Testing

Chris Railey

Chris Railey

Well-Known Member
I am starting to really test my knives and I was wondering what tests do you guys use? I am not so interested in destruction testing but more performance testing. I will test to destruction but obviously you can only do that once. What is your benchmark test?
 
There are no "standard" tests established for knives. Kudos to you for doing it though! That tells me you are somebody who values your self-respect and reputation. All too often knifemakers simply build something that looks cool, but totally ignore who well, or poorly it functions. One of my biggest pet-peevs in knifemaking is when a maker gets all wrapped up in Rc hardness, and I can only assume that it's the old "more is better" (or in this case harder is better" mentality, and don't consider anything else.

That being said, I think it's vitally important that a knifemaker tests what they build, and more so if it's being sold. Personally, once final grinding is done, I test every blade that is going out the door. My first test is flexing the edge on a brass rod. Time and experience has taught me that if a blade passes the brass rod test, it's a pretty secure indicator that it's going to be a winner. I also use tests of cutting various materials.... the type of material(s) is dictated by the type of blade, and it's intended use(s).

You mentioned that you don't want to do destructive testing, and of course that's your choice. However, even after all my years at this, I still destruction test approx. every 10-15th blade/knife, just to assure that things are where they need to be.

I think in the end, it's going to be up to you to decided upon the specifics of how you test, the materials you use to test with, and ultimately, the results you come to expect as acceptable. The important thing is that you test, in a realistic fashion, seeking results that will give insight as to how your blades will preform in real work scenarios.
 
what are the knives designed to do? it makes no sense to try and hammer a kitchen slicer thru a nail. for my kitchen blades, will it push cut newspaper, easily slice pork silver skin, cut meat or veg see thru thin? unless you have access to a good metallurgical lab, what will destructive tests show you? i needed a full swing with a 2 pound hammer for the blade to break? when I bent the blade 45 degrees, it didn't break buy now has a permanent bend? but that i could cut down a 2" diameter sapling, strip the bark and make a fuzz stick fire starter and the blade didn't chip or fold, that has some real world application.
 
what are the knives designed to do? it makes no sense to try and hammer a kitchen slicer thru a nail. for my kitchen blades, will it push cut newspaper, easily slice pork silver skin, cut meat or veg see thru thin? unless you have access to a good metallurgical lab, what will destructive tests show you? i needed a full swing with a 2 pound hammer for the blade to break? when I bent the blade 45 degrees, it didn't break buy now has a permanent bend? but that i could cut down a 2" diameter sapling, strip the bark and make a fuzz stick fire starter and the blade didn't chip or fold, that has some real world application.
 
My typical sharpness test is push cutting regular typing paper. My current test for my field knives is to violently chop through a yellow pine 2x4 then attempt to push cut the same typing paper. I am a firm believer that a knife is a cutting tool not an axe but I test it like an axe because that should be more than it will receieve in “normal” usage. I like the kitchen blade test ideas I am going to make some of those soon. Ed, I like the idea of the brass rod flex test could you please explain how you perform that one and what results you look for. Thanks for sharing your testing ideas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top