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All, 
Just for fun, thought I would create a thread on actual BESS numbers from your blades.
I just got my EoU PT50A today and tested what I thought was a very sharp knife.
It came in at 334.  Honestly, I was expecting < 220.
But, very cool that I can now have some objective measurement... Thanks Mike!

Please post your results!
TW.

Thank you so much to our good friend and one of our very first customers Komitadjie for allowing us to reprint his Unified Grit Chart. We are certain that both members and guests to the Exchange will be able to get plenty of mileage out of this very useful chart. Thank you once again Komitadjie!


  grit chart 2 pdf.pdf (Size: 523.24 KB / Downloads: 156)

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  Click on the studious fellow at left for full PDF version with photographs
           "Text Only" below

       
                                                      Additional Information That may be
                                                    Relevant and Helpful to the Advanced
                                                                Sharpener and Edge Tester
 
 
The following is intended to serve two purposes - but just for those who are interested. First we will have a discussion that will, hopefully, help users understand and interpret the data they receive from their instrumentation and secondly, answer a common question that we receive "how does this work?".  Our short answer to that question is "how could it not work?" but we'll detail the basis for that short answer in the form of a question later in this document. First let's talk about edges and interpreting data derived from individual edges.
 
Measuring sharpened edges is not like measuring the speed of light in a vacuum. It's more like asking "What is the air temperature inside your home?". It may be 65ºF in the back bedroom and 77ºF in the family room so the question is difficult to answer with great accuracy even though the instrument we are using to measure those room temperatures, a thermometer, may be extremely accurate.  The same is true of measuring the sharpness level of edges. We will be using an extremely precise system to measure a relatively imprecise edge.
 
Yes, we might have placed our thermometer in the hallway and taken an average of the two room temperatures but that would be less information, not better information.  Some may prefer a homogenous temperature throughout the home and others may prefer it cooler in the bedroom. The analogy is appropriate for edge sharpeners because they have their individual goals and preferences as well.  So let's look at a magnified image of  the knife edge version of the  family room and the back bedroom.
 
The above pictured  edge was ground with 240 grit ceramic and then deburred. Keep in mind that you are looking at only 1/16th of an inch of the edge. It measured anywhere from 230 to 290 (an edge the average home chef would die for)  on the BESS. If this were your edge and if your intent had been to produce a sharp edge with "bite" your instrument has confirmed that you were successful.  It is not difficult to see why this variation in measurement existed. The "peaks" of the edge are composed of  thinner metal than the "valleys" so dependent upon placement of the test media on the edge, a difference in  measurement value  will likely occur. To the thumb, this edge felt incredibly sharp. Test Media is .009 inch in diameter so as you can plainly see, placement of the test media on the edge with a variance of only the radius of the test media (.0045 inch) might produce significantly skewed results.
 
Pictured Above: The same knife edge but finished with 30 micron S/C film but keep in mind that S/C has very high friability so the last strokes could have been at 15 micron easily. This edge measured from 190 to 215 on the BESS. A few small peaks and valleys are still visible but nothing like the toothy edge. Interestingly enough, to the thumb, this edge won't feel nearly as sharp as the toothy edge.
 
BURRS - Burrs are good things and not bad. Lacking instrumentation for the task, burr creation will  likely be your best indicator that the grinding process is complete. Coarser abrasives leave big burrs and finer abrasives leave small burrs. Once any burr is created though, it must be removed completely. The presence of even the most miniscule of  burrs are easily detectable by your edge tester. The burr is usually just a roll of very thin metal that has been pushed to one side of the edge after grinding operations are complete. A burr presence will usually manifest itself as a widening of the edge apex resulting in higher BESS scores. The burr is attached to the very apex of the cutting edge and may be contiguous or semi-contiguous. The following is a picture of a burr created by an electric "sharpener". Sharpener is in quotation marks for a reason but we'll keep those opinions to ourselves. Keep in mind while looking at this picture that the burr is rolled toward you in this perspective so, effectively, you are looking at the broad "rolled edge" of the burr.
 
