A sharpness story

[vivi]

Today at work one of my co-workers was showing off his $300 chef knife. He tried to show how sharp it was by slicing a receipt. It didn't cut it at all. I pulled out my serrated Pacific Salt and cleanly sliced the receipt effortlessly. Told him let me know when he wants me to sharpen his knives

[Abyss_Fish]

I've done the same lol. It's concerning how dull my coworkers kitchen knives are. It's a miracle they don't hurt themselves more often.

[carrot]

Maybe I need Vivi to sharpen some of my knives so I can see what it’s really like to own a pocket laser.

[vivi]

Maybe I need Vivi to sharpen some of my knives so I can see what it’s really like to own a pocket laser.

I'm up for sharpening one of your knives for you as long as you don't mind possibly getting scratches on your blade. My edges are sharp, but a bit sloppy.

[JD Spydo]

It is unbelievable how many people's kitchen knives ( or any of their other knives for that matter) are all mostly as dull as a butter-knife. Back in the 90s when I got my first Sharpmaker and also bought one of the "ULTIMATE Kits from Razor Edge Systems out of Ely Minnesota along with John Juranitch's book "The Razor Edge Book Of Sharpening" >> it wasn't until then that I truly learned how to properly sharpen any knife or edged tool.

I've got a good friend who is a woodworker who has turned me onto supply houses like Garrett Wade and the JapanWoodWorker. I got a lot of sharpening gear from both of them as well as Spyderco, DMT and a few others.

It even saddens me when I see how much money people spend on these sharpening gimmicks ( most of them don't work at all).
Learning the principles of basic sharpening that you can learn by mastering the 204 Sharpmaker and also reading John Juranitch's great book on sharpening is what I recommend to all newcomers. There is no short cut to proper sharpening. You've got to learn the skill. And I'm always trying to learn more. But many of these sharpening devices that people buy at the popular stores have just literally stolen millions of dollars from the consumer

[Doc Dan]

I have, I confess, two categories of kitchen knives. Some are sharp enough to do the work, but not sharper. Some are very sharp. The former are for my wife and her helper who are afraid of very sharp knives and the latter are the ones I use.

[James Y]

I had a co-worker who carried a cheap, wave-opening karambit trainer (completely unsharpened blade). He told me he carried it for self-defense. He said he was afraid to carry a knife that’s actually sharp, but that he felt that, even dull, the blade of his ‘knife’ would “hurt like ****” if he hit an attacker with it.

When he felt the edge on one of my knives (I think it was my G10 Manix 2), he said, “Oh no, that’s way too sharp for me!”

But aside from his ideas about knives, he was a good guy. I’m not knocking him as a person.

Jim

[Sonorum]

I've tried most sharpmaker techniques by now and my favorite is using the corners of the medium rods and finish with some light stropping with bark river white compound. Toothy, sharp and I get there in less then a minute.

[vivi]

I have, I confess, two categories of kitchen knives. Some are sharp enough to do the work, but not sharper. Some are very sharp. The former are for my wife and her helper who are afraid of very sharp knives and the latter are the ones I use.

I know where you're coming from. Most people aren't used to using an 8" chef knife sharp enough to shave with. There's a learning curve.

I try not to be pretentious on the job and walk in with my own knives on my first day. But when I use a house knife and it can't slice a tomato, then I'm bringing in my own blades. I have a few beater chef knives I'll be taking to my belt sander tomorrow or tuesday. I'll post about it in the community sharpening journal.

[Blackpearl]

Guilty as charged! None of my kitchen knives cut through anything with skin (mangoes, apples, tomatoes etc). The first time I used my Spyderco folder to cut a mango my kids completely freaked out! Heck I was scared as well. Without any effort half of the mango just sliced completely off! I had no idea cutting can be so satisfying with a sharp knife. I just received the glow in the dark Ladybug and I’m testing it on my grapes! Lol. Clearly I’m not using my knives to their fullest capabilities but I’m having so much fun just cutting anything and everything.

[Menipo]

I have, I confess, two categories of kitchen knives. Some are sharp enough to do the work, but not sharper. Some are very sharp. The former are for my wife and her helper who are afraid of very sharp knives and the latter are the ones I use.

Same here ....! I have gone a step further: the (very sharp) knives that I use are stored in a different drawer to avoid that she grabs the wrong knife when looking for one in a rush ... :D

[soc_monki]

I'm like vivi. My edges may not be the prettiest, but they will cut. I've even sharpened others pocket knives for them, but I usually take a bit more care with someone else's.

My kitchen knives are usually sharp. I don't make it a point to do weekly maintenance or anything, but before I use one I may check for light reflecting off the edge and if I see that I'll grab my little smith's fine diamond sharpener in the drawer and give it a little touch up. Most of them the steel is soft so a dozen swipes or so on each side do the trick. Anything more and I break out the coarse/extra fine diamond and do a little more work.

Can't stand dull knives. It doesn't have to shave, but it better be able to slice meat decently or cut a tomato.

[Bemo]

I actually like to sharpen my kitchen knives, but then when they're used on a plate.... argh! And then see the flat spots caused on the blade, I figure why bother.

[curlyhairedboy]

I need to get some Z-cuts for the kitchen...

[Doc Dan]

I need to get some Z-cuts for the kitchen...

Yes, you do, and you won’t regret it. I have 2. One was a gift and I liked it so much I bought another one.

[James Y]

All my kitchen knives are Victorinox. I do all my own cooking, and as soon as they begin to start sliding on tomatoes (for example), I touch the edge up in my SM. Then I lightly ‘strop’ the edge on a piece of notebook cardboard. It literally takes only seconds, maybe 30 at very the most.

Jim

[TomAiello]

I know many people who have _never_ sharpened their kitchen knives. They basically buy them and use them forever without any sharpening (or other maintenance).

[VooDooChild]

Do you work in a kitchen or resturaunt? Im trying to think of any other job where someone would bring an expensive chefs knife to work. An office with a nice kitchen I guess?

Anyways, they will probably be coming to you for sharpening.

[Blackpearl]

I need to get some Z-cuts for the kitchen...

Yes, you do, and you won’t regret it. I have 2. One was a gift and I liked it so much I bought another one.

Me too! I need to get some!

[Cambertree]

This story made me laugh, Vivi. :D

There’s a gulf of different meaning applied to the word ‘sharp’, even in the knife world.

Just look at those internet sale sites user reviews for junk and lower end knives, talking about how ‘razor sharp’ they came.

Spyderco and Mora are about the only two companies whose knives come with properly sharpened edges in my experience. And that’s including Japanese kitchen knives and most custom knives I’ve had too.

Back in the day, tools like knives and axes just came in a state called ‘edge ready’, as it was assumed the user would know, and have the ability to apply exactly what kind of edge they needed to it, for their purposes.

I’m curious how people rate the edges from the different Spyderco manufacturers?

Some of the Seki edges have been really excellent, but they’re not always consistently so. Golden are usually very good.

Maniago seem to be at the lower end if the scale, and I noticed the Taichung knives can be fairly thinly ground but relatively obtuse in their edge angle.

That’s just from my own small sample size, of course.