Testing a knifes edge

[huntsmanlance]

Before you get out in the woods and have to skin and quarter a deer or ect.....what would be a good way to test a knife first to see how it will actually perform in the field?


Thanks,
Lance

[BobW]

hold the sheath the wrong way while you are putting it in after sharpening it.....   :eek:  

but seriously, there are a number of ways, shaving arm hair, paper cut, etc.  I'm sure someone has a suggestion we haven't seen.

keep in mind, there is more than just the edge.  Too flat of an angle and it is weak (depends on the steel), too steep and it isn't sharp.

[Ian johnson]

I cut leather, shave arm hair, and the thumbnail test

[bjk]

Really none of the above answers wil determine how a knife performs in the field.  Bob touched on it a bit...the type of edge and how it is formed will determine how it performs overall.  Shaving arm hair is nice for bh's, and a good first test for knives, but only actually using it will let you know how well it performs.  

Moral -- Bring a stone or piece of leather to touch up unless you know your knife or sharpening skills

See Jeff's (Tippit) post...only doing will let you know how a design will work.

Gutting an animal is one thing, gutting, skinning and quartering are quite another.

[huntsmanlance]

Oooops i meant to write...after you get it to the point where it will shave what would be some good test to see how fast it will dull....

and thanks BJK i figured the bevel had allot to do with it...i just want to put some knives to the "test" before going out.

Would cutting a piece of rope over and over until it goes dull be a good test or is that to course to get a real idea.

[BobW]

You ever watch a butcher at work?  Cut, cut, cut, sharpen.  Cut, cut, cut, sharpen.  Cycle to repeat itself for the day.  You touch up as you go along.  You know when it needs some help.

[tippit]

Cutting rope/hemp is a very good way to determine the durability of the edge.  You can test the edge for handiness by rolling it over a piece of brass to see if it's too soft or hard...but that's more a test for the maker cause it can ruin the edge.  Or just see how long it skins & cuts up your game before needing re-sharpening.  Doug Campbell's test is see if it skins a buffalo.  Mine is to see how long it last skinning bears   :eek:  Also the design of the blade makes a big difference.  This years test knives were real surprises!  Doc

[JL]

I have heard of folks using cardboard to test the durability of a knifes edge. I think the type of steel combined with the edge has a lot to do with it. This drop point is made of S30V steel and it is some hard stuff;

 

I have sharpened enough knives to know when one is going to hold a good edge. S30V, carbon steel and D2 are some good steels to make knives with.

JL

[geno]

untill I read down a little I was going to say the shaving hair thing. I was sharpening a few knives today that I made last week....My legs are bald. Try using in to cut roast into steaks or cooked steaks to eat.Use it around the kitchen for a while. If you know a butcher ask him to use it for a couple of hrs.( if it is made so he can use it..

[uhdet]

I make knives and this is the test I give each one. Chop through a pine 2x4. If I can bring it back to hair popping with a few strokes of a steel then I am good. I also do this to make sure the edge will not chip and the tip will not bend.

[C2@TheLibrary]

OK secrets from the land of chefs......
believe it or not Tomatoes are very good at testing knife edges slicing them dulls all but the finest knives....paper of any kind also dulls edges quickly.  And if you want to test the actual cutting ability of the edge you have made make a 1/2" "rope" out of twisted together dental floss(the waxed kind) and then see how much force and how much sawing it takes to cut through. If it aint easy to do your knife aint sharp enough.

[hickstick]

all good points above.  one comment on what bobw said would be that butchers more often steel a knife during use than sharpen it.  steeling is just realigning the micro-teeth on the edge (same process as stroping...only a little more metal is removed on a steel).

another good way I've seen (I think on Don Foggs Site) to see 'how sharp' an edge is, is to roll a cigarette rolling paper into a tube and clamp it in a vise with most of the tube sticking out.  then see if you can slice it with a 'swing' of the knife.  a dull knife will just crush it over.   granted this doesn't test performance, just sharpness (and a little bit of your cutting technique too)  

[T.J.]

JL,

Where in the world did you get that knife??? That is absolutly beautiful!

[Suremissalot]

I have worked as a butcher, and we do as was said above, steeling it as we go. Maybe once a month did we spend time on the stone.