Testing the Edge

[cudgee]

In my youth I thought I had to test the edge every time.
Filet a paper towel or cut phone book paper...
But I've been hand sharpening so long now that I just check for a wire edge and strop.
I will thumb the edge a bit and that tells me everything I need to know.

[EeDeCe]

After sharpening every knife in the house, the arm hair thing wasn't feasible and started to look weird.
Paper test, a push test in different parts of the knife as opposed to a slice. Just a straight on push into the paper.
Also, I've lately been trying my hand at wood carving and have used wine corks to practice on. Now I find those, either real or synthetic, to be a pretty good way to compare sharpness.

[tongueriver]

quote: "I will thumb the edge a bit and that tells me everything I need to know."

Yep.

[Lansky1]

In my youth I thought I had to test the edge every time.
Filet a paper towel or cut phone book paper...
But I've been hand sharpening so long now that I just check for a wire edge and strop.
I will thumb the edge a bit and that tells me everything I need to know.

THis is what I do as well. I've learned to look very closely at the edge (practically studying it) - I can now see tiny flat spots or other issues with inconsistently sharpened bevels - to me, getting both bevels perfect all the way down to the edge with the Lansky rig under close inspection, then a feel for (lack of) a burr ... always comes up with "close enough" to me, as I know it will cut if it passes that test

[AR Norby]

I use cash register receipts. If it will cut those cleanly, i'm good.

[thankgod4rkids]

At home I usually use phone book paper for the initial test but my favorite way to test sharpness is to cut some shrink wrap while it's tightly wrapped around a pallet. We have hundreds of shrink wrapped pallets at my workplace on any given day.

Once I get the blade sharpened to my satisfaction I'll take the knife to work with me and do a final test on some shrink wrap. The shrink wrap is delicate and it responds well to any imperfections that I might have missed along the edge. Fortunately, I rarely need to do any follow up honing but I use the final shrink wrap test to confirm that.

This made me laugh! It is also my method. I test on paper at home then take it to work. The shrink wrap will find any imperfections in a hurry.
Bill

[Working Edge]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

[Working Edge]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

[dlr110]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

You're not the only one on band-aids sir. Right now I have one on my right thumb with a slice on the outside edge, the blade was sharp. On my left thumb is one not from a blade, but from a belt sander when I was shaping a knife handle.

[Dinadan]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

When I sharpen kitchen knives I use a paper towel to clean the sharpening stone residue off the edge. The slightest bit of inattention and my thumb or finger needs band-aids. That is not my preferred method of checking sharpness, but it does work! I do not normally try to check the edge after sharpening. The first tomato or plum will be a test.

[Working Edge]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

You're not the only one on band-aids sir. Right now I have one on my right thumb with a slice on the outside edge, the blade was sharp. On my left thumb is one not from a blade, but from a belt sander when I was shaping a knife handle.

I find it comically ironic that Case offers a band-aid dispenser/holder....!
I wonder if Case holds shares of Band-Aid stocks???

[dlr110]

I use my thumb for edge testing, followed by shaving of arm hair.
Sometimes I use the number of stitches as an indication of sharpness after inadvertently hooking my thumb over the edge while wiping down a freshly sharpened edge.
Just kidding about the stitches, but I do indeed use a lot of band-aids....!

You're not the only one on band-aids sir. Right now I have one on my right thumb with a slice on the outside edge, the blade was sharp. On my left thumb is one not from a blade, but from a belt sander when I was shaping a knife handle.

I find it comically ironic that Case offers a band-aid dispenser/holder....!
I wonder if Case holds shares of Band-Aid stocks???

I think we might be surprised at what all CASE and maybe some other companies have their logo's on.

[cudgee]

Doing some experimenting, want to get a number that will give an indication of sharpness. Same principal as a Bess tester, but not paying 5-6 hundred dollars for one. I'm not that desperate. Playing around with this, so far looks promising.

[StrawHat]

I want to reopen this thread.

Using my thumbnail is impractical as is shaving my arm. Tomatoes or other food is wasteful.

What else do you folks do?

