Thread: "Sharpness" - is it a bevel issue?

Another advantage to the cherry tomato test is you can force a patina onto your edge.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Another advantage to the cherry tomato test is you can force a patina onto your edge.

Yes, was going to write that earlier, how to stain a blade in one easy step....

Well, i think Stefan summed it up pretty well in post #3. BTW, the cherry tomato works fine and doesn't stain blades in the 3-5 seconds it is exposed to tomato juice. I digress, but my current favorite bevel set test is HHT1 or better off my suita mid grit. If it doesn't pass HHT off this stone, the bevel isn't set. If it struggles, I can do better.

To me, the OPs question is a "necessry and sufficient" kind of thing. It is necessary that the bevel be set, that is the bevel planes meet in an uninterrupted line, for the razor to achieve sharpness. That the bevel planes meet in a line is not sufficient though, we must then polish the bevels to the point the apex, or "meeting of the bevels" is further refined to achieve sharpness to shave with.

Cheers, Steve

Hello Gentlemen, thought you might like an update after the help provided.



Had a day off. I settled down with some Ben Howard, and some tomatoes.
Took the Othello and did the whole sheebang from 1-12. After 1K, I stopped and had a look under the x60 loupe and tested with a tomato. Compared to my pro honed King Pelican there was no difference in appearance. No light reflected from apex. The Cherry tomato test was then performed - with no appreciable pressure applied, it dug in to the tomato when I applied a sided to side slight motion. There was a small area in the middle of the blade that didnt "quite" cut as cleanly, but still cut the tomato.
I then went up on the grits, and spent a wee bit longer on the 8K as suggested.

Shave test is tonight before bed.
Many thanks for the help. At least it cuts a tomato!!