Thread: Origin of the Verb "Bread-Knifing"?

I'm surprised you lost more than 1/8. That chip looks small.

Originally Posted by prodigy

I'm surprised you lost more than 1/8. That chip looks small.

Notice that it was the width of the existing bevel, maybe a bit more in the hand, than in the picture. Then, after the bread knifing you have to remove steel to get a bevel back. Took a long time to get the chip out ......... many sessions, and a longer time to get the bevel, sharpen and finish.Very tough steel in that animal.

I too never understood the Bread-knifing bias.
Years ago I was taught by a master carver to sharpen chisels, hone 90 degrees to the edge to remove a chip and get to solid steel. Then sharpen the bevel, by first honing at 45 degrees, to near meeting, then honing at the proper degree. It only takes a minute to do it that way on a grinding wheel or stone.

The same for a razor, remove the chip, then high angle hone the razor (45 degrees), with the spine off the hone, to where the bevels are almost meeting. Then hone normally, you should be able to set the bevel in a few minutes.

Either way, you will remove exactly the same amount of material.

here is the Stanley razor honing video,

Originally Posted by prodigy

I'm surprised you lost more than 1/8. That chip looks small.

Yeah the chip may not be 1/8" worth of honing but if you look at the devl's spit towards the toe of the blade it becomes less surprising.

I remember the term being used on usenet knife boards long before I knew there were straight razor forums.