'Razor sharp out of the box'

[Chris]

Pretty much every knife I've ever purchased has claimed (and other users have claimed) to be razor sharp out of the box. I think I've only ever had that once or twice, with more expensive knives.

Most recently was a Benchmade folder which was relatively sharp, but certainly not razor sharp.

The biggest letdown of all was the Opinel No. 8 mushroom knife I bought. Not only is it not razor sharp, it's genuinely completely blunt. So not only is it needlessly a locking knife (mushrooms famously not being made of obsidian) and therefore unsuitable for EDC, but it's also arrived useless as a knife of any kind. I just do not see the appeal in Opinel in the slightest if this is the norm for them.

Am I just getting a string of bad luck or is this just what I should be expecting these days?

 

[Megatramp]

Nope, not just bad luck, most knives don't come as sharp as they should for sure, although you shouldn't have to pay a high price to find a gud'n.

All the Joker folders I've bought (4) have had excellent edges and the Manly Wasp I got was ridiculously sharp. Victorinox are usually good and Opinel too although I've not bought one in quite a while so they may differ now.

Doesn't bother me as long as I can get them sharp but it's nice to get one ready to go straight away isn't it.

Don't know anything about mushroom knives but if it's that bad I'd be taking it back.

 

[Pattree]

I have no idea whether the lack of edge on new knives is deliberate or not. It could easily be so. Opinel sell the #9 Oyster knife which is a “beast with two backs”. It has absolutely no edge at all. It bevels to a symmetrical tip but that isn’t sharp as such. A sort of folding pry bar.

All this does is demonstrate that a particular company gives thought to the edge and seems to decide on an appropriate one. Whether others do the same, I have no idea.

How many of us haven’t got sharpening equipment?

As to mushrooms @Chris, you are clearly a cutter as opposed to a puller.
This might be of interest. If not quite on topic.

Edited to add:
Near the end of his 2014 review, the author suggests that the Opinel Mushroom knife is “far sharper than a mushroom knife needs to be.” Perhaps they listened.

 

[Chris]

As to mushrooms @Chris, you are clearly a cutter as opposed to a puller.
This might be of interest. If not quite on topic.

I tend to do either depending on which is more appropriate to be honest. For example cutting the younger lobes off of a Chicken of the Woods or Oysters without removing the full clump. Others I would pull so I can get a 100% ID on them - though then perhaps I’d also want to cut them to see what the flesh does when exposed to the air. A knife is a must have for foraging mushrooms.

I shall have a read though, thanks!

 

[Megatramp]

I tend to do either depending on which is more appropriate to be honest. For example cutting the younger lobes off of a Chicken of the Woods or Oysters without removing the full clump. Others I would pull so I can get a 100% ID on them - though then perhaps I’d also want to cut them to see what the flesh does when exposed to the air. A knife is a must have for foraging mushrooms.

I shall have a read though, thanks!

What's the purpose of a specific mushroom knife though? I've seen them but never thought much about their use.

 

[Glow_worm]

Given that such edge tools in proper use will need sharpening somewhere between several times a day and every few minutes depending on the type of work, anyone buying them will have the kit and ability to sharpen them. I can't see the relevance of whether they come sharpened or not.

When I used to make a large chunk of my living forging specialist woodworking tools and selling them at events, customers often tested them out on their fingers, and of course the blood flowed. As if the current state of sharpness has anything to do with the quality of the tool....?

 

[TeeDee]

What's the purpose of a specific mushroom knife though? I've seen them but never thought much about their use.

If you have one, it confirms you are a fun guy.


< Classic !! >

 

[Chris]

What's the purpose of a specific mushroom knife though? I've seen them but never thought much about their use.

The curved shape is supposed to make it easier to cut the stipes and it has a brush on it to clean off the caps.

 

[Chris]

Given that such edge tools in proper use will need sharpening somewhere between several times a day and every few minutes depending on the type of work, anyone buying them will have the kit and ability to sharpen them. I can't see the relevance of whether they come sharpened or not.

Hmm, I don’t think this reasoning flies with me to be honest. Absolute least you can expect when you buy a knife is that it’s sharp enough to use.

We’d be pretty annoyed if we got a saw that didn’t saw, or a nail which needs the point filing into it, wouldn’t we?

It’s more a sign of care/attention to detail and a decent quality assurance process that a tool arrives in a fit state to use.

 

[TeeDee]

I do wonder ( if it is this , it makes it all a joke ) if its for H&S reasons?

Maybe in the current world of claims and counter claims - packaging and sending something super sharp and pokey isn't something people want to do reference the possible outcome of someone doing an unboxing video and slicing their fem art.

I could see a world where the decision is made to make blades less sharp on purchase.

 

[Glow_worm]

Hmm, I don’t think this reasoning flies with me to be honest. Absolute least you can expect when you buy a knife is that it’s sharp enough to use.

