Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)
The blade test has two purposes - one to determine how long each of these blades will last before it stops taking a shaving on its own. The second is whether or not the iron can deliver a finish ready surface during the process and for how long.

David, I think that the second issue is by far the more meaningful one. It really does not matter how long a plane blade can cut if the surface is not worth having. If you recall the testing I did with chisels, the criterion was that the blade had to slice end grain pine. It it did not do so, the trial ended.

Regards from Perth

Derek