# Edge retention



## shiny (May 27, 2019)

I've seen many posts on edge retention, but I haven't seen my question answered, or perhaps I've not read well enough. Anyway I have a few knives by British and a few Japanese knives. After sharpening, I can do a cut against the grain of a newspaper and they will all slide through without a problem. All knives I have will remain sharp to a more or lesser degree for a fair time, however non of them will be able to perform an against the grain of a newspaper cut after the first usage. Is that normal or should I put more care in the sharpening process?


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## Nemo (May 27, 2019)

I'm curious- are you planning to use the knife on newspaper or food?


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## shiny (May 27, 2019)

Nemo said:


> I'm curious- are you planning to use the knife on newspaper or food?


I always need to have my daily portion of newspaper obviously


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## Nemo (May 27, 2019)

shiny said:


> I always need to have my daily portion of newspaper obviously


Just don't try it on your ipad [emoji16]


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## ian (May 27, 2019)

I like it when the news I consume is divided into easily digestible bits.

Seriously, though, I’d make sure you don’t have a wire edge after sharpening.


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## Benuser (May 27, 2019)

Poor deburring. Don't leave the coarsest stone before the burr can't be reduced any further, and only flips. Deburr between each stone. End sharpening with light edge trailing strokes before deburring. 
Jig user, perhaps ?


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## _THS_ (May 27, 2019)

From what I hear you either don't sharpen enough (creating the burr) or you don't clean the edge properly. I can tell the problem is both, but I'd start feeling for a burr after every side you sharpen to be sure you hitted the very edge


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## ian (May 27, 2019)

The fact that it’s sharp initially, but then dulls quickly, usually indicates improper deburring, and the presence of a wire edge. See Benuser’s response.


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## milkbaby (May 28, 2019)

Yeah, sounds like typical wire edge behavior.


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## shiny (Jun 10, 2019)

Thanks all, I'll have to better my skills then


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## panda (Jun 10, 2019)

Does it cut food fine? Why give a sh*t about newspaper cutting??


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## _THS_ (Jun 11, 2019)

Cutting food is about geometry, newspaper is about sharpness, one don't include the other


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## M1k3 (Jun 12, 2019)

panda said:


> Does it cut food fine? Why give a sh*t about newspaper cutting??



I use newspaper to check consistency along the edge. Does it cut smoothly along the whole edge or is there some snags/resistance.


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