How sharp should a knife be?

Hi one and all. Latest musing.
I've used the work "sharp" in the title for want of a more lengthy title.
e.g a saw is sharp by serrated.
When we cut wood down the grain we use a large tooth rip saw. Across the grain, a crosscut.
Muscle has a grain. Not sure about flesh.
Everyone says "as sharp as a razor". But does a razor cut or shear.
If you have two highly polished surfaces they glide.
Would not a very smooth edge glide. Do we not need a ripping action.
Try cutting wood with a knife (not chopping, splitting or paring). Doubt it's very efficient.
I was looking at a trademe auction for a hone in which it said that it left just the right amount of serration on the edge.
So thought I might not be way off the mark.
Try cutting a tomato. A very 'sharp' edge works as does a serrated bread knife. But a sharp to dull edge doesn't.
Any thoughts on this subject welcomed.

sticky sharp, like a hook, I test on fingernail.
If it doesn't slip off, good enuff. Equivalent to tomato sharp....

All I know is that any knife I own is blunt and I'm shit at sharpening them. And Bahco's are sharp when you buy them.

this works great. easy get it sharp as and maintain with couple of strokes.
No chance of carving yourself.
Although, I don't know you so....
HuntFish, one side carbide, the other ceramic hone.


Attachment 67759

If I can shave my arm with it, using no force and cleans the skin I call it job done.

Used to think I had sharp knives as they took hairs off my arm, looking back they only took about 5% of the hair

As an ex butcher/ ex fisherman as sharp as you can get it. The edge angle and type of knife steel is the biggest advantage of how often it is needed to be restoned. I'm over sharpening knives now and use a CPM-M4 knife and as a backup Havalon Piranta replaceable blade knife. Done around 30 deer, pigs and goats with the CPM-M4 from the last time I stoned it and still going strong, only just give it a touch up with a diamond steel between jobs.

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Originally Posted by tikka

As an ex butcher/ ex fisherman as sharp as you can get it. The edge angle and type of knife steel is the biggest advantage of how often it is needed to be restoned. I'm over sharpening knives now and use a CPM-M4 knife and as a backup Havalon Piranta replaceable blade knife. Done around 30 deer, pigs and goats with the CPM-M4 from the last time I stoned it and still going strong, only just give it a touch up with a diamond steel between jobs.

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You don't reckon the diamond steels are too hard on a knife?

I heard that recently and noticed I have to touch up my knives a bit more than when I use a normal steel.
Might be bullshit as well as my knives are never sharpened properly by myself in the first place😆

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Originally Posted by R93

You don't reckon the diamond steels are too hard on a knife?

I heard that recently and noticed I have to touch up my knives a bit more than when I use a normal steel.
Might be bullshit as well as my knives are never sharpened properly by myself in the first place��

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I'm a lazy bugger. I just turn a plate or mug upside down and draw the blade across the unglazed base a couple of times at roughly the right angle. Makes the little Victorinox perfect for processing a deer for me.

Come to the idea that diamond is course for anything, only use my dc-4 diamond side when a nick needs sorting. Just figuring out Japanese whetstones only used ceramic up till now.

Use my dc-4 a lot, sharp as I can get it with the stone side and strop on the belt.... Depends on the steel how well it lasts

Seems pretty conclusive. One thing I know for sure is how I feel having sharpened a kitchen knife when I see it cutting food in the pan. Can't help but look at it after the event with a mixture of tears and desire to kill as the flattened edge glints at me.

Yerp I sharpen till it will cut thin paper smoothly, then strop with green compound until it shaves. Once the knife is sharp they usually only need a touch up on the strop to get them back to shaving

I like my knives to be as sharp as a sharp thing on its sharpest day so always invest a bit of time in making sure they are up for it.

Cheers
Pete

Sharp enough. Few mates cant even get past the skin with their shitters

I like very sharp,however I have a wife.
If its sharp you should easily be able to shave your fingerprints off without drawing blood.
A very smooth very fine edge like above isnt very good at somethings tho...like cutting a thick synthetic rope....sharpened with an angle grinder works better for that or handing it to your mate to hock an animal and he runs it around the joint using all his strenght:oh noes:
I like a very very sharp knife but the reality is most of the time the knife I am using is sharp enough.
I use stones,steels and diamond steels.
Diamond steels are great for when it really needs to be stoned but you dont have one with you or dont have the time...couple swipes on the diamond and a couple on the smooth steel and shes away again untill the wife uses it.

One thing I do like a slightly less sharp knife for is skinning, a very very sharp knife just makes this job bloody tedious where it is quick and easy with a duller knife.

I like a sharp knofe but sadly once it loses its edge I only seem to manage to make it blunter!!

I have the large dmt double side Dimond stones coarse and medium. I wished I had invested in the ultra coarse coarse and medium to fine. They work really well if you can maintain a constant angle.
Another one I have is a Dimond steel with three different grit size. Even my large cold steel Bowie cone out razor sharp with that one.
The spyderco Tri sharpener is another good option, but invest straight away into the spare Dimond rods set, you will save so much time when creating a new angle in the blade.
And yes yes a not so sharp blade is really good when skinning.

I wish I could get the money back I spent on diamond sharpeners, jigs and pull throughs etc.

Inhereted an old oil stone from partners grandfather and gets the job done with some CLP break free or whatever lube I have on hand. Its literally taken me 15 years off and on to hand sharpen a curved/upswept knife on a simple stone as that skill skipped a generation I think. That being said different knives take getting used to.

A little norton stone from bunnings is all good for touchups and strop it off on my shin or arm.

