscle through what you're cutting and into yourself.

2. If you did the sharpening and testing, you're less likely to underestimate what it may do.

3. Loved ones may fear what a knifeknut with a sharp knife might do to himself or any surrounding people, pets, or furniture and hide the sharpened knife which makes it safer still.
 
I agree. You are past 'very sharp.' You are probably approaching 'scary sharp.'

I've flirted with 'spooky sharp.' There was blood on the floor, three guys, all claiming they had not been cut. We had to follow the blood trail.:D
 
I wonder how much "scary sharpness" depends on the edge angle, other aspects of edge geometry and lightness of touch. It must also depend on the medium being cut, since not all people have the same hair, skin, or whatever other body parts you like to test your knives on... :eek:

When I test the sharpness of my 30 deg edge angle AFCK on my finger pad, it slices little slits in the first layer of my skin. It's really screwing up my fingerprint there, but there's absolutely no bleeding at all. It hurts when I press down on it hard, or when it's hot outside and a bit of sweat gets inside the grooves.

Note that I just barely push the finger against the edge with a very slight motion in the edge-lengthwise direction. Once I can feel it, I pull back.
 
Originally posted by AlphalphaPB
Note that I just barely push the finger against the edge with a very slight motion in the edge-lengthwise direction. Once I can feel it, I pull back.
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I've used that method, too. After all, no matter how sharp it is, the knife can not force itself into you. You can verry gently touch the edge with your finger or thumb and see the edge bite into the first layer of skin. I've been a little more careful about edge testing since I got my SharpMaker and ultra fine rods. I'm turning into a sharpening knut. I might have to buy an Edge Pro, too ;)
 
How about this test of sharpness?

Thanx for the Edge-u-cation Java. I can provide some history on the model.

One time several years ago while I was on on business trip to Seki, one of my friends there told me of a knife made by one of their makers that was so sharp that you could put a folded piece of rice paper on the edge help upwards, blow on the paper and by the time the paper hit the tip, it would be cut. Naturally I said Bullsh*t.

Several weeks later, I received a flat ground Yanagi Sashimi model with a folded piece of rice paper and some hand drawn instructions on how to place the paper and which direction to blow on it.

I did and it actually did. The steel was AUS8W. A tungsten added AUS8. I tested the knife for about 6 months and it became one of my favorites in the kitchen. The AUS8W doesn't stay as sharp as long as even AUS8, but the edge is VERY sharp. I decided that a test run would be fun, but the standard length of the Yanagi was too long for the average American kitchen, so we custom made a short one, about 7" blade. We only made several hundered as I asumed a small number of ELUs would appreciatge this knife as I do. The 7" Sashimi (really too short to be called a sashimi knife), is now my favortie using in the kitcfhen model. We probably won't make any more after this run, because the market is too small. But I recommend that anyone that enjoys using knives in the kitchen, try this model.

hope that helps.

sal
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Found in the archives at Spyderco.com
 
There's another problem with that 'perfect edge.' Is it practical?

If you imagine that edge, (for the moment don't consider edge geometry, alloy or hardening) it would have a bevel that was even front to back, and left and right. Looking at the edge straight on, it would go directly center down the knife in a perfect line, no 'wiggles' or waves.

I was fortunate (or unfortunate) to have owned that knife for a while. It was a Microtech USSOCOM Tanto.

A few years ago, my firends and I used to gather in my kitchen after church on Saturday afternoon. I'd get out the Edge-Pro, and we would bring our favorite 'bragging knives.' These knives were not actually used for much, we just wanted to see who had the sharpest.

It is my opinion that a knife that has been sharpen a few times is shaper than one sharpen once. You slowing polish off all of the minor deflects. Now, this USSOCOM was VERY good from the factory, the bevel was very even. During our 'game,' this knife was lightly sharpen over a dozen times, and polished to a mirror finish. It would cut you and you never felt it.

