Marko Tsourkan
Founding Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
- Messages
- 5,005
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As I mentioned in one of the posts, I would like to start comparing edge retention among knives from different makers, Japanese and American.
I asked a member here to help run the test and have a volunteer who will bring his KD for testing.
I think this time, we are going to compare knives in AEB-L, 52100 and a tool steel to KD, all with DT heat treatment. R2 was mentioned as one of the high performing steels, so it would be fun to test it as well if somebody cares to volunteer their knife.
How the test would be run.
All knives will be sharpened to about 3K and will have about the same level of sharpness (to be determined how to measure it, please advise) by same person so we have a consistency in edge.
The cutting will be done on a block of a hardwood that sits on top of a digital scale. Only 2-3" of the edge will be exposed (the rest taped off) to expedite the dulling. We will be cutting 1/2" sisal rope and recording a number of cuts.
There is certain amount of pressure applied during a slicing cut and a scale reflects that. On my last test, the pressure varied between 18-22LB on a fresh edge, and I attribute the rather a wide range to a lack of a cutting technique. I think we will address that by having a person do the cutting who works in a pro kitchen.
Once a pressure during the cuts starts exceeding an acceptable range, it means the edge is dull. We then compare the number of cuts among different steels, makers, etc.
It it important to match geometry of the knives, as a thinner knife will do more cuts than a thicker one, but even without comparing knives one to another, one should have a pretty good idea about edge's holding ability.
Bill Burke does a lot of similar testing for his knives, so I will email him for some advise.
I will also contact a few others guys who are local to come and partake in the test. It should be fun.
M
I asked a member here to help run the test and have a volunteer who will bring his KD for testing.
I think this time, we are going to compare knives in AEB-L, 52100 and a tool steel to KD, all with DT heat treatment. R2 was mentioned as one of the high performing steels, so it would be fun to test it as well if somebody cares to volunteer their knife.
How the test would be run.
All knives will be sharpened to about 3K and will have about the same level of sharpness (to be determined how to measure it, please advise) by same person so we have a consistency in edge.
The cutting will be done on a block of a hardwood that sits on top of a digital scale. Only 2-3" of the edge will be exposed (the rest taped off) to expedite the dulling. We will be cutting 1/2" sisal rope and recording a number of cuts.
There is certain amount of pressure applied during a slicing cut and a scale reflects that. On my last test, the pressure varied between 18-22LB on a fresh edge, and I attribute the rather a wide range to a lack of a cutting technique. I think we will address that by having a person do the cutting who works in a pro kitchen.
Once a pressure during the cuts starts exceeding an acceptable range, it means the edge is dull. We then compare the number of cuts among different steels, makers, etc.
It it important to match geometry of the knives, as a thinner knife will do more cuts than a thicker one, but even without comparing knives one to another, one should have a pretty good idea about edge's holding ability.
Bill Burke does a lot of similar testing for his knives, so I will email him for some advise.
I will also contact a few others guys who are local to come and partake in the test. It should be fun.
M