 The crisscross grind marks on the edge were left by the spinning wheels of the "sharpener". Don't be distracted by the "junk" sticking up above the edge. It's mostly just loosely attached shards. We show you this picture only because ineffective and incomplete burr removal can be a source of variation in edge measurements. This edge measured from 545 to 750 as pictured.  In the same picture immediately below let's focus in on points A, B, C, and D.
 
The picture above is pure photographic luck because it shows us many things that are very difficult to capture.  At "A" we can see where the rolled burr has been partially detached from the edge both in sliver and complete form. At point "B" we can see some of the metal shard still attached to the partially detached rolled burr edge. At "C" we see the beginning of the detachment point.  "D" is very likely a point where the burr was torn completely away by the grinding wheels. On those portions of the edge where the burr was torn away it is very likely that the edge will never be nearly as sharp as the edge portions where proper burr removal techniques will be employed. In the picture below we see this same edge after burr removal using a SHARP PAD. This edge measured 240 to 285 after deburring.
 
The  specific edge information imparted by your instrument to you can be very useful in determining what abrasives and techniques are worthwhile to your sharpening process and which are not. Most importantly though, learn to trust your instrument and the basis for that  trust is better explained in the following section . You will undoubtedly encounter many "head scratching" moments in the process of measuring edges but through diligence and experimentation you will likely discover the source of and the reason for any unexpected results. 
 
Rolled Edges - Please read the last section in this document and you will understand why rolled edges play a large role in knife edge maintenance. Even the most modest of rolled edges can easily create 50 or 60 point differentials and severely rolled edges 300 points or more. Sharpen a knife in the evening and by morning it could easily measure 30 points higher as the edge tries to get back to where it thinks it belongs (metal memory). All these things are easily detectable with your edge tester and when you strop the edge straight again, your edge tester  will indicate that it is straight.
 
Wire Edges - You can disagree if you like but our feeling is that wire edges are likely nothing more than rolled burr edges that have been straightened up.  Push a wire edge over to one side or the other of the edge and you have a rolled burr edge. The mechanical design of ceramic roller style pull thru sharpeners lend themselves to the production of  wire edges. We have tested the output of this style of sharpener many times. If it's done just right, eye-popping BESS scores can be the result (120/130).  Chop one carrot though and the test score goes to 750. This is because the tall, flimsy piece of metal that once comprised the "edge" has been folded over by the carrot. Of course other sharpening techniques produce wire edges as well. Wire edges are only worthy of mention here because you may measure just such a precipitous increase as well some day. If you do, a wire edge may have been the culprit. 
   
     The Science Behind Edge On Up  Instrumentation and BESS Test Media
 
As we said earlier in this document we are often asked "how does this work?" and our short answer is "how could it not work?". While it isn't  rocket science it is basic physics. Here is the long answer but it really couldn't be more succinct. 
 
Stress[img=26x22]file:///C:/Users/Mike/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.gif[/img] is the physical effect produced  once  we begin to cut. Force (F) is the degree to which we bear down on the cutting instrument  and Area (A), in this example anyway, represents the relative thinness (sharpness) of our cutting edge.  Now we don't really mean to belabor this explanation but in a nutshell; when it comes to cutting something - The amount of Force (F)  exerted,  the width (A) of our cutting edge and the characteristics of the material ™ to be cut are the primary variables we concern ourselves with. If we know any two of these variables we can then solve for the third.
In our video tutorials you will often see variations of two examples of this problem solving. Of course we always know ™ because it's our BESS test media so in the case of a knife of unknown sharpness we solve for (A). When measuring DE razor blades though we often solve for (F) because we think, with some assuredness, that we already know (A).  Then when we dull that razor blade edge an unknown amount we are back to solving for (A). We could solve for ™ as well though if we chose to and our DE razor blades give us an opportunity to do so. In the case of DE razor blades we assume that (A) is represented by an apex radius of 50nm.  If the force required to sever an unknown test media was 50 grams then we could assume that the severed test media shared at least one characteristic with BESS Test Media. Solving for "TM" is a bit of an exercise in circular logic but it's fun to consider and by the way - there is no common scientific reference for " TM". It's just our shortcut by way of describing a test material to be severed.
 
