wrote in message
oups.com...
I watched a show on the tube where they were sharpening knives and then
using the fleshy parts of their thumbs and fingers to test for
sharpness. My Dad could somehow make anything sharp enough to shave
with, and taught me to drag the end of my fingernail lightly along the
edge, a slight resistance meaning scary sharp.

Asked my barber this same question. He's over 70 and I assumed he would know
something about keeping a blade pretty sharp. He showed me by putting the
blade at an angle on the top of the thumbnail. Adjusting the angle until it
just stopped sliding. Also showed me his arkansas stone, and that when
barbers purchased a blade, it came fully sharpeded and that all the barber
had to do was use the leather to keep it that way.