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- Jan 13, 2013
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I certainly understand the point (and importance of) a burr when sharpening but then I got to thinking that in some sense the really good sharpeners actually form so tiny a burr that I can't even feel it - given that at my age my finger tips aren't as sensitive as a younger persons. (In fact I sometimes use a piece of cheese cloth to help feel for the (larger) burrs I have to form...)
So what is wrong with the following approach to "burrless" sharpening - other than it would take a bit longer than "feeling for a burr"?
1. Use the magic marker trick to make sure the edge is colored
2. Sharpen until it looks like you have removed the magic marker from the tip of the edge.
3. At that point, whip out a 20X magnifier, check if the magic marker is really really gone.
4. If not, sharpen a bit more and repeat step 3.
My reasoning is that if a 20X magnifying glass shows no more magic marker, haven't you reached the edge automatically and thus have produced at least a microscopic burr?
I tried this on a beater knife and my edge was pretty darn good given the knife's steel.
What am I missing if anything?
TIA
So what is wrong with the following approach to "burrless" sharpening - other than it would take a bit longer than "feeling for a burr"?
1. Use the magic marker trick to make sure the edge is colored
2. Sharpen until it looks like you have removed the magic marker from the tip of the edge.
3. At that point, whip out a 20X magnifier, check if the magic marker is really really gone.
4. If not, sharpen a bit more and repeat step 3.
My reasoning is that if a 20X magnifying glass shows no more magic marker, haven't you reached the edge automatically and thus have produced at least a microscopic burr?
I tried this on a beater knife and my edge was pretty darn good given the knife's steel.
What am I missing if anything?
TIA