So what is actually happening when we sever something? At a single point, we are simply dividing and separating the electrical/chemical bonds that hold the object's molecular structure together. When we are finished with our cut we have effectively taken a very tight knit community of molecules and divided them into two, albeit smaller, very tight knit communities. So how hard did we have to work at accomplishing this exercise in divide and conquer?  That depends on three factors: the density of the molecules , the strength of the electrical bonds that held them together, and the area (sharpness) of our cutting edge.  If our edge was sharp (thin), we had fewer molecules to push and shove around so our task was made easier.
 
So now what,  assuming we would like to invest as little labor as possible into our molecule separating activities as possible, can we do with this knowledge? Let's first borrow from and then build on our equation and see if we can derive some practical benefit from it. Most materials that we cut, likely, have  well defined characteristics but those characteristics are unknown to us. They may be thick or thin, rigid or flimsy, dense or soft.  Simply too many variables to keep track of. Using our equation,  we can calculate the degree of Stress placed on them at any given time but we cannot predict in advance how much Stress (Force) will be required to separate our material into two pieces. We just don't have enough information about the material to make a valid prediction. But what could we do if we created a test material that did have well defined, environmentally stable and reproducible molecular characteristics? Now we have some possibilities.
 
Let's call this case #1. We could take an edge of known Area (sharpness) and accurately predict how much Force would be required to sever the test material we developed or Case #2, we could measure the amount of force required to sever our test material and then make accurate assumptions concerning  the Area (radius or width) of the edge. Now that sounds like something that someone interested in sharpening an edge could find useful. In Case #1 we validate the accuracy of the instrument and then in Case #2 we use that same instrument to measure the Area (sharpness) of an unknown edge.  Of course this is where BESS Test Media enters our picture.
 
In fact though, almost any material with minimally suitable physical characteristics would demonstrate the fundamental principles of our physics equation. Sewing thread, dental floss, or kite string. All would take less or more force to separate dependent on the thinness of the cutting edge.
 
 Of course these materials fall well short of our needs in many areas but particularly in one area; they do not provide us with the basis for a universal standard. A standard that can be relied upon and used only for our individual benefit or shared with anyone in the world.  The ability to accurately describe, compare and log sharpness data numerically is a wonderful thing whether it means simply to jot it down on a yellow legal pad in your sharpening room or by specifying it in a request for quotation at work.
 
  In Closing - How Thin is Thin?
 
If you don't already realize it, edge sharpeners are dealing with some pretty thin stuff. Just how thin might surprise you no matter how long you've been sharpening. Knife blade geometry is designed to be a non-factor when using edge sharpness test instrumentation manufactured by Edge On Up in conjunction with BESS test media. We concern ourselves only with the thinness of the edge apex. While we concede that a double-edge razor blade would be a mighty poor tool to use when felling an oak tree we do think that a definition of "sharpness" should include only the thickness or thinness of the edge apex. Having said this we do believe that the geometry of the edge apex itself does call for some discussion although, we hope, very little discussion because it is an exercise in "splitting hairs" for the vast majority of knife sharpeners. At Edge on Up we usually describe the thinness of the edge apex by describing it's radius as opposed to its width and here is why:
 
Let's assume that we are looking at a cross-section of the apex of a standard DE razor blade at left. In this case "W" or width is going to equal about 100 nanometers (.1 microns). In Fig 1 we have a perfectly formed apex radius so the radius of the apex here is 50nm. In Fig 2 we have an edge apex width of 100nm but as you can see the radius is no longer perfect. We know that the edge represented by Fig "A" will require slightly less force to separate a test media than Fig "B" so we describe Fig "B" as having a slightly larger radius than Fig "A".
 
