Polished vs. toothy edge

What type of edge is best for my knife?

Polished Edge

Polished, or mirror edges create cleaner cuts in delicate foods like fish and fresh produce. Polished edges are less prone to crush or tear the food, producing better tasting meals and more visually appetizing dishes. An edge with a very high polish will experience less friction when cutting. Because the bevel is smooth, it will glide through the object being cut, with little resistance. Studies have shown a significant reduction in oxidation to food surfaces when they are cut with a highly polished blade versus a toothy blade with micro-serrations. Highly refined, polished edges outperform toothy edges at tasks which involve cutting through food like tomatoes and bread. Additionally, the refined edge is excellent at push-cutting. Some examples of push-cutting include shaving, chopping, carving (poultry, wood or other media). Furthermore, a polished, mirror-like edge is simply more aesthetically pleasing.

(INSERT PHOTO OF POLISHED EDGE)

To obtain a polished, mirror edge, it’s helpful to use small incremental grit progressions. I start the process with my 2”x72” belt grinder and choose the initial belt grit based on condition of the blade. For example, if the blade is chipped or tip is broken, I might use grits ranging from about #60 to #80. After this is completed, I will continue with the first of six buffing wheels. My buffing wheels include #100, #220, #240, and #320. Wheels five and six are treated with polishing compounds, #6000 and approximately #10,000), respectively. Finally, I’ll use a leather strop resulting in a razor sharp condition.

Toothy Edge

Toothy edges have micro-serrations (teeth) providing a “bite” which makes for easier cutting through objects with a hard, smooth exterior surface such as tomatoes and breads. Additionally, blades with toothy edges are more appropriate for utilitarian, everyday use, for objects more resistant to highly-refined edges. A less refined finish is better at cutting these objects because of the micro-serrations on the edge of the blade that will bite into the object being cut. 

There are many schools of thought on creating a toothy edge on a blade. As discussed in the polished edge above, I will start out with my 2”x72” belt grinder, choosing the apprprite belt based on initial condition pof the blade. I’ll either Sharpen to a low grit (say 600) then skip several stones, and go to a higher grit or strop. Or, based on my mood, I will sharpen the blade to about grit #2000, then back down to #600 or #800, then strop.(LEGALLY BORROW A PICTURE OF A MAGNIFIED TOOTHY EDGE)