We’d be pretty annoyed if we got a saw that didn’t saw, or a nail which needs the point filing into it, wouldn’t we?

It's quite common for high end carpentry hand tools to be supplied without a sharpened cutting edge.

If it's a disposable tool/single use edge, like a hardpoint saw, or a nail/screw, fair enough. But any tool where the craftsman will be regularly sharpening, I'd rather it came without an edge and save the cost of an extra production stage being added to the purchase price. A tool doesn't feel mine until I've sharpened it. It's a bonding process

High end Fiskers push lawnmowers come sharpened but require the purchaser to adjust the blade themselves until it cleanly cuts a sheet of paper along the length. Hopefully engaging the customer with the process and conveying the precision involved might mean they take extra care to remove sticks and stones from the lawn, and avoid dragging the machine over gravel paths...

I think it's different mindsets- those who use traditional tools regularly see sharpening as something which is part of any job. Not suggesting this applies to anyone in this discussion, but those who collect knives and put them on shelves, and take them down occasionally to slice paper while having macho male daydreams probably expect them to come sharp and likely often are not much good at sharpening them. They probably also throw away drill bits when they are blunt.

 

[Chris]

It's quite common for high end carpentry hand tools to be supplied without a sharpened cutting edge.

If it's a disposable tool/single use edge, like a hardpoint saw, or a nail/screw, fair enough. But any tool where the craftsman will be regularly sharpening, I'd rather it came without an edge and save the cost of an extra production stage being added to the purchase price. A tool doesn't feel mine until I've sharpened it. It's a bonding process

High end Fiskers push lawnmowers come sharpened but require the purchaser to adjust the blade themselves until it cleanly cuts a sheet of paper along the length. Hopefully engaging the customer with the process and conveying the precision involved might mean they take extra care to remove sticks and stones from the lawn, and avoid dragging the machine over gravel paths...

I think it's different mindsets- those who use traditional tools regularly see sharpening as something which is part of any job. Not suggesting this applies to anyone in this discussion, but those who collect knives and put them on shelves, and take them down occasionally to slice paper while having macho male daydreams probably expect them to come sharp and likely often are not much good at sharpening them. They probably also throw away drill bits when they are blunt.

I don’t think that any of this applies to a standard pocket knife, though. Opinels are £20 and sold to people who often don’t know how to sharpen them - they sell them at Go Outdoors and the like.

My expectation is always that I’ll need to do a bit of touching up and stropping to get it sharp enough for my personal standards, but I don’t expect a knife to have no sharp edge at all. At that point I may as well be making my own knife.

Honestly given most knives do have a sharp edge, even if not razor sharp, I think that general seller and buyer expectation is on my side here.

 

[Glow_worm]

The traditional expectation is that the customer will sharpen a pocket knife- Opinels are not intended to be throwaway items. A pack of Stanley knife blades on the other hand... The fact that clueless poeple buy them is besides the point. Even if they come sharpened, a few mintues work, or the first meeting with something hard and they need sharpening again.

 

[John Fenna]

I have recently bought two Peltonen knives - the M07 first then the M95 because I liked the M07 so much!
Both of the knives (each priced under £100), came superbly - literally "razor" - sharp .... as I would expect!
The issue does not seem to be right across the board and I personally feel that receiving a less than instantly using sharp "sharp" of any sort would be a disappointment and at least one "star" of any review I would give the item and the manufacturer.
The Opinels that I have had over the years all came sharp - so is it a recent development or just a rogue knife that slipped through ?

 

[Bhod]

Never had an issue with Opinel being sharp out of the box, a quick hone or strop got them 'razor' sharp. Was quite surprised how sharp the garlic/chestnut knife was out of the box, have still yet to use it in anger though.

 

[Megatramp]

Does seem strange, an Opi with no edge! Might have been one of those display models some companies use? Or a maybe a trainer for the tactical shroomer?

 

[C_Claycomb]

I was about to say the Peltonen knives come properly scary sharp!

Spyderco are pretty good. Not super-scary-sharp, but the two new bald spots on my forearm confirm that UKPKs will shave hair right out of the box.

 

[Broch]

I can't believe it's supplied blunt on purpose - a blunt knife is a dangerous knife!

 

[Pattree]

If it is deliberate then the marketing, packaging and accompanying literature should clearly state “Unsharpened”.

There is a big difference between blunt and unsharpened.

 

[demographic]

On the subject of Opinels, I've had a few over the years and although the blade shape is good, they don't hld a edge well do they?
I'm sure some will say they do. My argument against that is you must have low expectations, aim higher.
There's MUCH better steel out there.

I really don't mind sharpening, I work as a carpenter and do it regularly but I don't do it for the sake of it.
Time spent sharpening is a good teaching experience.
Seems a shame not to listen to the lessons it gives.