BESS test media was developed in a rational sort of way. Every effort was made to give BESS test media relativity to the user and the real world.  With that in mind,  let's talk about the correlation between BESS scores and apex dimensions. We know that it takes 50 grams of force +/- 5 grams to sever BESS test media when measuring a standard DE razor blade so the relationship, apex radius in nanometers to BESS score, is very close to 1:1.  Other tests and measurements conducted up to BESS scores of 300 show this relationship to be essentially linear so with some confidence we can predict approximate apex dimensions using BESS score data. This, of course, comes as no surprise since the equation S = F/A predicts just this result. We must be careful though because theoretical calculations and practice often collide at some point so while this information is useful in helping us to grasp the miniscule world of edges it is not yet absolute from a scientific perspective.
 
BESS Universal (BESSU) and it's licensee's continue to explore the validity and further refinement of this dimensional relationship through our relationship with the Arizona State University SEM lab but these efforts are very expensive and time consuming. Additionally, further refinement provides little practical value to instrumentation users. It is important for sharpeners to realize that their sharpened edges are composed of almost infinitesimally small thicknesses of metal and for most, that realization will aide them in their edge sharpening and maintenance practices.
 
 
A Final Discussion on Edge Apex Dimensions - There is no "steel molecule". Steel can be described as a "solid solution".  It is a subtype of chemical mixtures that involve at least two or more molecules in a solid state. These molecules combine to form a single substance "steel". We venture here only because we have "seen asked" and "been asked" some form of the question "how many molecules thick is a sharpened edge?" on many occasions.  We applaud the question  because the questioner is attempting to gain a better understanding of the dimensions of a sharpened edge. Here's one possible way to equate molecular size to edge apex thickness:
A molecule of water is a very common and well defined entity. Very close to four molecules of water could be fit into a space one nanometer wide. So now you can do the math. If the edge apex of a razor blade is 100nm wide then it could be said that the apex is 400 water molecules wide and, for what it's worth, that's the best molecular example we can come up with.

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  Please click on our studious looking friend at left for a full featured look, including photographs, PDF version PT50 Series Manual. 
           The "Text Only" version may be found below.

                                             Instructions For Use of Your

                                    PT50A Industrial, PT50B & PT50C Sharp ü
                                                                        Edge Sharpness Tester
                                                                               manufactured by Edge On Up

Thank you for purchasing a PT50 Series Sharp ü. From now on you will know with precision how sharp the edges on your best knives, scissors, woodworking tools and industrial cutting edges  really are.  Always use caution when handling sharp edges and protective gloves are always a safe bet!
The PT50A Industrial edge tester is the only edge tester in the PT50 Series that is warrantied by Edge On Up for medical, light industrial and  commercial use.  The PT50A includes a steel measurement platform, our fastest processer, 1 gram of resolution and a heavy duty strain gauge sensor.
The PT50B is the favorite of professional sharpeners, knife and scissor enthusiasts, and woodworkers worldwide.  With its 5 grams of resolution and steel measurement platform the PT50B is designed for both endurance and accuracy.
The PT50C was developed specifically with the home chef in mind with 25 grams of resolution. The PT50C includes our disposable clip system for fast and easy measurements at home.
 
Assembly - There is little assembly required with your PT50 Series instrument. Mount the Knife Fulcrum with magnetic base on the round platform ring and place the test clip holder with test clip inserted (or Test Media Fixture as pictured above if purchased) inside the platform circle. Aluminum Test Media Fixtures come to you preloaded and ready to measure.
Battery  - Two AAA batteries are already installed in your PT50
 
The operation of all PT50 Series Sharp üunits is identical except as noted in this manual.
 
