Math vs. Myth

[Sam Sloane]

OK Guys....here is the deal.......

If you wanted to have your best knife sharpened to the highest standard......who would you give it to?

Option 1:.......Jangi Shitomoro....16th generation Bladesmith, using traditional methods.

Option 2:.......an un-named sharpener in Australia.....who can quantify every step of the process?

I am on a number of groups to soak up info.....and I do believe there are many than have that magic touch, but most just quote their own bible......but as an engineer, even watching gurus like Bob Kramer.......by putting numbers to it.....being repeatable, and doing every thing in precise ways just makes me salavate....

Whats your position?

Sam

[Ken S]

Assuming the 16th century bladesmith in option is no longer taking new customers, I would choose option 2.

Ken

[Sam Sloane]

Ken,.....no...He just heard of this guy in Australia, and asked me If my Kitana was in need again....

[grepper]

I pick myth.  That way I can just blunder forth and simply say my knives are scary sharp or wicked sharp, etc., and never have to actually understand anything about method or the repetition of results.  All this exacting data is not fair.  Nobody ever told me I’d have to think!

It is amazing to think that for the entire history of the world the only way to communicate sharpness was via words like “scary” or “wicked” or crude subjective tests like rope or cardboard cutting.  

Mr. Mike literally changed the world of sharpening when he gave us edge testers and BESS.  Now someone in AU can sharpen a blade to 41 and I know exactly what that means.  It's wicked sharp!

Thank you Mr. Mike!

[Bud]

Easy for me Sam and I like the question. Samson pulled the pillars of the temple down, right? My neighbors kid benched 425 lbs. right in front of my eyes in his garage. The weights had the numbers printed on the sides and to my knowledge, the pillars didn't.

I'll take your John Doe from Australia any day of the week. We've all been asked to accept too much on faith and reputation in this business for long enough.

[Mark Reich]

I pick myth.  That way I can just blunder forth and simply say my knives are scary sharp or wicked sharp, etc., and never have to actually understand anything about method or the repetition of results.  All this exacting data is not fair.  Nobody ever told me I’d have to think!

It is amazing to think that for the entire history of the world the only way to communicate sharpness was via words like “scary” or “wicked” or crude subjective tests like rope or cardboard cutting.  

Mr. Mike literally changed the world of sharpening when he gave us edge testers and BESS.  Now someone in AU can sharpen a blade to 41 and I know exactly what that means.  It's wicked sharp!

Thank you Mr. Mike!

[SHARPCO]

I think blind testing is necessary for accurate comparison. This is because the BESS scores are not all.

[grepper]

I think blind testing is necessary for accurate comparison. This is because the BESS scores are not all.

I don't understand what you mean Mr. Sharpco.  Could you please expand on your thinking?

[Kwakster]

I'd take option 3 and do the work myself :-)

[SHARPCO]

I think blind testing is necessary for accurate comparison. This is because the BESS scores are not all.

I don't understand what you mean Mr. Sharpco.  Could you please expand on your thinking?

For example, the BESS score higher, but a thinner blade can cut better.

https://youtu.be/ENB7A2z_kDY

I believe that the cutting ability of the blade is determined by both the sharpness of the edge and the geometry.