Reply to thread

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deadeye" data-source="post: 1326064" data-attributes="member: 27202">Weeellll.... I think "sharpness" is a conceptual problem, and that issue is a prime cause of some of the controversy around "sharpening".An early indication of trouble is the definitions being circular - "Sharpness - the quality of being sharp".When you try to pin down "sharpness" - for example, as S.I. units, it's evasive.Look closer and there's a hotch-potch of edge radius, hardness and brittleness.  Look closer still and edge irregularity comes to the fore: the tomato-cutting example, which sees a parallel in woodworking in shearing cuts of planes or helical (shearing) cutters on planers.To take a guess at a direct answer to your question:I suspect that the reduced friction from a more polished surface and the reduced radius at the leading edge are marginal gains for the metal of that hardness, flexibility and brittleness in fine edges, and that much greater gains will be had by changing the attack angle or, particularly, by including cross-ways motion with the cut.One final thought (well, you did ask!).  Green wood cuts easier than seasoned - presumably because of the moisture content.  So there is somehting going on at a cellular level in the substrate that changes it's response to an edge of given "sharpness".I think that might be a very interesting area of research; I can find nothing published.There, you've brought the research scientist out in me, even if no viruses to be seen!</blockquote>

Verification

Reply to thread

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

Join the conversation!

Register today and take advantage of membership benefits. It's FREE!

Don't like ads?

Did you know that registered members can turn off the ads?