Disposable Clip System - While the EOU Disposable Clip System utilizes BESS Certified test media in its construction, EOU test clips have not yet received full certification from BESSU. Test Clips are manufactured by EOU and not BESSU. In their unaltered state Test Clips will generate a very reliable 20% deviation (lower and across all measurement ranges) than the BESS Standard. To convert a Test Clip measurement to a BESS measurement simply multiply the test clip result by (1.2). If the test media tension is relieved in the test clip by working one leg of the clip forward and then back test clips match BESS scores perfectly. It is this de-tensioning process and the more limited range of test clips that are the subjects of continued discussions with BESSU. Test Clips are tensioned to meet the needs of our medical and test laboratory customers more fully. Tensioning also makes home kitchen use more simple and safer.
 
Sharp ü™ determines the sharpness of edges the same way you do - by measuring the amount of force required to cut through a medium. When a knife or other cutting edge requires the application of a great amount of force to cut or slice through a material then you know that it is dull. In that same manner Sharp ü measures, very precisely, the  force required to sever a carefully engineered standard test media. The number displayed by the PT50 after a test is completed will be your BESS C scale score. Please consult the graph at the end of this manual for more information on the BESS.  This number represents the number of grams of pressure required to sever the test media with your cutting edges. The lower the number the sharper the edge.  The PT50 Series displays force readings in either 1, 5 or 25 gram increments, depending on the model you have purchased, and from 0 - 2000 grams.
Your PT50 Series unit has  a simple three button operation. ON/OFF, TARE/ZERO and BACKLIGHT. The two null buttons are used at the factory for calibration purposes. After factory calibration is set you should never need worry about additional calibration because your PT50 Series instrument re-calibrates itself automatically upon every power-up. Just make certain that the instrument is resting on a flat and stable surface when the instrument is powered up.
Although you will typically try to begin the measurement process with the display sitting at zero, in fact,  zeroing is not always required nor necessary. The measurement system employed by Sharp ü is a "greater than" methodology meaning that the instrument is always looking for the maximum amount of pressure applied to the test media during any one measurement event. As an example, let's say that we are measuring a knife edge that will, eventually, require more than 300 grams of pressure to sever the test media. If the PT50 display is reading 100 grams when the measurement process begins, force applied to the test media by the knife edge will not begin to register until more than 100 grams of pressure is applied to it. So, in this case.  whether or not the display reads "100" or "0" at the beginning of the measurement process has no effect on the final test result.
Power the unit up with the ON/OFF button, allow the unit to self-calibrate and when the display reads "0" grams, perform the measurement. Once the cutting edge has severed the test media the measurement is complete and your BESS score will be shown on the display. Reload test media, TARE the unit out to "0" and begin your next measurement.
Other  Forms & Types of Edges - This manual speaks primarily to knife edges but, in fact, the PT50A and PT50B are used across the world for measuring all sorts of edges like those used by woodworkers, milliners, and industry. Only the PT50A though is recommended for edges that may frequently exceed 1000 BESS scores and for moderate industrial use. Scissors, wood turning tools and circular blades are just a few of the different cutting edges that may be measured with your PT50 Series instrument. Usually it is just a matter of "fixturing" the edge you want to measure. Sometimes this may be as simple as holding the edge in your hand and sometimes fixtures designed specifically for the cutting edge may be required. Always use caution when measuring these edges and protective gloves are always a good bet.
 
Hand Held Measurements - All sorts of "different" shaped edges may be measured with your PT50 Series unit but most of these oddly shaped cutting instruments will be found in industry.
Sometimes the quickest and most efficient way to take a measurement is by simply setting the fulcrum piece aside and  holding the cutting edge in your hand(s). Our ID75A is pictured here but the principle is the same for PT50 Series instruments.
This method is not advocated for at home users and industrial users should take care and wear protective gloves when attempting hand-held measurements. The same rules here apply as for knife edges. Gentle downward force while holding the cutting edge as close to vertical as possible. Edges that measure over 500 on the BESS should be secured in a mechanical fixture and should not be attempted using the hand-held method.

