How sharp is your knife?

[ateallthepies]

Since I have been using straight razors I now know what really sharp is but obviously these sorts of edges are of no use in bushcraft, too brittle and dull in an instant used on something harder than whiskers!
Stropping is the key in my being able to get my knives hair popping sharp but I sometimes wonder if a coarser grind is more useful for some tasks than a mirror edge?

Steve.

 

[lannyman8]

pound shop dimond sharpener does it for me, its a fine one but works a treat and is allways in my pocket, i can also get a hair shave edge on it with out all the fafing around.

 

[silentpaddler]

I generally head out into the bush for 4-8 days at a time. I sharpen my knife real good before I go, and when I get back it's somewhat less sharp, but still a
functioning knife. That's good enough for me.
The only time I was real fussy about sharpness was running a trap line and spending a lot of hours skinning. A dull knife slows down production exponentially
and increases mistakes and pelt damage.
I was on a week long canoe trip with one guy who brought a serrated steak knife, and he managed to make it do...

 

[Stirling3749]

As a cook I've grown the habit of keeping the knives sharp enough to use comfortably but I don't go crazy with it.
Sharpening too often removes allot of metal and actually alters the shape of the blade over time, we're talking several years of constant use here but it's something to keep in mind if you feel attached to a particular knife or hatchet or whatnot.

 

[Everything Mac]

back in the days I considered a knife to be sharp enough if I could eventually saw through what ever I wanted to cut.

Then I found out about sharpening stuff - and if it felt sharp - it was sharp.

Then I discovered paper shaving - if it could cut through paper it was sharp enough.


Then ...I joined a forum and found out about shaving sharp. Got me a lanksy sharpener and managed to just about shave hair off my arm -

Easy shaving off of hair is now super sharp for me. Paper slicing or just generally good and sharp is sharp enough.

At the end of the day I don't often need to shave my beard with my knife but that length of string/ soft wood for feather sticks doesn't stand a chance!

 

[Woodcutter2]

Deleted double post,

 

[Woodcutter2]

Sharp to me and all my woodworking tools means the wood gets cut exactly where and when its supposed to not pushed and forced wandering off the line, overshooting the mark and damaging the bottom of a dovetail etc, with knives its exactly the same but with more chance a stray finger could be tightened up to help push a blunt/blunter knife throught the cut with rather painful results, my woodworking kit is generally used in the workshop in the same controlled environment, chasing dusk to get the shelter up and the fire started with a blunt knife sat on the side of a damp log and ......slip, Doh

A knife that slices paper may not get the fire started or the bunny in the pot quicker (5/600 grit well done and not too rounded over with excessive stropping, false impression of sharpness when over done people) but when the evil goddess of sharpening is in my ear telling me finer, finer, well, sometimes you have to oblige....

 

[ScotsSurvival]

I like my knife as close to "Longstrider sharp" as I can get it one day after much practice I will get closer.

 

[robevs73]

very sharp, I have the bald patches to prove it, I often joke that I can use one zero grind scandi as a mirror and another to shave with.

 

[jigsaw]

Ive given up trying to sharpen to a paper cuting degree.I never could make them like they should be.Ive watched vids etc but can never master it.I get them fairly sharp and get away with that.Ive tried a fine stone and a diamond sharpener and a leather belt to finish but never is it as good as it can be.I admit im not very good with my hands either,I have an axe head here for over 12 months and cant find anywhere that can replace a handle on it so was forced to buy a new one a short while back.embarrasing I know,lol.

 

[flexo]

mine is s sharp (mora) that i shaved my arm hair without feeling it!

 

[udamiano]

bloody sharp !!!

I think that covered it nicely !!

 

[British Red]

Sharp enough to cut three circles on a feather stick


feather stick by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Pict]

I like my knives and machetes scary sharp. I have actually had people hand me knives back saying they are afraid to use them. I'm more afraid to use a dull knife. I spent some time carving today with a laminated Mora #2. I'll admit to having a thing for laminated knives, but this one is a consistent performer and is pure pleasure to carve with. Hair popping is a minimum standard for me but I enjoy sharpening so it is never a chore.

 

[Amon81]

I've had that too, my mates feel like they will loose a finger. Mind you I've scared them after I put a decent edge on there SAK's (they all have them and normally they wouldn't be able to open a bag of pork scratchings. I on the other had keep the little 1.5" Spidercro on my keys, just the other day it sliced through a 10 strand draid of paracord like it wasn't there).

I like all my stuff as sharp as I can get it, which is very sharp, I like them to be able to slice through fag paper like it's not there. Though I don't get my axes that sharp, not that far off though.

 

[Laurentius]

Not very, for someone whose dad was a precision grinder in the days before CNC I ought to be ashamed of myself. He used to sharpen the carving knife for the Sunday roast on the kitchen step.

 

[Mojoracinguk]

Been busy getting married.....put my knife away a few weeks ago.....now after all the 'events' it is rusty DOH!!! Best get on it. To answer the question i do like a sharp knife to use....tis better than a blunt one, so mine are sharp

 

[bent-stick]

Ive given up trying to sharpen to a paper cuting degree.I never could make them like they should be.Ive watched vids etc but can never master it.I get them fairly sharp and get away with that.Ive tried a fine stone and a diamond sharpener and a leather belt to finish but never is it as good as it can be.I admit im not very good with my hands either,I have an axe head here for over 12 months and cant find anywhere that can replace a handle on it so was forced to buy a new one a short while back.embarrasing I know,lol.

I'm always happy to helve axes in return for beer

 

[AuldJum]

I was a butcher / slaughterman for 40 years and i always say that a skinning knife or any knife you intend to cut meat with should be able to slice air without tearing it. Though less sharp will get the job done it reduces the quality of work.

My woods knife is sharp enough to cleanly slice paper, i don't like my wood cutting knife to be too sharp as i was always told that it would need sharpened more often.

 

[Dazza76]

I like mine Longstrider sharp. That means sharp enough to slice paper cleanly just by pointing the knife at it