TESTING
Testing can be done on :
Serrated Edge Knives
Pocket Knives
Kitchen Knives
Sport & Tactical Knives
Cutting force can be measured :
Using a Slice Cut or Push CutUsing standardized test material
Using actual items that the knife would be cutting
The test studies completed to date show how different variables affect sharpness.
Results of studies we have done
Results of knives we have tested
INTERESTED IN HAVING SOME KNIVES TESTED?
The sharpness testing instrument that I use was designed to gave quantitative results (test with numerical values) and can be used with almost any knife, including serrated. It was also designed to test cut a variety of test materials as well as food. Testing can be set up to do slicing cuts as well as push cuts.
Please contact me if you have specific knives and tests you
would like to have conducted. There is no charge for
testing. You will need to pay for shipping and
give me permission to publish the results.
Contact me at
warren@niceandsharp.com
SHARPNESS MEASUREMENT
Sharpness testing can be divided into three categories, quantitative, subjective and qualitative testing
Quantitative Testing
This is testing with numeric results. The test results are quantified. A quantitative test would not only show which blade is sharper, but would also show exactly how much sharper it is. Quantitative tests do not rely on human interpretation. They are usually very reproducible and not affected by who is doing the testing. The testing equipment is usually expensive and often limited to the types of knives it can test and what materials can be used for testing.
Subjective Test
A subjective test is evaluated by giving an opinion. Subjective testing is what most people use that are involved with knife sharpening. These tests include shaving the hair off ones arm, slicing a piece of paper along the edge or putting the edge of the blade against your thumb nail to see if it "bites". All these tests rely on human interpretation. The skill of the tester will govern how reproducible the test is.
Qualitative Test
Qualitative testing compares two or more items at the same time and determines which is best. When comparing 2 or more knives, a qualitative test would show which knife is sharper but does not result in an numeric result.
For more information on what can affect the perception of sharpness you may want to look at Understanding Sharpness