           TEST MEDIA CLIP FIXTURE - Your basic instrument package for the PT50 C and PT50A Industrial unit (PT50A also includes aluminum Test Media Fixture) includes 25 disposable test clips and a slotted base to hold the test clips in place. Disposable clips and base may also be purchased separately and used with the  PT50B in place of the aluminum Test Media Fixture. Place a test clip in the center of the slot (see picture at left) and then conduct a sharpness test. Dispose of the test clip after the measurement has been conducted. Test clips have a 0-1200+  structural range.  Edges that measure more than 1200 on the BESS are well beyond dull for kitchen use and in most industrial applications as well.  Disposable Test Media Clips are particularly useful for those who need to take edge measurements infrequently or who may suffer from reduced dexterity in their hands or fingers. Test clips also allow some tool edges to be measured that cannot be measured using the aluminum Test Fixture.
 
TEST MEDIA FIXTURE (Aluminum) - If purchased separately (standard PT50A & PT50B) the aluminum test fixture (pictured in use on the cover page of this manual) comes to you loaded with test media. You should have enough test media on the spool to conduct at least 100 tests.  Test media refill canisters are available in two packs (part #TM02).  Make a visual inspection and mental note of how the test media is threaded across and around the fixture. Here is how you reload the test media after a test has been conducted:
Note: These instructions are written and pictured with the test fixture held in the left hand. You may switch this process if you are "other handed".
1. Loosen both plastic thumb screws. In Figure 1 The top screw need only be backed off one full turn  but the bottom (lower) screw should be backed out several turns. Remove and discard from around the lower screw,  any residual test media that may be left over from a previous test
2. In Figure 2 pull out about 3.5 inches of test media then retighten the top screw with only light pressure.
3. In Figure 3 pull the test media across the top of the test fixture with the test media resting in the shallow groove.
4. In Figure 4 pull the test media end down and then around the threaded shaft with a clockwise motion. Make certain that test media remains seated in the groove while you are doing this. Wrap the test media one turn about the threaded portion of the screw.
5. Note in Figure 4 how the index finger of the left hand pinches and holds the test media against the side of the test fixture. This prevents slack from forming in the test media and frees the right hand to tighten the lower screw. Pinch the test media against the side of the fixture while you tighten the lower screw.
 
Reloading the test fixture will take less than ten seconds once you have mastered it. The goal here is to simply pull the test media across the gap in the fixture with no slack (slight tension) in the test media. Do not over tension the test media. Over tensioning is neither helpful nor necessary.
 
How to Position the Knife for Measurement
 
There are two possible mounting methods for your knife or edge and either is  acceptable. The photo below shows a mounting method that allows sharpness levels to be measured very close to the knife handle (Knife Position Right) and the other (Knife Position Left)  will allow measurements very close to the tip or point of the knife. In either case the knife blade must be seated and remain seated (via downward pressure)  in the fulcrum while the opposite end (handle or tip) is pushed or pulled down into the test media. The fulcrum acts like a hinge or pivot point for the knife blade and affords excellent control and safety during the testing process.
 
It makes no difference whether the upper or lower screw in the test fixture faces you during a measurement sequence. Just make certain the wide slot in the test fixture is squarely aligned with the narrow slot in the fulcrum. It is possible that some styles of knife blades will be too thick to seat in the bottom of the fulcrum slot but that is OK. Just make certain that the knife edge remains in the slot and that the sides of the knife blade are held in a vertical position during the measurement process. If the majority of the edges you measure are thick then you may want to widen the slot in the fulcrum using an ordinary hand saw blade (i.e. hacksaw blade).  Don't let the top side of the knife blade (spine) tip toward or away from you during the measurement process or it could skew your results slightly.  Our center photo above shows proper positioning of the knife, as viewed from above, during the measurement process. Blade vertical, fulcrum and test fixture slots aligned and centered.
 
