I thought it might be fun to get some different perspective on this. When I'm sharpening knives, I usually stop when the blade easily slices through a post-it note.

But I know everybody has their own method. So, how do you know when your knife is sharp enough?

Shaving test never failed me

ask to my left arm

quote:

Originally posted by pascal.abi:
ask to my left arm

My left arm is cold in the winter

When I can shave my face and not feel hair pulled.

I just use the ol' thumb test. When the edge eagerly grabs the skin it is sharp enough. I like a toothy edge, rather than a polished edge, so usually leave my edges with a medium grit finish, and strop them a tiny bit on some cardboard.

Regarding shaving: I got the problem that i usually run out of hair of which i know that it's suitable for the shaving test (different areas are easier/harder to shave - e.g. the hair on my lower legs is easier to remove than the hair on my forearms - and my 'reference hair' is the one on my forearms..) - because i have to know when it's dull again *g*

Another test I use is the following..
I take the knife and try to guide it through my hair from the forehead to the back of my head with a distance of about 1cm to the skin.
If it 'bites' into the hair and if I'm afraid i'll lose all of it when pushing the blade any further it's quite sharp
[if the knife is sharp it usually bites as soon as it touches the hair. If not it usually doesn't do that at all..]

s_f

Cutting paper and shaving hair off the top of my hand. Tough thick bristles come off with ease if the blade's sharp enough, catch if not, strop and try again...yep cardboard backing on a notepad works pretty good.

When I become scared of it.

It varies for me. If the steel is on the harder, thicker side, I'll go for the sharpest edge I can...often face-shaving sharp. If it's hard and thinner, I'll go with a more obtuse angle (for strength) resulting in a slightly duller edge. If the steel is softer, I usually go for the slightly obtuse angle and work it until it shaves the arm hairs.

Whichever it winds up being, I always grab my trusty leather belt (or, if in the field, my boot) and strop the blade. The leather makes a big difference for me.