Thread: How sharp should a knife be?

Hi one and all. Latest musing.
I've used the work "sharp" in the title for want of a more lengthy title.
e.g a saw is sharp by serrated.
When we cut wood down the grain we use a large tooth rip saw. Across the grain, a crosscut.
Muscle has a grain. Not sure about flesh.
Everyone says "as sharp as a razor". But does a razor cut or shear.
If you have two highly polished surfaces they glide.
Would not a very smooth edge glide. Do we not need a ripping action.
Try cutting wood with a knife (not chopping, splitting or paring). Doubt it's very efficient.
I was looking at a trademe auction for a hone in which it said that it left just the right amount of serration on the edge.
So thought I might not be way off the mark.
Try cutting a tomato. A very 'sharp' edge works as does a serrated bread knife. But a sharp to dull edge doesn't.
Any thoughts on this subject welcomed.

sticky sharp, like a hook, I test on fingernail.
If it doesn't slip off, good enuff. Equivalent to tomato sharp....

All I know is that any knife I own is blunt and I'm shit at sharpening them. And Bahco's are sharp when you buy them.

this works great. easy get it sharp as and maintain with couple of strokes.
No chance of carving yourself.
Although, I don't know you so....
HuntFish, one side carbide, the other ceramic hone.

If I can shave my arm with it, using no force and cleans the skin I call it job done.

Used to think I had sharp knives as they took hairs off my arm, looking back they only took about 5% of the hair

As an ex butcher/ ex fisherman as sharp as you can get it. The edge angle and type of knife steel is the biggest advantage of how often it is needed to be restoned. I'm over sharpening knives now and use a CPM-M4 knife and as a backup Havalon Piranta replaceable blade knife. Done around 30 deer, pigs and goats with the CPM-M4 from the last time I stoned it and still going strong, only just give it a touch up with a diamond steel between jobs.

Originally Posted by tikka

As an ex butcher/ ex fisherman as sharp as you can get it. The edge angle and type of knife steel is the biggest advantage of how often it is needed to be restoned. I'm over sharpening knives now and use a CPM-M4 knife and as a backup Havalon Piranta replaceable blade knife. Done around 30 deer, pigs and goats with the CPM-M4 from the last time I stoned it and still going strong, only just give it a touch up with a diamond steel between jobs.

You don't reckon the diamond steels are too hard on a knife?

I heard that recently and noticed I have to touch up my knives a bit more than when I use a normal steel.
Might be bullshit as well as my knives are never sharpened properly by myself in the first place😆

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Originally Posted by R93

You don't reckon the diamond steels are too hard on a knife?

I heard that recently and noticed I have to touch up my knives a bit more than when I use a normal steel.
Might be bullshit as well as my knives are never sharpened properly by myself in the first place��

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I'm a lazy bugger. I just turn a plate or mug upside down and draw the blade across the unglazed base a couple of times at roughly the right angle. Makes the little Victorinox perfect for processing a deer for me.

Come to the idea that diamond is course for anything, only use my dc-4 diamond side when a nick needs sorting. Just figuring out Japanese whetstones only used ceramic up till now.

Use my dc-4 a lot, sharp as I can get it with the stone side and strop on the belt.... Depends on the steel how well it lasts

Seems pretty conclusive. One thing I know for sure is how I feel having sharpened a kitchen knife when I see it cutting food in the pan. Can't help but look at it after the event with a mixture of tears and desire to kill as the flattened edge glints at me.

Yerp I sharpen till it will cut thin paper smoothly, then strop with green compound until it shaves. Once the knife is sharp they usually only need a touch up on the strop to get them back to shaving

I like my knives to be as sharp as a sharp thing on its sharpest day so always invest a bit of time in making sure they are up for it.

Cheers
Pete

Sharp enough. Few mates cant even get past the skin with their shitters

I like very sharp,however I have a wife.
If its sharp you should easily be able to shave your fingerprints off without drawing blood.
A very smooth very fine edge like above isnt very good at somethings tho...like cutting a thick synthetic rope....sharpened with an angle grinder works better for that or handing it to your mate to hock an animal and he runs it around the joint using all his strenght
I like a very very sharp knife but the reality is most of the time the knife I am using is sharp enough.
I use stones,steels and diamond steels.
Diamond steels are great for when it really needs to be stoned but you dont have one with you or dont have the time...couple swipes on the diamond and a couple on the smooth steel and shes away again untill the wife uses it.

One thing I do like a slightly less sharp knife for is skinning, a very very sharp knife just makes this job bloody tedious where it is quick and easy with a duller knife.

I like a sharp knofe but sadly once it loses its edge I only seem to manage to make it blunter!!