It was not practical. I carried it for a bit; I once went to open an envelope and thought my sliced 'missed' the entire envelope. I had cut it open, and also sliced all of the documents and never felt it. And no matter how careful you were (and I am very careful around all machinery), some one always got cut with that knife. It opened up the palm of one of my church elders, and we didn't even see the cut. I still cannot explain it.

A buddy of mine paid top dollar for that knife right out of my pocket. Now he had the sharpest knife and the bragging rights. He also wore bandages on his fingers for several months.

I now believe that there is a 'useful sharpness.' A finish on a tool that is pleasant to use without being an accident waiting to happen.
 
I have yet to achieve that level by my own hand. The only truly scary sharp blades I have are the ones that came that way from custom makers and I have managed to keep the edge with stropping. I need to sit in a dark corner for a few years and master the subtle art of free hand sharpening. (I still have too many bad habits from my youth that I need to work through) =)
 
I'll sit and watch TV with a knife(or 3) and a stone. My military was more than scary sharp, mirror polished bevel from the spydie fines. When a co-worker got the tip on it, I had to redo my edge and lost the thin edge I had. I have to use sandpaper and files now to bring it down again. It used to pop freestanding hairs.

The only knife I carry now like that is my 2 year beater. SS Dragonfly, now has about a 20deg(or under) edge. I sharpen 2-3deg from flat on paper. It'll cut without even realizing you've been cut.
 
After touching-up the edge of my Gerber Yari (154CM steel) with my Spyderco Sharpmaker, it's now soooooo sharp that I'm afraid to take it out of its' sheath without an ER nurse standing nearby with a pack of Bandaids.:D.
 
Scary sharp is when you can cut foam ear plugs with little or no pressure, if you think it's easy, try it with your sharpest knife.
 
Originally posted by Ichabod Poser
There's another problem with that 'perfect edge.' Is it practical?

It was not practical. I carried it for a bit; I once went to open an envelope and thought my sliced 'missed' the entire envelope. I had cut it open, and also sliced all of the documents and never felt it. And no matter how careful you were (and I am very careful around all machinery), some one always got cut with that knife. It opened up the palm of one of my church elders, and we didn't even see the cut. I still cannot explain it.

A buddy of mine paid top dollar for that knife right out of my pocket. Now he had the sharpest knife and the bragging rights. He also wore bandages on his fingers for several months.
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It looks like you are arguing against a knife being "too sharp." I understand that sometimes in order to get a very sharp-feeling edge, people grind their bevels at such acute angles that the edge is flimsy and weak. But your argument does not take that familiar approach. It seems more about the danger of getting inadvertently cut, or cutting more than you intend to. I consider these to be specious arguments.

The rules of GUN SAFETY demand that a shooter never allow the muzzle of a gun to cover anything the shooter does not wish to destroy. Therefore, a shooter adhering to the rules could theoretically have a gun go off by accident -- and if he has been making sure to point it in a safe direction at all times, *no one will get hit.* I believe that in much the same way that a GUN that is never pointed at a person or thing that the shooter does not wish to destroy will never harm a soul, so it is with a KNIFE that is never allowed to have flesh before its edge.

The answer to the "too sharp" problem is not to have a knife that is less sharp; it is to take more care when handling the knife.

Your argument for getting rid of the "too sharp" knife could be used speciously almost anywhere: get rid of the too fast CAR before you wreck it and get killed (rather than just slow the hell down); get rid of the swimming POOL before your kids drown in it (rather than make sure your kids learn to swim at an early age); get rid of the household POISONS on the garage shelf before your kid finds and drinks them (rather than put them in a locked cabinet)...

I have a real hard time believing that the sharpness of your knife caused all those cuts. I have not accidentally cut myself with a knife when I was not doing something that could objectively be called stupid or risky with it. And I have stopped doing that (I used to flip my AFCK once in the air -- while closed -- and catch it. One time, it slightly opened and the point came down on my palm and made a tiny puncture.) If you don't do silly or stupid things with knives, they are as safe (regardless of sharpness) as any safely handled gun, car, or other tool.

It's all about the user.

---Jeffrey
 
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