Sometimes burrs are large and easily identified.  Sometimes they are very small and harder to detect but big enough to make the knife cut poorly.  Some ways find large burrs but don't detect small burrs.  Since I learned of different ways to identify a burr over time there may be other ways that I'm unaware of that some of you already know.  I'd like to know as many ways to detect a burr as possible.  Maybe some of you feel the same.  If we list our burr detection methods it may make us all more knowledgable.  So I'll list the methods I use or am aware of and invite anyone else to list their's.

These are the two methods I use most often.

1. Slide meat of my thumb or finger down the side of the edge bevel.  Or I'll use my thumbnail which is a little more sensited to burrs I think.

2. If I strop where there is a burr the burr will roughen the leather.  An edge with no burr doesn't scratch the leather or whatevery the strop is made of.  This has shown me I have a burr many times that I was not detecting with my thumb or thumb nail.  If I detect a burr this way I go back to the stone to remove it and then strop again.  I don't like to use strops to remove burrs.  That should be done on the stone.  The strop is an edge refining tool in my opinion, not a burr removing tool.  However, a strop when used properly can be a burr removal tool.  Just as long as the burr is REMOVED and not straightened.  Straightening a burr makes the edge feel sharp but the steel is weak and the straightened burr will break off easily during use leaving a duller spot on the edge.

I have also heard of using a cotton ball to slide off the edge to see if a burr catches strands in the cotton ball.  This may be good for people who don't have as much feeling in the fingers.

I think burrs are the biggest problem we have when sharpening a knife so detecting them is essential.  Does anyone have other ways to find your burrs?  I would appreciated knowing different methods and maybe other's would also.

Jack