Over sharpening?

[Drubieg]

I see and hear a lot of people fully sharpening their knives in time frames that seem pretty quick to me…like they do it pretty often… like once a week or month? It seems like many users sharpen their blade wayyy more often then I do, and I use my knives as an electrician everyday and around the house. I usually only feel the need to touch up a blade unless it’s got massive chips. Am I mislead about how often people sharpen they knives? Or am I just delusional about how much I use mine? Maybe something I’m missing? K390 is my most used steel, even vg10 only usually needs stropping… maybe I dont have a high standard for sharpness? And I do think about longevity when it comes to sharpening, but I def don’t baby my edges in use

[u.w.]

different strokes for different folks, ya?

You're doing what works for you, which is exactly right - for you. Others...

u.w.

[Drubieg]

Yea, I guess the frequency to which most people do a full sharpening seems unnecessary to me. Like the blade would be diminished too quickly

Edit: maybe it’s just YouTubers that do that

[sal]

Hi Drubieg,

I guess it depends on how sharp you like to keep you knife. I like to keep my EDC sharp enough to shave hair. If I use it, I check it at the end of the day. If it isn't sharp enough for me, a few strokes on the Sharpmaker fine stones restores the very sharp edge without removing much steel.

sal

[Vaugith]

I would prefer my knives always be able to split hairs, but realistically I settle for being able to push cut newsprint. I'm also an electrician and my edges used to get beat up and resharpened weekly or even more often, but I have since been able to learn better use habits, better steel choices, and better sharpening, geometry, and touch up practices to keep an edge going for much longer. Plus I have way more knives than I used to so the wear gets rotated around.

Needing to resharpen my work knife weekly or even more often was the biggest factor that got me into higher end knives in the first place.

I wouldn't worry about wearing your knife away from over sharpening. I've done testing on knives before and completely dulled them on a brick and resharpened 20+ times in a day, and honestly could just barely tell any difference in profile set next to a brand new model. Unless you're sharpening on something like a belt sander. Then yeah, you can wear through a blade fast.

[JD Spydo]

Yea, I guess the frequency to which most people do a full sharpening seems unnecessary to me. Like the blade would be diminished too quickly

Edit: maybe it’s just YouTubers that do that

I tend to agree with this guy. Take my Spyderco M390 Military model for instance. I haven't done a really thorough sharpening of it since around Thanksgiving. I mainly just touch it up frequently on the 204 Sharpmaker or I tune it up on my F. Dick Multicut sharpening steel and it stays scary sharp. I usually give the M390 Military maybe 2 and no more than 3 complete sharpenings a year and it's usually laser sharp anytime I want to use it.

My Cruwear Ayoob (PE model) hasn't been given a complete sharpening yet since I've gotten it (July 2022)>> and all I do with it is just to fine tune it frequently. Unless I encounter a really brutal cutting job I can usually maintain a great cutting edge by just keeping it tuned up frequently.

[Drubieg]

Yea these touch ups and constant maintenance after use is about all I find myself needing to do. Light sharpmaker at home and a double stuff for when I’m out of the house. Diamond rods seem to be the exception. I never let the edge go long enough into the realm of dull unless one single day of use gets it there

[RustyIron]

The frequency with which I sharpen can be every few days, or over a month. If the edge doesn't grab my fingerprints, then I'm not happy.

My obsession stems from advice my grandfather gave me when I was a kid: "Keep your drill bits sharp. They'll last longer that way." The level of workmanship is much higher, and the job can be completed more quickly. It doesn't matter whether it's drill bits, lathe bits, nail clippers, or pruning shears. Keep 'em sharp and you'll do better work.

Yesterday I grabbed a cupcake and whipped out my Manix 2 Heavyweight. I expertly parted the cupcake into two perfect halves, the slice appearing as if it was done with a laser. It was magnificent. One of the ladies commented a bit condescendingly, "Oh, you are JUST like my husband! He always has a knife!" I showed her the perfection of each of my cupcake halves and asked, "Do you think I could grab ANY knife out of the drawer and and up with such lovely cupcake halves?" My point was undeniable, but I don't think she considered it as important as I did. That's ok. Cupcakes are supposed to make you happy. Cut them any way you like.

The same is true for pocket knives. Coarse edge, polished edge, low angle, high angle, stoned, or stropped--do it whatever way you want. And if you're not sure, knives are just like cupcakes: take two and try them both.

[VooDooChild]

On this forum you just buy a new knife when the one you are using goes dull.

Seriously though, I dont sharpen very often. I am happy with a working edge. As long as its not completely dull, Im good. Stropping works well for me too.

