How to test how sharp your knives are

[ElSapo]

I feel like my kitchen knives are pretty sharp. No, I can't shave the hair off my arm with them, but still pretty sharp. Anyone have a good test to see how sharp a knife is / if it's sharp enough?

[absoludicrous]

If you bleed, it's sharp.

[wacki]

Can you shave the hair on your arm off in one swipe? It's very sharp.

Can you cut a piece of free-hanging legal sized paper in half? It's sharp. If not go back to the stone.

[Wheelzie]

can it saw through a lead pipe ginsu style?

[CrazyEyez]

Test it on a tomato.

[darom03]

Test it on your wrists.

[Snafu'd]

[ QUOTE ]
Test it on a tomato.

[/ QUOTE ]

[astroglide]

huh? it's sharp enough if it cuts the things you need to cut to your satisfaction.

[Ron Burgundy]

[ QUOTE ]
huh? it's sharp enough if it cuts the things you need to cut.

[/ QUOTE ]

No. If you can cut things, but need to use a forceful sawing motion it's dangerous and a lot of unnecassary effort. Many people think they're knives are sharp enough, but then they use a really good sharp knife and they had no idea what they were missing.

[Blarg]

Yup, a dull knife is the one that will cut you. You can't control a dull knife's movement they way you can control a sharp knife's movement. A dull knife can still cut you up pretty bad, though.