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!
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On 7 Dec 2004 14:17:38 -0800, wrote:

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 prefer the thumnail test -- YMMV

--RC

Projects expand to fill the clamps available -- plus 20 percent

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 7 Dec 2004 14:17:38 -0800, wrote:

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.

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.
running a finger over the edge of a woodworking tool works well. You look for
a slippery or oily feeling edge. the sharper it is the oiler it feels. I like
this method because you can find any bad spots or missed burr's I have never cut
myself doing this. it takes some force to do so. but don't do it on a kitchen
knife (G)

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

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.