01-07-2018, 05:59 PM
I was discussing building a contraption with Mr. Mike and was getting stalled by the details. Somewhere along the way he most perspicaciously said something to the effect that if you think something is going to work and you reach a certain point, you just have to pull the trigger, build the thing and see how it pans out.
That is very good advice. As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
At this point it is not clear exactly what this device will test for or what its impact on a blade will be. Will it reliably roll an edge? Will it mash an edge? Will sharpness readings correlate with edge retention? As Mr. Mark questions, does it have anything to do with edge retention or is that a completely different issue? Will it provide results indicative of how heat produced from grinding impacts the edge? Will it provide actionable or at least interesting data? Yup, those are the questions.
Like edge sharpness testing, the data it provides may be specific rather than general. Sharpness testing does not inform as to the hardness of steel nor edge retention, but the data provided is extremely valuable. It might be a successful and useful device, or possibly a total and complete waste of time flop.
While interesting and up to a point worthwhile and necessary, discussing something to death leads to inaction masquerading as action. I have little doubt that the device will do something. The exact ramifications of that something is yet to be determined, but at least this will be some-thing and IMHO a step forward.
That is very good advice. As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
At this point it is not clear exactly what this device will test for or what its impact on a blade will be. Will it reliably roll an edge? Will it mash an edge? Will sharpness readings correlate with edge retention? As Mr. Mark questions, does it have anything to do with edge retention or is that a completely different issue? Will it provide results indicative of how heat produced from grinding impacts the edge? Will it provide actionable or at least interesting data? Yup, those are the questions.
Like edge sharpness testing, the data it provides may be specific rather than general. Sharpness testing does not inform as to the hardness of steel nor edge retention, but the data provided is extremely valuable. It might be a successful and useful device, or possibly a total and complete waste of time flop.
While interesting and up to a point worthwhile and necessary, discussing something to death leads to inaction masquerading as action. I have little doubt that the device will do something. The exact ramifications of that something is yet to be determined, but at least this will be some-thing and IMHO a step forward.