‘Thumb nail’ or ‘Three finger’ test...

[cotedupy]

Time I think for another Silly Sunday Evening Poll...

I noted this when zooming in on a picture I took earlier. Which made me wonder, what do you prefer: Thumb or Fingers?

(It seems that apparently I use both, tho it’s kinda subconsciously).

 

[M1k3]

Three finger test before sharpening.
Thumbnail test after sharpening.

 

[refcast]

I do thumbpad and it looks like that anyway too

 

[More_Gyutos]

When I worked professionally, thumbnail because I could feel nothing with any of my fingers. It would be like touching clay. Now I sort of like three finger check.

 

[sansho]

Three finger test before sharpening.
Two finger test after sharpening.

 

[sumis]

arm hair before.
pubes after.

.

 

[Nemo]

3 fingers test.

Gotta be careful or it will be the "2 finger test"

 

[Kawa]

Ring finger nail to be precize.

Voted for thumb

 

[ian]

Three finger. Have never felt that I got that much info from the thumbnail test.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I do the thumb nail but I also do sort of an across edge scrape. The three finger test has never given me the feedback I want which is probably just because I'm so used to my way of testing. I scrape my finger or thumb pad perpendicular to the edge sort of how you feel for a burr but across the edge itself. Just what I've done for decades so I'm used to it and can usually feel differences.

 

[Ruso]

Finger tests, but not the 3 finger one popularized by Murray C.

 

[ethompson]

Or, hear me out, you keep the sharp edge away from your digits and use a very slow curvy draw cut through paper towel

 

[Ruso]

Or, hear me out, you keep the sharp edge away from your digits and use a very slow curvy draw cut through paper towel

Yea, but this thread is about fingers and not paper…

 

[Choppin]

thumb nail. my fingertips are usually sore and beaten up these days by all the knife projects and wood working and barely funcional on fingerprint devices (both my office and home buildings use it for access). can't afford more abuse lol

 

[bsfsu]

I cut three fingers off before sharpening.

Then slice through a thumb nail after sharpening.

 

[Benuser]

The finest cigarette paper. All I want to know is whether the deburring was complete.

 

[tostadas]

I do both fingernail and thumb to check on progress while sharpening. The use draw cuts on newspaper slowly to check if I missed any spots.

 

[NickMinton]

Or, hear me out, you keep the sharp edge away from your digits and use a very slow curvy draw cut through paper towel

I’m with you on this. I feel the edge with my thumb pad first to check the overall “bite” but ultimately put it through paper towel. Has worked well for me

 

[deltaplex]

I see if it catches armhair, then I cut paper towel to see how clean that is, and then I run it through a prep and cut a plastic bag (~frozen veg bag) with it slowly to see how clean that is.

 

[Benuser]

I see if it catches armhair, then I cut paper towel to see how clean that is, and then I run it through a prep and cut a plastic bag (~frozen veg bag) with it slowly to see how clean that is.

The fun with plastic is it pushes an overlooked burr clearly to one side. Impossible not to feel it again.

 

[Rideon66]

Thumb pad

 

[big D]

Fingers, Never really understood nail test. Place edge on nail , then cut and see if it grabs? How much is it suppose to grab? Is it suppose to grab? Place on nail and see if it will slide (scrapping motion) or not slide towards the nail tip? What is either suppose to prove?

 

[Kawa]

Fingers, Never really understood nail test. Place edge on nail , then cut and see if it grabs? How much is it suppose to grab? Is it suppose to grab? Place on nail and see if it will slide (scrapping motion) or not slide towards the nail tip? What is either suppose to prove?

So you DO understand the nail test

Same questions can be applied to finger pad. Is it suppose to grab? How much? Should it bleed? How much? What does bleeding or a slight cut prove?

Its a matter of preference, or a habit. Non is better. We al know by the standard of our own test wich knife is sharp or has a good result

 

[big D]

Well gee whiz, since I never cut myself or bled, now I am wondering if I am even understanding the finger test.
(confused)

So you DO understand the nail test

Same questions can be applied to finger pad. Is it suppose to grab? How much? Should it bleed? How much? What does bleeding or a slight cut prove?

Its a matter of preference, or a habit. Non is better. We al know by the standard of our own test wich knife is sharp or has a good result

 

[Kawa]

Well gee whiz, since I never cut myself or bled, now I am wondering if I am even understanding the finger test.
(confused)

Or maybe the knives arent sharp enough

Try them on your thumb nail to test that!

 

[Rideon66]

Well gee whiz, since I never cut myself or bled, now I am wondering if I am even understanding the finger test.
(confused)

Well if it slices and bleeds without feeling it you did it right. Oh wait that is my straight razors. LOL. I don't know if one would want a knife that sharp. Wouldn't hold an edge long.

 

[themobilesharpaner]

I have always done both but usually can get a good reference with just three fingers.