john hamilton > wrote:

> I can understand one type of steel being harder than
> another. and so keeping an edge longer. But i don't understand
> why carbon steel can be made sharper (keener); since any steel
> can be reduced down to a couple of atoms on its' edge, so thus
> would be equally sharp, wouldn't you say?

This seems logical, but I do believe the common wisdom that carbon
steel can take a sharper edge is correct. I've love to hear
a scientific explanation of this.

Steve