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yeh got DMT double sided fold out. Luv em. I reckon as you get tired you roll the blade/change angle. Best few strokes with very course and work finer

Had a lanksy set up for a while, was good but get he bench mounted clamp as well.

Really liking my new stones, used to use an old stone as a kid, something about going back to basics. Water stone and knife... 4*2 with leather glued on and compound rubbed in

Attachment 67826
Works for me. It leaves perfect serrations for cutting through silage wrap, baling twine.......:XD:

@oraki horses for courses

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Originally Posted by oraki

Attachment 67826
Works for me. It leaves perfect serrations for cutting through silage wrap, baling twine.......:XD:

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Yep but use a grinding disk next time ay[emoji6]

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Yep but use a grinding disk next time ay[emoji6]

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Only one to notice. Top of the class

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Originally Posted by oraki

Only one to notice. Top of the class

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Cutting disk will make better serrations though

Found this....
Singularity's Sharpening Page

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Originally Posted by fluffchucker

Found this....
Singularity's Sharpening Page

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That is a good basic summery.

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Originally Posted by Friwi

I have the large dmt double side Dimond stones coarse and medium. I wished I had invested in the ultra coarse coarse and medium to fine. They work really well if you can maintain a constant angle.
Another one I have is a Dimond steel with three different grit size. Even my large cold steel Bowie cone out razor sharp with that one.
The spyderco Tri sharpener is another good option, but invest straight away into the spare Dimond rods set, you will save so much time when creating a new angle in the blade.
And yes yes a not so sharp blade is really good when skinning.

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I use the fine/ultra fine. Unless the knife is chipped its pretty much all the average person needs. The ultra fine takes it to a very good working edge, and if you want shaving sharp a few licks on a loaded strop is all thats needed.

The technique on a stone isnt that hard to learn. I used an inclinometer app on my phone to get a rough idea of the angle at the beginning and went from there

I think at the end of they day there are shitloads of different ways to get a knife sharp enough to deal to a meat animal.

You can hone, grind, stone, steel, diamond and strop. Pick any of these, practice and eventually you will learn to get a nice sharp edge on a blade.

Before buying a knife because it looks cool - do some research on the material it's made from and find a balance so it's soft enough to sharpen easily, yet tough enough to retain an edge.

If it doesn't list the material it's usually a good sign it's made from shit hard stainless and will be a dog to put a edge back on once it's blunt.

A farmlands mercator is a fantastic thin little blade that's cheap and easy to put a razor edge on. If you would prefer something a little more refined, consider a hollow ground blade which makes removing material a hell of a lot easier.

Look after the edge and try to keep it from cutting into bone and your edge will keep for three times longer

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Originally Posted by Tui4Me

consider a hollow ground blade which makes removing material a hell of a lot easier.

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I would only consider hollow ground in a steel which has high toughness (probably at the expense of edge retention)
For a steel which emphasizes attributes other than toughness it may be better to look at other grinds, convex is the other extreme.
I think that the grind should work well with the steel type and it's temper.

knifes are like guns cheaper ones work but are cheap for a reason in saying that a $40 dollar butchers/boneing knife is all you need, there are different steels so not all are equalle and each has pros and cons don't go serated and stay away from dimond and course steels and grinders, if you need to grind a knife use a belt sander tipped upside down in a vice. steel keeps a sharp knife sharp and a stone sharpens the knife trouble with most is they wont spend the time to get it right and do a rush job, and remember what ever angle you stone at steel at you know when your knife is sharp you should be able to slice through a piece of a4 paper with no ripping or pressure. if you are in my neck of the woods I am happy to help.

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Originally Posted by mimms2

Massive thread revival!

Knives should be sharp enough to shave. All of em. All the time. Blunt knives are dangerous.

I can cut fresh white bread with my chefs knife. That's about how sharp.

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you are right the sharper the knife the better blunt ones tend to cut you or stab because you are forcing them

I only purchase quality knives that are capable of taking and holding a SHARP edge and my way of thinking was SHARP was the only way to go..

After effortlessly slicing off the tip of my finger along with the fingernail last week (due to a slight distraction) I now believe a knife can be far too sharp for purpose.

If the blade is of good quality and it grips on the finger nail she'll be good for two - three deer and you will cut anything in the kitchen than needs cutting!

Anything sharper than that it only takes one slight mistake and the cut will be straight down to the bone, you'll need stitches and you'll get the shits every time the wife uses it!

And stay away from heavy stainless blades.

invest in a steel mesh glove for the offside hand....man Im sick of poking/slicing bits off mine....the last poke cost dose of antibiotics and the plurry finger still stiff and semi locks up at times.always when Im in a hurry or doing something with knife I shouldnt be doing.

First off, anyone wants a knife sharpened I do it, I can match or set any angle , take out chips, and regrind tips or angles, doesn’t matter what steel, I also do scissors, chisels, planes and axes, but I do charge.

Diamonds are the bees knees, I use a variety of medium but for true gross removal speed a diamond is hard to beat, unless yiu go electric, a diamond will also leave a beautiful polished edge better than any waterstone or oilstone, my diamond goes to 60000 grit but I know some that go to 250000, not stone will match that.

Different tasks require different edges and sharpness levels, a kitchen knife should be super sharp as you want to avoid cell crushing, hence food lasts longer without spoiling (if you can cut down through a tomato without having to push or pull and not crush it then it’s sharp), but a knife that’s cutting through pig hide should be toothier or it will take damage, as for wood the sharper the better, a good carpenter will resharpen their plane edges multiple times during the course of the day, but an axe that’s a splitter does not need to be sharp at all.

So yes different strokes for different tasks, but if yiu ever need a hand, have a knife that’s damaged or just want something sharpened properly give me a yell, 021727546