Every millimeter of the edge, from choil to tip, should be equally as sharp. The Mastersmith overseeing your test will be very focused on the part that you did most of the cutting with, but you should be prepared for him to scrutinize every part of the edge. Something that I do is to check the applicants blade for sharpness before the testing begins. I have seen failures that I believe couldn't shave before cutting, so to be sure, I check before and if I feel it is not sharp enough I will give the applicant an opportunity to sharpen it before any testing begins, because once that edge cuts anything in my presence, it is done. This way there is also a comparison, before to after, to gage changes in the edge from cutting. I insist that the edge shaves, not scrapes the hair off the applicants arm. I have seen people demonstrate "shaving" where they were really mostly pulling hair out of their arm, this not only inadequate it is dangerous to have to put that much pressure against flesh, the weight of the blade alone is all that is necessary for a sharp knife.

I would advise against the Karambit. There is nothing in the rules to forbid it, but a really good guideline is if you yourself have enough concern to ask, you may already have your answer. A guy comes into the judging room with a bowie, a hunter, a skinner etc... the usual boring lineup, but his work is clean an well executed, he's got it in the bag. Another guy sets down a keris, a khukuri and a khanjar, he now has my attention, to be sure, but not for the right things that I am looking for. Rather than impressing the judges with his fit and finish, he is really only waving a red cape at the bull, and he has now put himself in the position to be judged on the proper designs of those very specialized pieces, if the judges understand them, because even worse would be to have a them judged by somebody who doesn't even get it.

Journeyman testing is all about flawless execution of the basics, which is actually a tougher challenge; the ability to make a simple, even boring, design so well that it is elegant and beautiful in its simplicity. I tend to look at embellishments or exotic shapes as clutter that I have to look through to see the work underneath, at best I will ignore them, rather than scrutinize them and judge an otherwise clean knife by them.

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Journeyman testing is all about flawless execution of the basics, which is actually a tougher challenge; the ability to make a simple, even boring, design so well that it is elegant and beautiful in its simplicity.

This is probably the best and most succinct rationale I have ever heard on the subject. Thank you Kevin.

|quoted:

Every millimeter of the edge, from choil to tip, should be equally as sharp. The Mastersmith overseeing your test will be very focused on the part that you did most of the cutting with, but you should be prepared for him to scrutinize every part of the edge. Something that I do is to check the applicants blade for sharpness before the testing begins. I have seen failures that I believe couldn't shave before cutting, so to be sure, I check before and if I feel it is not sharp enough I will give the applicant an opportunity to sharpen it before any testing begins, because once that edge cuts anything in my presence, it is done. This way there is also a comparison, before to after, to gage changes in the edge from cutting. I insist that the edge shaves, not scrapes the hair off the applicants arm. I have seen people demonstrate "shaving" where they were really mostly pulling hair out of their arm, this not only inadequate it is dangerous to have to put that much pressure against flesh, the weight of the blade alone is all that is necessary for a sharp knife.

I would advise against the Karambit. There is nothing in the rules to forbid it, but a really good guideline is if you yourself have enough concern to ask, you may already have your answer. A guy comes into the judging room with a bowie, a hunter, a skinner etc... the usual boring lineup, but his work is clean an well executed, he's got it in the bag. Another guy sets down a keris, a khukuri and a khanjar, he now has my attention, to be sure, but not for the right things that I am looking for. Rather than impressing the judges with his fit and finish, he is really only waving a red cape at the bull, and he has now put himself in the position to be judged on the proper designs of those very specialized pieces, if the judges understand them, because even worse would be to have a them judged by somebody who doesn't even get it.

Journeyman testing is all about flawless execution of the basics, which is actually a tougher challenge; the ability to make a simple, even boring, design so well that it is elegant and beautiful in its simplicity. I tend to look at embellishments or exotic shapes as clutter that I have to look through to see the work underneath, at best I will ignore them, rather than scrutinize them and judge an otherwise clean knife by them.

thanks for the great advice. i also finally got around to looking at the video of the testing and will now alter how I chop the 2x4 as I was doing a much, much harsher chop then I needed to...and was also moving the 2x4 as it was clamped in my post vise via a horizontal downward chop on one side. guess I should of a paid more attention to technique when watching forged in fire: knife or death instead of drooling/crying over the poor blades. (sheepish look)

All js test knives must have a guard or a bolster.

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/uploads/file/Testing/JS%20Test%20FINAL%204-24-2010.pdf

Please refer to the ABS rules for Journeyman testing.