How to achieve less than 100 bess?

[Andy]

Thanks, Dan.
I don't have access to the photo on that site.

[John_B]

Thermal receipts and weekly ass printed on thin newsprint paper are also good indicators.

Some also use cigarette papers to measure sharpness.

[Dan]

Thermal receipts and weekly ass printed on thin newsprint paper are also good indicators....

John, as a native English speaker I have no idea what "weekly ass" is    
I imagine it is lost on Andy and others whose first language is not English.
I am slightly intrigued but not sure I really want to know at the same time   

Danny

[John_B]

Sorry typo. Weekly ads. We get them from local stores in the mail. They are printed on thin newsprint. Sharp knives glide through smoothly. Use feel and hearing to detect any burr along the edge.

[Dan]

Sorry typo. Weekly ads. We get them from local stores in the mail. They are printed on thin newsprint. Sharp knives glide through smoothly. Use feel and hearing to detect any burr along the edge.

I am relieved, thanks for the clarification 

[Andy]

Thank you masters. Everything is clear.   I think I'll buy an BESS type device.

[Brock O Lee]

This was a good result on our Spyderco kitchen knives the other day. They all scored around 70-80 BESS if I remember correctly.

T8 with SG-250, stropped on Tormek paste on leather wheel.







This Spyderco Temperance fixed blade in CPM-Cruwear got the diamond wheels, up to extra fine. Stropped on a leather wheel with 1 micron diamond spray.





I have found that it is much easier to get low BESS scores when I sharpen at low angles (sub-15 dps). In my experience diamond stones tend to produce lower scores than the SG-250, and higher grit finishes (1000+) produce lower scores than lower grit finishes.

I used to chase BESS scores initially. It is a good tool to measure progress while you develop a technique. After a while I got too lazy to fire up the BESS tester, but I still do occasionally. In my experience you quickly get a feel for a sharp burr-free edge by how effortlessly it glides through phone book or cigarette paper, you don't even need to test.

[Columbo]

Just to add my pennies worth. I think Bess scores in the range of 150 (130/140/150/160/170) indicate that the burr has not been completely removed.

Although this may be the case in some instances, but for me, there have been times that I'm finishing off with the above numbers, but still running the knife through my microscope and it clearly shows no burr is present.

But right, but I also must add like the gentleman in Australia Baz who uses a kangaroo tail as the end process. I too can definitely drop the numbers by 3040 points by carefully maintaining an angle and stropping the tail up and down wow glued to a 2 inch piece of hardwood.

[tgbto]

I have found that it is much easier to get low BESS scores when I sharpen at low angles (sub-15 dps). In my experience diamond stones tend to produce lower scores than the SG-250, and higher grit finishes (1000+) produce lower scores than lower grit finishes.

Just to make sure : when you talk about lower scores, do you mean lower BESS number or lower sharpness ?

I used to chase BESS scores initially. It is a good tool to measure progress while you develop a technique. After a while I got too lazy to fire up the BESS tester, but I still do occasionally. In my experience you quickly get a feel for a sharp burr-free edge by how effortlessly it glides through phone book or cigarette paper, you don't even need to test.

I wholeheartedly agree, once you get comfortable with the process, there is little need for systematic BESS testing. When I get a new, exotic steel I usually test it before/After.  Plus high BESS does not necessarily translate to higher edge retention, so I use it only as a reference to see if a given sharpening is consistent with the lot, if I have a doubt.

Although this may be the case in some instances, but for me, there have been times that I'm finishing off with the above numbers, but still running the knife through my microscope and it clearly shows no burr is present.

In my experience some steels never get under 130 BESS. I have a few french Sabatier knives that won't get under 150, 130 at the very best, no matter what. And they get back to a lofty 250 after a few uses in the kitchen. Those I don't trust to care for knives get to use them, but my 8 y.o. son uses my japanese knives.

Also, I've experienced some situations (edge leading with SJ-250, on soft steels) where there is still a layer of very soft steel at the apex of the edge. It is however invisible under a typical optical microscope.