Kevin

[Dinadan]

I want to reopen this thread.

Using my thumbnail is impractical as is shaving my arm. Tomatoes or other food is wasteful.

What else do you folks do?

Kevin

I just use the knife for what I normally use it for. That is the test.

[FRJ]

I just use the knife for what I normally use it for. That is the test.

Here, here!

[Reverand]

I want to reopen this thread.

Using my thumbnail is impractical as is shaving my arm. Tomatoes or other food is wasteful.

What else do you folks do?

Kevin

I just use the knife for what I normally use it for. That is the test.

[cudgee]

Just finished touching this up, the good old paper receipt test, always gives a good guide for either a toothier or smoother edge.

[catspa]

What if you need to return an item, do you tape all the shreds back together?

“I’m sorry sir, I can’t accept this knife for return without the original receipt in original condition.”

Guess you’re stuck with it (figuratively speaking).

Parker

[Alien883]

I see in this section many threads about various ways to achieve a sharp edge. What I do not see is how you are testing that edge to determine if it is sharp.

So, boys and girls, what is your favorite method for testing the edge of a newly sharped blade?

Thank you.

Kevin

Roll up ur pants and start shaving ur leg...hair come off...Sharp!!!!

[StrawHat]

I see in this section many threads about various ways to achieve a sharp edge. What I do not see is how you are testing that edge to determine if it is sharp.

So, boys and girls, what is your favorite method for testing the edge of a newly sharped blade?

Thank you.

Kevin

Roll up ur pants and start shaving ur leg...hair come off...Sharp!!!!

Since I work in various storefront, probably not.

Receipt paper will do. I was just looking for what others might use.

Thank you all!

Kevin

[Mumbleypeg]

Over the years I’ve learned to judge by feeling the edge with a light touch of my thumb. (Once had one so sharp that just touching it lightly cut me. ). Other than that I always found newsprint to be a good test. I no longer subscribe to the newspaper but keep some around just for that purpose. A little goes a long way.

That and starting a fire is about all a “news”paper is good for nowadays.

Ken

[Dan In MI]

I use receipt paper and mail-order catalogs. There is a certain conglomerate who sends catalogs faster than I can slice them up!

[OLDE CUTLER]

I use receipt paper and mail-order catalogs. There is a certain conglomerate who sends catalogs faster than I can slice them up!

I similarly use the frequent, redundant, and wasteful NRA mailings to do the slice test.

[orvet]

I use receipt paper and mail-order catalogs. There is a certain conglomerate who sends catalogs faster than I can slice them up!

I similarly use the frequent, redundant, and wasteful NRA mailings to do the slice test.

Great idea OC! It seems within a month of renewing my NRA membership I start getting renewal notices. It's becoming so annoying that I don't renew my membership until they send me a discounted offer to renew after my membership lapses. They would have a lot more money to spend on legislation if they stop sending out all the mailers, and buying cheap Chinese knives as a premium!

To stay on topic, I test larger knives on a tightly rolled piece of old blue jeans material, about 3/8 in diameter. It's tough material and not easily cut unless the edge is sharp. If the edge will cut through the blue jean material cleanly, without a lot of pressure, it is sharp. Often times blade thickness works against this test, but it will tell you if the edge is not sharp, even with a thick blade. You can definitely tell if the blade is not grabbing and cutting the material.

Regarding testing sharpness on tomatoes or other vegetables / fruit; that will indeed give you a good indicator of the knives sharpness, but be sure to clean the blade well afterwards with soap and water because the acid in a tomato or other fruits will definitely affect the edge, especially with carbon steel. The Henckles rep told me many years ago that the juice of a tomato will even a stainless knife.

Many times I find that a knife doesn't need to be sharpened, only cleaned. I use a spray called
Blade and Bit Cleaner to clean knife blades before sharpening and generally also after sharpening. I was amazed to find that many knives have a layer of food or other particles on them. Often just cleaning the blade restores 80 to 90% of the sharpness. I don't like to remove metal unless I have to. A cleaning with Blade and Bit Cleaner and stropping if necessary takes care of most of my kitchen knives