[jwbnyc]

I used to sharpen my knives only when they wouldn’t get the job done.

Nowadays I over sharpen.

It’s therapeutic.

I’m not taking much steel, mostly touching up with an 8000 grit pocket slip, but yeah: totally over sharpening.

[Evil D]

Just depends on your standards. Regardless of the steel, I won't leave the house with a knife that isn't at the highest sharpness I can reach, and when you have enough knives to rotate, that's not hard at all to maintain. Keeping them that sharp isn't a big deal unless I damage an edge, otherwise it's just a trivial touch-up job that I can do in the time it takes to post a thread about it on a forum.

[sethwm]

Hi Drubieg,

I guess it depends on how sharp you like to keep you knife. I like to keep my EDC sharp enough to shave hair. If I use it, I check it at the end of the day. If it isn't sharp enough for me, a few strokes on the Sharpmaker fine stones restores the very sharp edge without removing much steel.

sal

Sal, you use 15dps or 20dps for that?

[TkoK83Spy]

More of what others said...I won't leave the house with a knife if it's not shaving hair, unless I'm testing the edge retention one way or another. Most of my knives have seen significant daily use working in a warehouse 6 days a week, so they get a lot of attention on the stones.

I personally don't care, or am not worried about too much sharpening. I like to test various finishing grits and edge angles. Most of us around here have more than enough knives, that if you happen to "over sharpen" them...there's always plenty others in the stable to take its place!

[abbazaba]

I like to keep my knives plenty sharp, and a few passes on the Sharpmaker to keep them shaving hair is not over sharpening IMO. I have too many knives and too few excuses to use them in a way that would require much more than that. It's pretty rare that I need a reprofile after my initial process of putting my own on it unless there is significant damage.

[huyfishin]

Hardcore knife users and tradesmans that are not knife collectors or knife nuts. Tend to use it for a very long time without sharpening. Even when it has a chip in it.

I find knife nuts, steel nerds and collectors tend to sharpen just to sharpen. Keeping it as sticky as possible even if they only use it to cut a bag of doritos.

[mongo1958]

The frequency with which I sharpen can be every few days, or over a month. If the edge doesn't grab my fingerprints, then I'm not happy.

Yup, I lightly drag my fingers lateraly across the the blade as a test. I also test the sharpness on the back of my finger nails by placing the blade on my finger nail and if it laterally slides easily then its not sharp enough but if it sticks and does not move then I'm good. Also testing sharpness with a cutting test on thin recipe paper. I don't need to split hair .

Yesterday I grabbed a cupcake and whipped out my Manix 2 Heavyweight. I expertly parted the cupcake into two perfect halves, the slice appearing as if it was done with a laser. It was magnificent. One of the ladies commented a bit condescendingly, "Oh, you are JUST like my husband! He always has a knife!"

I am always stunned when I hear something like this.
I grew up in in the south east of the USA and having a knife in my pocket is like having shoes on my feet, it is part of my every day attire.

[mongo1958]

I find knife nuts, steel nerds and collectors tend to sharpen just to sharpen. Keeping it as sticky as possible even if they only use it to cut a bag of doritos.

LOL
Honesty though, I have opened a bag of chips only to have it unexpectedlly explode and split down to the bottom of the bag.
A knife does come in handy even for the very simple things. Just say'n.

[billdoier72]

I too have a high standard for sharpness.

As Sal stated, there are techniques that maintain a high level of sharpness and also minimize steel removal.

And, yes, you can absolutely wear a knife out prematurely by "over-sharpening".

Of course, over-sharpening means different things to different people.

The edge is very unique to the individual I find.

[Ric]

If the cut feels rough I do a few sharpmaker strokes. Usually ultrafine.

But could others are doing much more.

Spydies should be users - for cutting or sharpening.

[sal]

Hi Drubieg,

I guess it depends on how sharp you like to keep you knife. I like to keep my EDC sharp enough to shave hair. If I use it, I check it at the end of the day. If it isn't sharp enough for me, a few strokes on the Sharpmaker fine stones restores the very sharp edge without removing much steel.

sal

Sal, you use 15dps or 20dps for that?

Hi Sethwm,

For most of my knives I like to use 15 DPS. Sometimes I have to profile. Lately (getting old), I find that if the edge angle is off, I'll profile to 15 mostly and occasionally micro at 20 DPS, until the 15 takes over the 20, then I stick with the 15, if that makes sense? I use a loupe to "Scope the Edge" almost every time I sharpen.

sal