I let the blade of the knife rest on the surface of my thumb nail and just drag it across without any pressure being applied. If it digs in, it's sharp, if it just slides across the nail, you need to keep sharpening.
Quote: I let the blade of the knife rest on the surface of my thumb nail and just drag it across without any pressure being applied. If it digs in, it's sharp, if it just slides across the nail, you need to keep sharpening.
One of my favorite ways also. In my ole packing house days we generally used paper.
Many years ago I learned to sharpen a knife when I paid attention to a quote from an English farmer I was working for. It goes like this "a cutting edge is no longer a cutting edge when you can see it". As you are sharpening you keep turning the blade so light reflects from the edge. When you can no longer see the edge, believe me it will be sharp.
Ummmm, maybe I'm missing something here, but wouldn't the ultimate test of sharpness be to actually cut what you intend to cut with it? Being able to shave your arm with a knife doesn't mean that the knive will be able to skin, cape out and butcher a deer, it just shows that you can shave your arm!! Good luck, and no, you can't borrow my knife!!
Posts: 1275 | Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Registered: 02 May 2002
If it'll drag on your nail or slice paper it's ready for meat. Course ya need your steel working also. It's sure no fun hitting the line with your gear not working. That was the only way we had to find out ahead of time.
(*#%&#^@#^!@_#&%%#..MURDERER.OJ
