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Comment by John Bamford on October 10, 2019 at 11:33

That sounds like a reasonable use to me Dennis !!

Comment by Dennis Hibar on October 9, 2019 at 14:47

I'm with you John.  However, I do use it.  Lately, have been recording the measured sharpness of knives I plan to sell.  Often times I've listed a knife for sale saying that was razor sharp.  Others have used similar terms.  Now, when I list a knife for sale, I include the tested sharpness.  Of course, that probably doesn't mean much to most ... but it is a less subjective way of indicating the sharpness of a blade edge.  Basically .......... I try to justify buying this thing!!!!!!!!

Comment by John Bamford on October 9, 2019 at 11:24

I didn't expect to find anyone who had one of these Dennis, I did find it hard to understand the use for it! I guess it has a purpose in recording the degree of sharpness you have obtained, I believe some people record this sort of information on each of their knives, however, I still can't think of a use for it myself. Interesting idea though.

In Memoriam Comment by D ale on October 9, 2019 at 10:45

It's a new one on me. 
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I did notice his thumb is bandaged .. a prop ??

Comment by Dennis Hibar on October 9, 2019 at 5:43

John ...  don't know why I overlooked this post, but it escaped me.  Wanted to say that I do have one of these testers.  I am notorious for buying useless items in an attempt to find a use for them!  Okay, in this case, maybe useless isn't the right term.  The question I keep asking myself is whether or not it is actually useful.  Sort of.  Really don't know how BESS compares to the CATRA sharpness scale or which is more accurate in defining sharpness.  Both seem to measure push cutting sharpness.  What I use it for is to give me a reference point for recording before and after sharpness when sharpening a knife.  As an example, I received a new Alan Davis custom folder earlier this week.  I normally refine the edges on all knives I get ... even ones that are already "sharp".  This new knife, with a 27.2 degree per side edge, tested at 320 grams of pressure to sever the test media.  According to the testing chart, this would put the knife in the range of new high end cutlery edges.  I refined the edge using my Wicked Edge system, keeping the same 27.2 dps angle with diamond stones ... 600 through 3000 grit and then lapping film to 3 microns.  I finished up by stropping with plain leather.  I then retested and got the sharpness to 215 grams of pressure (utility razor edge sharpness, according to the BESS chart). Probably could have gotten it sharper (for this test), but not sure by how much without thinning out the edge into the low 20 dps range).  However, from a subjective use perspective, Really could not see that there was a perceivable difference in actually cutting (draw cutting) before and after. 

That said, the device is useful in terms of giving me some type of standard for comparing before and after blade sharpness.  However, for me, I tend to lean toward the subjective .... is the edge sharp enough to cut what needs cutting!  A "sharp" edge (regardless of the BESS number) may do better at cutting specific things.

Comment by John Bamford on May 2, 2019 at 13:04

Never seen one of these before, anyone used one?