MYTHS ABOUT KNIFE EDGES

[KnifeGrinders]

When I first decided to seriously learn to sharpen, I ran across all of the myths and mysticism.  I believed and fell for many of them because on the surface some seem common sense.  

I still remember those days, and it was amazing the more I researched the more it seemed apparent that there must be some ancient Chinese wisdom, some special equipment, some secret Zen dust that I could cast about that would produce the keenest, most finely sharpened edge.  There was all the buzz about and from the “grand masters” of sharpening and it seemed that if I could just learn the “great secrets” I’d revel in the satori of the perfectly sharpened edge.

So I wasted a bunch of time and money, just like thousands before me have undoubtedly done.  

What I don’t understand is how much mystery, mystique, misinformation, and general bullsh?t has developed around knife sharpening.  I don’t know if there is really anything comparable.  If you wish to learn welding, nobody tells you that there is some secret electricity that makes for the perfect arc weld.  If you want to finish something, there are many finishes with different attributes, but never have I seen any claims that Egyptian incantations secreted from the pyramids and only known by a few Gods of finishing will help.  Yet, that kind of crap permeates knife sharpening lore.  

I suspect that the apparent multiplicative proclivity of sharpening lore and legend is nourished by those seeking to profit from utter ignorance.  But even so, for something so basically simple that people have been doing in one form or another for literally thousands of years, I the find pervasive permeation of crap misinformation most fascinating.  

Great list Mr. KG!  Apparently, we could all memorize it, go elsewhere, spout it as great learned wisdom and no doubt be revered and worshiped as masters and legends in the sharpening world.

LOL 

I have to comment though that getting a working edge is simple - it is the fine edge that we stumble over and start looking around for the Zen dust