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testing for sharpness
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. |
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. Sounds a bit dangerous if you don't know what you are doing there. I prefer just to try the common method of slicing off strips of paper with the blade. -- Regards, Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com Over 60 woodworking product reviews online! ------------------------------------------------------------ Latest 6 Reviews: - Porter Cable COIL250 Coil Nailer - Ryobi 18v Cordless Jigsaw - Festool CT22E Dust Extractor - Fasco GN-40A Brad Nailer - Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction - Milescraft SignCrafter ------------------------------------------------------------ |
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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. I always seem to have patchy arm hair....bad habit I picked up from a knife and sword-making buddy of mine. |
Rather than dragging anything that belongs to you along the blade, turn the
blade crosswise to your thumbnail and, with the blade at about a ten degree angle from square to your thumbnail, just drop the blade down onto the nail gently, moving it slightly toward you. If it's truly sharp it will catch on the nail; it it's anything less than sharp it will skid. Tom Dacon 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. |
On Tue, 07 Dec 2004 23:30:29 GMT, "mark" wrote:
I always seem to have patchy arm hair....bad habit I picked up from a knife and sword-making buddy of mine. Knifemaker's Mange. Confused the hell out of my acupuncturist. She thought it was an iron deficiency, but I explained that was one mineral I certainly wasn't short of. |
That's on the FLAT of the nail, not on the edge, by the way.
Tom Dacon "Tom Dacon" wrote in message ... Rather than dragging anything that belongs to you along the blade, turn the blade crosswise to your thumbnail and, with the blade at about a ten degree angle from square to your thumbnail, just drop the blade down onto the nail gently, moving it slightly toward you. If it's truly sharp it will catch on the nail; it it's anything less than sharp it will skid. Tom Dacon 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. |
On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 08:52:26 +1000, "Woodcrafter"
wrote: wrote in message roups.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. Sounds a bit dangerous if you don't know what you are doing there. I prefer just to try the common method of slicing off strips of paper with the blade. In which direction? I like to go in the plane of the paper, myself. :) Mark |
On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 01:45:41 GMT, Mr. Moose
wrote: On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 08:52:26 +1000, "Woodcrafter" wrote: wrote in message groups.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. Sounds a bit dangerous if you don't know what you are doing there. I prefer just to try the common method of slicing off strips of paper with the blade. In which direction? I like to go in the plane of the paper, myself. :) Mark I think he meant a crosscut.. I don't think a blade is sharp until it will resaw paper.. |
On Tue, 7 Dec 2004 16:12:42 -0800, "Tom Dacon" wrote:
Rather than dragging anything that belongs to you along the blade, turn the blade crosswise to your thumbnail and, with the blade at about a ten degree angle from square to your thumbnail, just drop the blade down onto the nail gently, moving it slightly toward you. If it's truly sharp it will catch on the nail; it it's anything less than sharp it will skid. works the same with a plastic ball point pen. the steeper you can get the knife to catch the sharper it is. -- Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions. |
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. |
If you're going to cut wood, why not test across the endgrain of a nice pine
scrap? Shine = sharp. Oh yes, cutting resistance is also a good indicator when using this process. 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. |
To test carving tools for sharpness, nothing beats trying them on a piece of
wood. Across the grain you can see where more work is needed. The best way to sharpen a knife to cut rope is on concrete. This makes a really terrible edge (for woodworking) but leaves plenty of teeth for severing the rope fibers. 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. |
"Dave W" wrote in message
To test carving tools for sharpness, nothing beats trying them on a piece of wood. What!? ... and then have to go through all that sharpening crap all over again? -- www.e-woodshop.net Last update: 11/06/04 |
What!? ... and then have to go through all that sharpening crap all over again? (G) -- Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions. |
In article ,
Woodcrafter wrote: wrote in message roups.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. Sounds a bit dangerous if you don't know what you are doing there. I prefer just to try the common method of slicing off strips of paper with the blade. -- Regards, Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews Yeah, it's surprising how many people prefer to slice off strips of their fingers instead. -- Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland |
Steve Knight wrote:
The sharper the steel the more effort it takes to cut meat. this seems weird but you need bigger teeth on the edge to grab meat and such. I had learned this when I got my first handmade Japanese kitchen knife. I sharpened it to 8000 and it was sharp. it fell through a spud but you had to saw meat with it. took it down to 1000 grit and man it cut meat like crazy. I think Leonard Lee explained this phenomenon in his sharpening book, but I can't remember the explanation. You're absolutely right though. A knife that's sharp enough to shave DNA out of a hair cell won't cut meat worth a damn. Meat knives need some tooth. Tomato knives too. -- Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621 http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/ http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/ |
I think Leonard Lee explained this phenomenon in his sharpening book, but I can't remember the explanation. You're absolutely right though. A knife that's sharp enough to shave DNA out of a hair cell won't cut meat worth a damn. Meat knives need some tooth. Tomato knives too. because courser teeth have less surface touching so they grab better. -- Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions. |
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