Remember Slow and Easy!  We're not chopping carrots (at least not yet!) but measuring the sharpness of an edge. Your downward movement with the knife should be slow and deliberate. Try to find a seated position with arms resting on the worktop for greater control and stability. If you can clearly see the increase in force tick upward on the display either in 5 or 25 gram increments (depending on the instrument you have purchased) then you know that you have taken the measurement correctly. When the test media severs, the measurement is complete and your BESS score for that edge will be shown on the display.
 
Email us at  edgeonup.com with questions - we respond!
                              

Unlimited iron an nickel resources

May be you have heard that the Earth core is composed of iron-nickel alloy. The outer core is fluid while the inner core is solid. The iron of the inner core has a temperature circa 9,800°F and is solid because it is under pressure of some 3,500,000 atm (51,000,000 Psi). Pressure increases the melting temperature.

   

Jan

Simple question:

After sharpening, why do people use honing compound for honing/stropping?  Simply to polish the bevel?

After I sharpen all these knives I would test them cutting paper and listen and watch how each one performed.
Now they are ready to go back, but 90% were dirty....right out of the restaurant.......so I cleaned and did what I called sanitizeing...........put in sink.....hot soap water with bleach.........10 mins or so I was and clean all the handles.......dry......RE-test sharpness.......same knives WOULD NOT EVEN SLICE PAPER.........I had to resharpen all...........this went on for a spell.......I called around......talked to Rupert and others.....then I called mark Reich........BINGO......solved.
.
The bleach was so harsh it actually cut the fine edge off the blade.......now soap and water.
.
Rupert send me victorinox sheet moments ago and at the bottom........it states:

"

Blades must not be exposed too long to highly corrosive substanc- es. Corrosion can be the reason for flaws/hairline fractures in the blade. "
.
Just another FYI 

Ok.....here we go....I have a question.
I have several restaurant accounts and I switch the knife sets out every 3 weeks......average 7 to 12 knives each........mostly white handled dexters, but some are Lasting Cut.....90% are chefs.
Often I have to buy new knives and local vendor sells the Lasting Cuts, so those are what I use.
.
My question is:  when I take these out of plastic cover, they have small bevel......no polish.....groves........BUT THEY ARE RAZOR SHARP.......anyone like to comment on how they get them that sharp.?.?......slice maters in the air.
.
I have never been able to duplicate that edge.
.
The edge looks like 120/220 grit finish......

I have a Victorinox 5” chef’s knife, 6.8003.12.  It was not dull at all, but I wanted to sharpen it to 280 grit instead of the 400 grit that it was sharpened to.   Also, I have to resharpen my knives even if they are not dull just out of desperation for something to sharpen.  I feel strange if I don’t sharpen something every so often. 

https://www.swiss-knife.com/en/victorino...knife.html

So, I sharpened it with an A45 Trazact Gator, ~280 grit, at ~15°.  Those Gators are sort of strange belts IMHO.  They feel odd while sharpening, but they seem to work OK, so I used it.
 
Here’s an image of the blade right off of the belt.  A burr covered mess that measured 465g sharpness.

   
 
So I stropped it twenty times on the soft, well worn blue jean material on my thigh.  Just flopped the blade back and forth.  Maybe 30 seconds worth.  Here’s what it looked like after the stropping.

   
 
It went from 465g to 190g sharpness.  So I stropped 20 more times and tested again.  This time, 165g.  Just to be sure I was not still messing around with a burr, I ran the blade down the edge of a piece of hardwood, slightly angled to each side and perpendicularly.  I measured again, still 165g.
 
It’s a sharp enough and gnarly enough for the creepy 3 finger test to actually work.  I did the 3f test one last time just for grins.
 
It is my understanding that the blade uses fine grain steel, and it does in fact create very little burr.  While this might not have worked as well with more ductile steel that formed a larger, tougher burr, I find it interesting that the only burr removal/stropping I did was on soft blue jean material on my leg and it worked well.  It’s very sharp with a nice, toothy edge.  Just what I wanted.