In rec.knives woodworker88 wrote:
If you want to measure some sort of penetration, you could try
using machinable wax as a test material. It's supposed to be
reusable and nondestructive to cutting tools.

But like Brent's "tangent" is that about cutting ability or is
about edge sharpness?

My test is to feel-for and look-for hairs being cut when raking the
edge of the blade through the hair (peach fuzz) on my arm... in
mid-hair. Try that with a brand new razor blade that's been removed
from the holder. It'll cut-off dammed-near ever hair it contacts
and leave them laying on the blade.

My HSS skinning knife will leave quite a few hairs laying on the
blade. It's easy to get it to do that at a 5 degree honing angle
when the steel is as strong as 65hrc.

Try it.

Try the mid-hair (mid-air? test with a new razor blade, so you'll
know how sharp a piece of steel can get. Cheap.

Alvin in AZ