Messages

Excellent review, Ken.

I've been watching Steve's new video this weekend, also, and I'll just chime in to say that even experienced sharpeners are likely to learn new things here -- and that it should probably be on the must-watch list for anyone considering a sharpening business.

And investing in Steve's tutelage before buying equipment would be an excellent idea for any real newbies.

~Doug

Doug, be nice.....Herman never said that he liked the neighbors........

;^)

Very good video.  Thanks!

Every high-school kid in shop class ought to learn this thoroughly at least six months before s/he ever touches a power tool (says one of the grumpy old guys).

Likely it's a brittle edge breaking off. Try a more blunt angle.

It may be, but it really seemed as if a burr were reappearing on a honed edge.  Maybe the coffee is too strong.

Around here, I couldn't even give these knives away (no recognized and desirable brand names!) and, if I could, it would ruin my reputation forever. They're really terrible. Maybe they could be re-purposed for icing cakes and other jobs where edges aren't really required.

I'm glad others are also finding the possibilities of edge measurement interesting.

As for metal memory, I've been experimenting recently with a bunch of sets of cheap, stainless kitchen knives that were bought years ago for practice.  I'd almost swear that some of them have "recurring burr" syndrome.

Of course, I could be confused.  ;^)

Thanks, both of you, for the friendly welcome.

Elden, I certainly understand that not everyone who sharpens edges needs or wants an edge tester.  Of course you know what is and isn't sharp, and you know a lot more than that about edges.  On the other hand, I expect you know a lot of folks who have no bloody idea ;^) what "sharp" means -- and they want "sharp" knives even though they haven't a clue.

I think it's possible that the BESS scale may help in educating those people and in comparing knife edges, at least to some extent.

Hi, everyone.  I've been lurking for a while.  I first used a Tormek perhaps 7 years ago and I recently bought a second.  I may need a third soon, as I develop my little part-time retirement business.  It's a truly remarkable machine.

For the past few days, as I redevelop my sharpening chops, I've been playing with my newly-acquired KN-100 (thanks, Steve!).  I have to say that it is proving extremely valuable in comparing knives in the "incoming" queue with the same implements after sharpening, and in comparing the results of various sharpening techniques and procedures.

I understand the reservations Herman has expressed (and the rather harsher criticism I read on Blade Forums), but I think that a quantifiable, repeatable way to measure edge sharpness (even if it is "only" a single-point push test) is a very useful tool for serious sharpeners. 

  ~Doug

P.S.  Like Ken, I spent a long time in the telecommunications world and I grew rather attached to accepted, communicable, measurement standards.  Complaints about noisy circuits, for instance, were much more meaningful when accompanied by signal-to-noise measurements and references to agreed standards for the same.